Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem Exploiting The Manger to Make Political Points?

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‘Bethlehem church brings people to tears after redesigning Christmas nativity scene to reflect Israel-Hamas war-(headline, Fox News, Dec. 8, 2023)

The main message:

“A church in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, is receiving attention for its decision to redesign its Christmas nativity scene to reflect the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“Just weeks before Christmas, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, located in the West Bank, unveiled a new display of the nativity scene that shows baby Jesus lying in a manger amid rubble. The imagery symbolizes the destroyed Palestinian communities in Gaza and the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terror group, a church official said.(Fox News, Dec, 2023)

"Church families met last week and built it together. It was a moving experience for our families. During the service on Sunday, some people were in tears," Reverend Doctor Munther Isaac, the church's pastor, told The New Arab. "We are pleased our message has reached the world. This is what Christmas looks like in Palestine this year, the origin of Christmas."

“A NEW display of the Nativity Scene? (italics and caps, CFP’s)

That would be utterly impossible—no matter what religious denomination or what church tried it on for size.

There is only one Nativity Scene and has been for more than 2000 years.

In the same article:”The nativity scene often depicts Jesus as a baby, alongside his mother Mary, often regarded by Catholics as a saint; as well as his father Joseph, wise men and their respective gifts, shepherds, angels and various animals, including donkeys and sheep”, and once again quotes the church pastor saying “the church has been surprised and overwhelmed by the response the church has received regarding THE NEW MANGER.

“Mary, often regarded by Catholics as a saint” (Fox News).

His father Joseph is the Step-Father of Jesus.

Get real, pastor and new manger-building members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Catholics regard Mary as the Mother of Jesus Christ, in other words, the Mother of God Almighty. “His father Joseph is the Step-Father of Jesus Christ.

And what, pray tell, is with the concocted doll supposedly depicting the Baby Jesus wearing a Keffiyeh?

As commenter on the article, CitizenBrain posted: “HELLO! Doesn't anyone notice that they swaddled Jesus in a kiffeyeh??? The article doesn't even mention it! It's Palestinians and more recently associated with armed terror. It's certainly not worn by by an Israelite (Jesus). And yet Jesus isn't associated with any early politic. He is King of Kings.

Jesus was a Jew, so presume Hamas would be happy to kill Him.”

The story explains that “A church in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, is receiving attention for its decision to redesign its Christmas nativity scene to reflect the impact of the ongoing

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Should we take it at face value that the church “is receiving attention for its decision to redesign its Christmas nativity scene to reflect the impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war"?

Or is it that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, located in the West Bank, is receiving attention mostly from its own members?

"Church families met last week and built it together. It was a moving experience for our families. During the service on Sunday, some people were in tears," Reverend Doctor Munther Isaac, the church's pastor, told The New Arab. “We are pleased our message has reached the world. This is what Christmas looks like in Palestine this year, the origin of Christmas.” (Fox News)

Well, Pastor Isaac, legions of Christians the world over are in tears reading this kind of drivel weeks before Christmas 2023—and it is none other than your Evangelical Lutheran Church, that is causing them.

Exploiting the manger of the Christ Child to drive home a highly politicized message “to reflect the Israel-Hamas war” is not only painful to Christians—but gravely wrong.

Time to remember, celebrate and cherish the words of Luke 2:11: “For unto us a child is born, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.”

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