Pope's book on Jesus challenges Christmas traditions

[UrbScotty]

It's Christmas, but not as you know it: a new book released this week by Pope Benedict XVI looks at the early life of Jesus -- and debunks several myths about how the Nativity unfolded.

In "Jesus of Nazareth -- The Infancy Narratives," the pope says the Christian calendar is actually based on a blunder by a sixth century monk, who Benedict says was several years off in his calculation of Jesus' birth date.

According to the pope's research, there is also no evidence in the Gospels that the cattle and other animals traditionally pictured gathered around the manger were actually present.
Pope debunks Christmas myths

He also debunks the claim that angels sang at the birth, a staple theme of Christmas carols.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/22/world/europe/vatican-pope-jesus-book/index.html

[hedgehog]

1. But the Gospels aren't meant to be read as contemporary news reports -

I just checked Luke's Gospel -

and suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest"

Saying, singing, talk about picky!

[rug]

2. The Pope has declared war on Christmas!

Actually, I applaud him for cutting through the crap and bringing up what the Incarnation is all about.

[mykpart]

3. Well, there may not be evidence that animals were present,

but it was a stable, so it's a reasonable assumption. I knew about the calendar thing 50 years ago, thanks to the nuns. Does the Pope mention the fact that Jesus may not have actually been born on December 25?

[demosincebirth]

4. An old Christmas story I was told when I was about 7 or 8, that a mule was present at the stable

where Jesus was born. The mule kicked at the manger and that's why the mules can't reproduce. I believed that all through grade school. It made sense to me at the time. My parents were of Mexican decent and many stories like that were told to children in my time.