There has been a “spin” going on in Christianity since the time of Christ. Matthew has the Magi visiting a house. Luke introduces the manger. Today’s farmland crèche scenes descend from the 13th century and the “spin genius” of St. Francis of Assisi to promote the “humble beginnings” of Christ for more emotional impact. Francis was upset that most crèche scenes of his day were elaborate and jewel encrusted. (Remember that Francis of Assisi came from wealth and renounced it. There is nothing worse than a reformed anything. They tend to pee on whatever they have left behind as not important or to be negated.) Francis borrowed some farm animals and straw, and when he gave his midnight mass on Christmas Eve1223, we have been repeating the “humble beginnings” theme for the Birth of Christ every since. The gold and the jewels from the encrusted crèche scenes were dismantled, the proceeds given to the Church to perpetuate the Churches message. Better that it had gone to buy food to feed the poor and hungry of the day, and maybe history would be a little kinder to that particular period in time.
The ox and the donkey didn’t appear in artistic renderings until the 4th century, taking something from one of the many versions of the Book of Genesis and elaborating on it. (Yes, there are MANY versions of Genesis.) The donkey was the mode of transportation in Christ’s day. When it became a question as to how the Wise Men could make the journey from so far and so quickly on donkeys, the camel came into being as the mode of transportation. Camels can go three times the distance as a donkey… voil`a… the “spin”… and it negated any further questions in the minds of the thinking faithful of whether the “message” was inaccurate. If you did NOT believe, you were branded a heretic. Even the names of the wise men are in dispute, and whether it was three or four or half dozen that made the trip. And the spin goes on as we repeat the inaccuracies from generation to generation as truth.
NOTE: For more background, there is an excellent article on the history of the story of the Nativity in Time Magazine, as to when certain things came into cultures and their religions as “truth”. (Secrets of the Nativity, by David Van Biema/Time Magazine, Dec. 13, 2004. His research is very good.)
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The history of four terrorist organizations in the Balkan and a general introduction to terrorism and freedom fighting. Also includes essays about religious co-existence in the Balkan and about pathological narcissism as a precursor to terrorism.
There has been a “spin” going on in Christianity since the time of Christ. Matthew has the Magi visiting a house. Luke introduces the manger. Today’s farmland crèche scenes descend from the 13th century and the “spin genius” of St. Francis of Assisi to promote the “humble beginnings” of Christ for more emotional impact. Francis was upset that most crèche scenes of his day were elaborate and jewel encrusted. (Remember that Francis of Assisi came from wealth and renounced it. There is nothing worse than a reformed anything. They tend to pee on whatever they have left behind as not important or to be negated.) Francis borrowed some farm animals and straw, and when he gave his midnight mass on Christmas Eve1223, we have been repeating the “humble beginnings” theme for the Birth of Christ every since. The gold and the jewels from the encrusted crèche scenes were dismantled, the proceeds given to the Church to perpetuate the Churches message. Better that it had gone to buy food to feed the poor and hungry of the day, and maybe history would be a little kinder to that particular period in time.
The ox and the donkey didn’t appear in artistic renderings until the 4th century, taking something from one of the many versions of the Book of Genesis and elaborating on it. (Yes, there are MANY versions of Genesis.) The donkey was the mode of transportation in Christ’s day. When it became a question as to how the Wise Men could make the journey from so far and so quickly on donkeys, the camel came into being as the mode of transportation. Camels can go three times the distance as a donkey… voil`a… the “spin”… and it negated any further questions in the minds of the thinking faithful of whether the “message” was inaccurate. If you did NOT believe, you were branded a heretic. Even the names of the wise men are in dispute, and whether it was three or four or half dozen that made the trip. And the spin goes on as we repeat the inaccuracies from generation to generation as truth.
NOTE: For more background, there is an excellent article on the history of the story of the Nativity in Time Magazine, as to when certain things came into cultures and their religions as “truth”. (Secrets of the Nativity, by David Van Biema/Time Magazine, Dec. 13, 2004. His research is very good.)
Elizabeth