<\/p>\n
It seems the Pope has released a book, “The Infancy Narratives — Jesus of Nazareth” that mentions that we probably have the date of Jesus’ birth incorrect. This has caused a bit of a stir in the christian community.<\/p>\n
“Killjoy pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions,” read one tabloid headline, claiming that Benedict had snubbed traditions such as animals in nativity scenes and caroling.<\/p>\n
“Pope sets out to debunk Christmas myths,” ran another.<\/p>\n
Holy Scrooge! Some blogs unceremoniously branded Benedict the new Grinch that stole Christmas and one rocketed him to the “top of the grumpy list for 2012.”<\/p>\n
And then there was this zinger headline from a web news site: “Pope bans Christmas”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Catholic social network site XT3 (no idea what that means) has countered all the kerfluffle by posting a rebuttal stating, “The pope has not banned Christmas.”<\/p>\n
That’s good news for those of us who enjoy this holiday.<\/p>\n
Another section of the book that irked some bloggers is where the pope restates what biblical scholars have known for decades, if not centuries – that Jesus was born several years earlier than the first century AD.<\/p>\n
Benedict writes that since King Herod died in 4 BC, Jesus was probably born “a few years earlier”. He attributes the erroneous fixing of the year of Jesus’ birth to a miscalculation by the monk Dionysius Exiguous some 500 years later.<\/p>\n
“No one’s faith should be shaken by this book,” said Dodaro. “On the contrary, it should be fortified by this account. This is a believable account of the birth of Christ,” he said.<\/p>\n
And in St Peter’s Square, workmen have started building the Vatican’s larger than life nativity scene, which is expected to have animals and singing angels.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
There you have it. The fact that christian tradition has little to no bearing on their holy book should “fortify your faith.”<\/p>\n