A church in Italy has recently come under fire for its “dangerous” and “blasphemous” nativity scene featuring a second woman—in place of Joseph—alongside the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul, located in Capocastello di Mercogliano, is now facing criticism for its “inclusive” nativity scene, as reported by Reuters.
The Rev. Vitaliano Della Sala, the priest behind the idea, stated, “I wanted to show that families are no longer just the traditional ones.” He further explained that the display aimed to represent “children of separated and divorced people, gay couples, single people and young mothers” present in their parishes.
In response to the controversy, Della Sala referred to Pope Francis’ recent decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples. The nativity scene, which included one of the Mary figures draped in rainbow colors, sparked an online petition for its removal.
Pro-Vita & Famiglia, a pro-life group, initiated the petition, calling on the bishop to take down the “LGBT nativity scene with ‘two mothers.'” The petition claims the scene distorts the meaning of the holy family and is “blasphemous” and “provocative.” The group has garnered almost 25,000 signatures in support of its cause.
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Sen. Maurizio Gasparri of the co-ruling Forza Italia party echoed the group’s sentiment, stating that the display “offends all those who always had respect and devotion for the Holy Family.” The pro-life group has even called it “dangerous, as well as shameful and blasphemous.”
In a world where the lines between right and wrong are increasingly blurred, it is not surprising to see the things of God being targeted and corrupted. The Bible warns us about this in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who exchange darkness for light, and light for darkness, who exchange bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
This incident is just one example of how Christianity and Judaism are constantly under attack, as Satan seeks to distort the truth and lead people astray. However, we must remain strong in our faith and stand firm against these heretical displays. As 1 Corinthians 15:58 states, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
It is our duty as Christians to protect the integrity of our faith and the teachings of the Bible. We must not let the world’s corruption infiltrate the sacred and distort the true meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ.{eoa}
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
Charisma Staff