This one is a bit kitschy, but not disrespectful as far as I can see.
Posted on 01/03/2010 2:55:25 PM PST by Slings and Arrows
But he didn’t tell us whether the Peanuts baby Jesus is edible!
You anti-mutant frog bigot! Diversity is beautiful!
< j/k>
Seems a bit unclear on the concept, at that.
livius ...
Please elaborate upon your “reasons” for equating the Franciscan Order as “idiots”. I am curious to know why you feel this way about such an honorable and charitible religious order.
On the other hand, if you could post the link concerning the image that you apparently viewed of the Nativity Scene with the so called minarets, I would be most grateful.
If this image does exist, and indeed is authentic, then I would garner to believe that it is just another result of post Vatican II’s reform of the Roman Catholic Church and its Traditions for the last 2000 years. Sort of a “make it up as you go along and lets spread the spirit of ecumenism”.
But, in defense of the Franciscans, I STRONGLY believe that they are a very admirable group. Sorry to learn of your negative opinion of them.
Take care,
trollcrusher
I am not sure what the objection was to the Peanuts one and the ACLU one was down right funny in a blistering sarcasm kind of way.
I was thinking “Thomas Kincade with colorblindness.”
The cat one IS cute, but the theological implications are terrifying.
Not all of these are tacky. I actually own the nativity bake set (gift from MIL). I have used it at least once, but maybe twice, around 7 or 8 years ago. I remember I did a good and careful job on the decorating. (Not a given; I am not the artist in the family.) I should have taken a picture of it. We were in a church social club where you give gifts from a secret santa once a week during Advent. So, the recipients got a couple of pieces with each delivery.
I don’t think gingerbread mangers are going to replace gingerbread houses, but they get my vote for a nice expression of faith in the season.
I’ll look for the photo.
Switzerland is the place where people just voted against minarets, and the minarets in the Nativity were obviously meant by these peace and justice-type lefty Franciscans as a rebuke to their countrymen.
They definitely have fuzz for brains; aside from the fact that setting the Koran out there makes no sense, either historically or from a contemporary point of view, even the Muslims would probably object to it.
My apologies to the Franciscans. Some of them are very good, although the Franciscan orders are a mixed bag. The Franciscans in Assisi have become complete syncretists in recent years (they could all have been wearing “COEXIST” bumper stickers across their foreheads), as you will probably remember from the time that JPII visited them and participated in some bizarre multi-cultural ritual they had dreamed up. However, their superior has been replaced since that time, and I think an effort is being made to restore a bit of orthodoxy among them.
The Franciscan structure is very loose, and orders can “bud” off easily. While this permits good things (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Benedict Groeschel’s order), it also allows a lot of silliness to get started and spread rapidly.
When I think of the heroic work the Franciscans did in the California and Florida missions (where they were extremely orthodox and worked day and night teaching Christianity to the native peoples) and look at what they have come to now, I feel profoundly depressed. I don’t know how it happened, but of course, they were certainly not the only religious order to get shipwrecked after Vatican II. Look at the Jesuits! But even then, there are some good Jesuits, so maybe all of these things will revive once the 1968 old guard dies out.
OK ...
Thanks for your more detailed reply regarding the Franciscans. I do appreciate it.
I do agree with you on some of your observations, however, FFR in NYC does have some *goofy* members. The guy that comes to mind is the rapping / guitar playing / drumset drumming priest that once did a rap with a lyric in it mentioning Shiva or some other Hindu diety in a fond way. Not becomming of a priest in my opinion.
And yes, I do remember the Assisi meeting that JP2 convened with just about every single “faith” represented ... Hindus, Muslims, Protestants, Asian based faiths, etc. Just about the only group not represented were Druids, Wiccans, and Anton Lavey’s church of satan. All on the same stage. If you spoke out against it, you were considered not following JP2’s lead on “ecumenism”.
You will remember the JP2 Koran smooch ... not too many Roman Catholics have seen / heard about that pic.
Oh well. I’ll see if I can possibly track the Swiss photo down as well.
Have a good one.
trollcrusher
Oh .... and just a mention about this thread with all of the various interpretations on the Nativity, I think that it really trivializes the great gift of Jesus’ birth by portraying the Holy Family as Lego characters, barnyard fowl, lizards / reptiles, marshmallows, etc.
It is like society has all but erased Jesus from what the “mainstream” (be it media, popular opinion, governmental special interest groups, left wing / right wing / no wing causes, celebrities, or TV, etc.) want YOU (i.e. Joe / Joann Public) to believe. Ala George Orwell’s Big Brother.
If the rolls were reversed, let’s say a depiction of mohammed as a marshmallow wearing a turban, or some other “sacrosanct” figure, all bloody heck would run loose (ala the Danish cartoon uproar last year).
Bummer.
Incorrect. They most definitely are Lego’s.
King Herod ordered retroactive abortions on boys 2 and younger after Mary's delivery.
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