Not-So-Virgin-Birth Depiction Gives Xtians The Vapors

Unholy row over New Zealand Mary and Joseph billboard

oh god where art thou

"An unholy row has broken out in New Zealand over a church billboard aimed at "challenging stereotypes" about the birth of Jesus Christ.
A dejected-looking Joseph lies in bed next to Mary under the caption, "Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow".
St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, which erected the billboard, said it had intended to provoke debate.
But the Catholic Church, among others, has condemned it as "inappropriate" and "disrespectful".
Within hours of its unveiling, the billboard had been defaced with brown paint.
The church's vicar, Archdeacon Glynn Cardy, said the aim of the billboard had been to lampoon the literal interpretation of the Christmas conception story.
What we're trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about," he told the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA)."

Of course the xtians want it all, they want to keep christ in christmas, they want you to say merry christmas instead of happy holidays and they want to place nativity scenes in public places. They also don't want you to think too much about that fuzzy virgin birth mythology, because only they can decipher what's literal and what's merely allegorical. Which is why it's a headscratcher that Crumb's illustrated bible is such a popular success with them because his version of genesis depicts biblical characters in all his best Zap Comix glory.
But aside from the shocking! cartoon of Mary in a bed! and looking wistful I think it's the hushed topic of where old Joe fit in the scheme of things that makes the myth junkies nervous. After all he was jilted and of course there's the thorny issue of siblings along with the controversial business of what was really up between him and Mary.

Anyway this billboard erection touches sensitive places that will again stimulate embrace of hard issues. Which usually comes this time of year, although more prematurely than this.