I have to give great praise to St Matthew-In-The-City Church for going with their Mary and Joseph in bed billboard.

As I am in Australia currently, I have been reading about the furore generated by it. Both fundamentalist and mainstream Christian groups have effectively condemned the billboard as blasphemous. Liberal Christians and many other secular New Zealanders (like me) have welcomed the church's decision to go with an advertising agency suggestion of having William and Mary depicted in a bed scene with her husband Joseph. Above the advertisement is the caption "Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow."

St Matthew's has come out and defended the billboard in saying that they knew it would offend certain sections of the Christian and non-Christian community. Yet, they hold, the billboard has been created to stimulate debate about Christmas and the festival's place in the modern world. St Matthew's has also come out and said that in doing so, it wants people instead to focus on the message of love that Christ preached during his ministry.

I believe, as an agnostic, that there is a spritual world out there. However, I also believe that there is no supreme deity who is omnipresent in our lives. I don't doubt though, for a moment, that Jesus Christ did exist alongside Mohammed, Buddha and other religious leaders (although not historically at the same time, of course). Their missionary work helped feed the yearning of ordinary people in pre-scientific times to make sense of the world around them.

While I personally abhor religious fundamentalism, irrespective of the faith from which it arises, these early religious leaders did make some positive contributions as well. Jesus, for example, taught his followers to "love thy neighbour" and show mercy towards those who had done wrong. In short, Christ wanted his followers to show respect, love and understanding towards belivers and non-believers alike. 

That's why I cannot comprehend as to why fundamentalist Christians are so dismissive towards their liberal Christian brothers and sisters. The reaction of these and other denominations (such as the Roman Catholic Church) to the billboard clearly illustrates that some elements of modern Christendom don't welcome free and open theological debate amongst their leadership and followers.

In short, the fundamentalist Christian community are the intolerant ones here.

The Christian fundamentalist adherence to the Old Testament is probably the reason why this faction will not involve itself  in serious theological debate. They hold the word of the Holy Bible to be literal whereas, as many liberal Christians hold, it should be seen within the context of the times in which it was written. For example, there is a Biblical admonition against defying one's parents and this should be (theoretically) enforced at pain of death. But in today's world, we know that this wouldn't be acceptable.

That's why I'm siding with the liberal Christian element in this debate who want to see Christ humanised. They want to see His teachings about the need for peace, love, tolerance and respect given greater prominence. I have always been supportive of both clergy and laity from any faith or denomination who have gone out and exemplified this message. For example, Sister Helen Prejean, the anti-death penalty American Catholic nun whose work was made famous in the film Dead Man Walking is a person who has given support and comfort to countless people convicted of the most heinous offences before their executions in the US. Therefore, Prejean, more than anyone else in my view, clearly exemplifies the message of Christ in that we should show mercy and compassion towards even those people who have seriously transgressed against others.

That's why I believe that the St Matthew-In-The-City billboard was a very innovative idea. In fact, it has already achieved its purpose in promoting debate across various media about the role of Christianity and Christmas in a modern multicultural, democratic and secular society.

Long may it continue!