[Altariel]

An older article, but worth the read. Enjoy!

[Robe]

From the article, comment # 5

“12/6/2011 11:34 AM

Tried reading your article, which is very interesting, but I’m having trouble getting through the first couple of paragraphs due to the continued use of the terms “Palestine” & “Palestinian”

Palestine was a derogatory name given to the area by the Romans as an insult to the Jews. I would expect a “lecturer in Middle Eastern New Testament studies” to know that.

[clee1]

The reason is really quite simple: a census was ordered - as descendents of David, The Holy Family HAD to travel to Bethlehem from their home in Nazareth. Arriving late in the evening, in active Labor, they simply had no choice but to seek the nearest shelter, rather than travel around town looking for a distant relative that had room to put them up in a city that had tripled in population in just a few short weeks.

The Bible says “born in a stable and laid in a manger”. All the “scholars” in the world can’t alter the simple facts.

[Iscool]

We can and should theologize on the glorious resurrected Christ who meets us in the Eucharist. But a proper understanding of the story of His birth forces us to not lose sight of the One who “took upon himself the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of man.” And, after all, it is still possible for us to sing:

I doubt there's a single non Catholic out there who loses sight of the One who took upon himself the form of a servent by sticking with the written words of God...

Seems to be a lame attempt to denigrate the words and authority of the words of God to the faithful Catholic...

There is absolutel zero significance to a story that has Joseph and Mary going to someone's house; but their guest room was full (which isn't really a guest room after all) and had to sleep in the family room...