Semi-Nude Joseph and "Virgin" Mary Billboard Erected by Anglican Church Sparks Outrage in New Zealand

St. Matthew-in-the-City Anglican church defends Christmas billboard campaign showing couple in bed together.

New Zealand-based St Matthew-in-the-City church  has sparked outrage by erecting a billboard depicting a forlorn Mary and Joseph lying semi-nude beneath the sheets and looking to the sky with a caption which reads: "Poor Joseph. God is a hard act to follow." The church said it wanted to inspire people to talk about the Christmas story. Some people are upset because of the raunchy portrayal of the two. Well, guess who is livid about this billboard? The Catholic church. It has accused the Anglican church of disrespect.

St. Matthew-in-the-City's Archdeacon Glynn Cardy said the church meant to challenge a fundamentalist interpretation of Christ's birth.

"What we're trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about. Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?"

Cardy said one person had threatened to tear down the billboard but that of the 20 odd emails and phone calls he had received "about 50% said they loved it, and about 50% said it was terribly offensive." Source: UK Guardian

Personally, I would have been more upset had that been a depiction of Jesus and Mary Magdalene as some people have said they had a relationship. This picture doesn't offend me to a great extent. It is cheapening the beliefs of many Christians about the Mary and the virgin birth of Jesus, but I don't find it overly offensive. How about you?