posted on December 8, 2004 09:24:17 PM newTussaud's Nativity scene sparks outrage.
LONDON (AP) - Christian leaders on Wednesday denounced a Nativity scene at a London wax museum featuring soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, a former Spice Girl, as the parents of Jesus.
The waxwork tableau at Madame Tussauds museum included U.S. President George W. Bush as one of the three Wise Men, actors Hugh Grant and Samuel Jackson as shepherds and Australian disco diva Kylie Minogue as an angel. "There is a well-understood tradition that each generation interprets and reinterprets the Nativity . . . but, oh dear!" said Rev. Jonathan Jenkins, spokesman for the archbishop of Canterbury, who leads the world's 77 million Anglicans.
At the Vatican, a spokesman said it was unacceptable to have celebrities representing Jesus, Joseph or Mary.
“This is worse than bad taste. It is cheap,” an official Vatican source told Reuters in Rome.
“You cannot use contemporary personalities as the central figures in the Nativity … And it becomes worse, if that were possible, if the people may be of questionable moral standing,” he said.
He said it was sometimes acceptable to use modern figures in the supporting roles because it can help make Christmas contemporary — but not as the central characters.
Madame Tussauds said it had respected this tradition, using a plastic doll in the manger. The other characters, it said, had been chosen in a public vote that drew 300 ballots.
The scene also features British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince Philip as Wise Men, and flamboyant talkshow host Graham Norton as a shepherd.
Arum Kataria, a spokesman for the Church of England, was unimpressed by Madame Tussauds' exhibit.
Political offense
“It’s a joke, but not everyone has a sense of humor," said Brazilian tourist Albert Bertii.
The 26-year-old saw the crèche as more of an offense to his political views than to Christianity. “I didn’t like George Bush as one of the three wisemen,” he said.
His English girlfriend, Jenny Birks, retorted, “It’s the British being ironic.”
An Englishman from Blackpool also joked about the American president's role. “Bush hasn’t got the IQ of a hamster,” said Barry Vowell.
I don't know about anyone else, but I think they did a good job. This morning on TV, I saw a priest ask, "why did they have to do that?" "What did they accomplish?"
Well, I can understand why organized religion worked so hard to make gay marriage diffucult for those who want it. My question to them is....
"why did they have to do that?" "What did they accomplish?" the answer is they accomplished NOTHING positive.
posted on December 8, 2004 10:13:42 PM new“You cannot use contemporary personalities as the central figures in the Nativity … And it becomes worse, if that were possible, if the people may be of questionable moral standing,” he said.
Well it's about time the Vatican told the truth about Bush.
posted on December 9, 2004 06:47:59 AM new
I read the same story in a different artice. I didn't recofnize the "celebrities" for Joseph & Mary, but I absolutely LOVED the casting of Samuel L. Jackson as one of the shepherds (the one on the left). Any non-believers come around and he can "get Biblical on their ass!"
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posted on December 9, 2004 10:54:18 AM new
Didn't recognize the Joseph!
You can't turn the corner in London without a picture of David Beckham staring you in the face, especially on the "tube" walls.
He's advertising sunglasses, underwear, and just about everything else.
posted on December 9, 2004 11:13:02 AM new
Gee, I wondered if the Catholic church has considered if the wise men (or portrayals of wise men) should be included in the scene at all.
According to Matt 2:1-16
Herod asked the wise man when they had seen the star, and Herod's eventual reaction was to slaughter all of the children two years and under.
The wise men had been following that star a loonnngg time. They couldn't have traveled that distance in a night or even in eight days (and we know he was circumcised in the temple on the eighth day after his birth (Luke 2:21).
The shepherds came and found the babe lying in a manger (Luke 2:16) not the wise men.
So, hey, as nativity scenes go this one ain't bad. Bush as a wise man ---- that's hilarious!
posted on December 9, 2004 12:01:55 PM new
SFWG: The wise men had been following that star a loonnngg time. They couldn't have traveled that distance in a night or even in eight days (and we know he was circumcised in the temple on the eighth day after his birth (Luke 2:21).
What is your point? The Bible says the God created everything in 6 days and rested on the 7th. Do you take everything in the Bible so literally?
Q. What's the difference between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War?
A. George W. Bush had a plan to get out of the Vietnam War.
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There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on December 9, 2004 02:12:36 PM new
classic and replay: apparently you're not football fans (that's soccer in the US).
David Beckham was the star player on the Manchester United team and has been traded to the Madrid Spain team (to the dis-belief of the English fans).
He married one of the Spice Girls.
Haven't you seen the movie "Bend it Like Beckham"?
Where have you two been?
posted on December 9, 2004 02:19:46 PM new
classic and replay:
Do an eBay search for David Beckham and see how many items you come up with on the USA site.
posted on December 9, 2004 06:05:38 PM new
"I was gonna ask, but didn't want to sound like a complete moron. Good thing you're here to do it for me"
reply-glad I could help LOL
p.s.--soccer SUCKS
That along with tennis and golf are the most boring sports to watch on the planet.Any idiot that would sit for 2 hours and watch a match that ends up 1-0 or worse 0-0 and then riot and the end of the game should have their head examined.Every soccer player and every soccer fan on the planet should be excuted and used for stem cell research.Of course thats just my HUMBLE opinon.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Dec 9, 2004 06:13 PM ]
posted on December 9, 2004 07:12:04 PM new
You're sure going to have to "excute" several hundred thousands of people. Soccer fans around the world outnumber US football fans by 10 to 1. Some stadiums hold 90,000 people.
posted on December 9, 2004 08:40:37 PM new
Yep, ever seen a news story about a soccer match in Brazil or Argentina. They have to build moats and tall fences for those.
posted on December 9, 2004 08:45:02 PM new
Classic: if you want high scoring, you should have been at the play-off game of my favorite high school last week. Score 60-35, my team won and plays on Saturday against a team in West Texas for the state semi-final championship. That town is only 360 miles away. A 720 mile round trip. That's farther than from my town in East Texas to Atlanta, Georgia. Such is Friday Night Football in Texas.
posted on December 10, 2004 02:12:49 AM new
"there's too much testosterone in the world."
Kraft, my darling, YA SHOULD BE SO LUCKY !
Bill-There was a book written about a high school in west Texas.Thats all the town was concerned about was this high school football team.I dont remember when it came out,but Im almost positive it was Odessa.The only reason that name rings a bell is Elvis used to play there in the mid-50's frequently before he became famous.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Dec 10, 2004 02:13 AM ]
posted on December 10, 2004 09:31:00 AM new
Classic, they've just made a movie of that book. And yes, it's Odessa, Texas, the state football powerhouse in the 60's and 70's.
