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Thank You Baby Jesus Bbiography
St. Matthews-in-the-City Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, uses extremely-controversial tactics in its advertisements. Every December, the house of worship posts a billboard — one that is so over-the-top and offensive that it attracts international attention. Last year, Jesus’ mother, Mary, was shown gazing at a positive pregnancy test. And now, the most recent ad takes edginess to a new level, as it questions Jesus’ sexuality and seeks to spark discussion.
The billboard depicts baby Jesus with a rainbow halo over his head and the words, “It’s Christmas. Time for Jesus to Come Out.” Clearly alluding to the Christian savior’s sexuality, the ad is intentionally controversial, while apparently seeking to incite a debate surrounding homosexuality.
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
“This year we invited discussion and debate on the sexual orientation of Jesus,” St. Matthew’s clergy Rev. Glynn Cardy and Rev. Clay Nelson said in a statement published on the church’s web site.
The ad has been placed outside of the house of worship, where it is certainly sparking conversation. While some Christians will surely be outraged by the message being conveyed, Nelson notes that some historians have attempted to deeply explore Jesus’ sexuality.
Rather than embracing the notion that the savior was definitively gay, the faith leader seemed to provide a conflicting statement when he noted that Jesus’ sexuality is of little importance.
“Maybe gay, maybe not. Does it matter?,” he said.
This statement is somewhat odd, especially after the preachers said that they were inviting discussion and debate on the matter
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
As for New Zealand’s debate over same-sex unions, Cardy added that Christ’s teachings do not delve into the same-sex attraction debate, but that the savior “always supported the marginalized in society.”
But sparking a discussion over gay marriage and homosexuality isn’t the only reason St. Matthews-in-the-City Church is pushing the billboard’s controversial message. The church notes that last year’s image brought the church massive exposure on Facebook and over 30,000 visits to the church’s web site. Clearly, publicity for the church is a key motivating factor.
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
The church’s 2009 billboard was arguably more offensive, as it featured an image of Mary and Joseph in bed together. The caption under it read, ”Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow.”
The Birth of Jesus
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough." Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men."
It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Thank You Baby Jesus Bbiography
St. Matthews-in-the-City Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, uses extremely-controversial tactics in its advertisements. Every December, the house of worship posts a billboard — one that is so over-the-top and offensive that it attracts international attention. Last year, Jesus’ mother, Mary, was shown gazing at a positive pregnancy test. And now, the most recent ad takes edginess to a new level, as it questions Jesus’ sexuality and seeks to spark discussion.
The billboard depicts baby Jesus with a rainbow halo over his head and the words, “It’s Christmas. Time for Jesus to Come Out.” Clearly alluding to the Christian savior’s sexuality, the ad is intentionally controversial, while apparently seeking to incite a debate surrounding homosexuality.
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
“This year we invited discussion and debate on the sexual orientation of Jesus,” St. Matthew’s clergy Rev. Glynn Cardy and Rev. Clay Nelson said in a statement published on the church’s web site.
The ad has been placed outside of the house of worship, where it is certainly sparking conversation. While some Christians will surely be outraged by the message being conveyed, Nelson notes that some historians have attempted to deeply explore Jesus’ sexuality.
Rather than embracing the notion that the savior was definitively gay, the faith leader seemed to provide a conflicting statement when he noted that Jesus’ sexuality is of little importance.
“Maybe gay, maybe not. Does it matter?,” he said.
This statement is somewhat odd, especially after the preachers said that they were inviting discussion and debate on the matter
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
As for New Zealand’s debate over same-sex unions, Cardy added that Christ’s teachings do not delve into the same-sex attraction debate, but that the savior “always supported the marginalized in society.”
But sparking a discussion over gay marriage and homosexuality isn’t the only reason St. Matthews-in-the-City Church is pushing the billboard’s controversial message. The church notes that last year’s image brought the church massive exposure on Facebook and over 30,000 visits to the church’s web site. Clearly, publicity for the church is a key motivating factor.
Photo Credit: St. Matthews-in-the-City
The church’s 2009 billboard was arguably more offensive, as it featured an image of Mary and Joseph in bed together. The caption under it read, ”Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow.”
The Birth of Jesus
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough." Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men."
It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
Thank You Baby Jesus
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