SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Take a moment and think about the nativity scene in your home. Now fast forward 2,000+ years and imagine what it would look like if Jesus Christ was born in the year 2016.
For those who cannot even imagine what the birth of Jesus would look like in modern times, the company ‘Modern Nativity’ has brought it to life.
The “Hipster Nativity Set” features Mary and Joseph taking a selfie with Jesus while he lies in a manger wearing a beanie.
But if you look closer, you can see it gets even more “modern” than that.
The shepherd is on his tablet, his 100% organic cow is eating gluten free feed, and his sheep is wearing a nice Christmas sweater.
The hipster wise men rolled up on segways, and of course came bearing gifts … in Amazon boxes.
This nativity set can be yours for just$130. But is it something you would buy?
Sylacauga resident and local pastor Jeff Adams told SylacaugaNews.com that this nativity set will never be in his house or his church.
“This is just a mockery of what the secular view is,” said Adams “I don’t like it, and I don’t appreciate it.”
Adams said it is important to tell Bible stories like they are told in the Bible, and that is why he has a problem with the common nativity scene. He told SylacaugaNews.com the nativity scene we all know and love is not even the real Bible story and said commercialism and “easy believism” has changed the reality of what really happened when Jesus was born.
While Adams thinks the set mocks his beliefs, another local pastor has a different opinion and a more open mind.
“Personally, I don’t see it as a mockery or anything. I just think it’s trying to depict what it would have looked like if Jesus would have been born today,” said First Baptist Church of Sylacauga youth minister Kenny Norris.
Norris told SylacaugaNews.com he thinks this nativity set may help Christianity stay relevant among millennials. He said churches all over the country have trouble reaching the younger crowd because churches are not staying relevant.
“You have to maintain relevance, especially with millennials,” stated Norris. “We don’t want to go down this hipster road, but we need to reach millennials.”
Norris also said he can see the appeal the set would have on younger people. He said it definitely relates to them more and brings the birth of Jesus to life for them. He said the set could be used to open the door for conversation about his religion, and as long as the story does not change, he sees it as a modern representation of the birth of Jesus.
Jeremy Law for SylacaugaNews.com | © 2016, SylacaugaNews.com/Marble City Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.