Sunday Rambling

As I was driving down the road last night, I was thinking of how many Christians strongly disapprove of nonmarital sex and unwed motherhood.

I thought of Mary, who in the Bible was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph. Whether or not one believes in immaculate conception, the point remains that she was pregnant at the altar.

Personally, I don't believe in immaculate conception. I think that she and Joseph simply had the honeymoon before the wedding and, in a society that could stone a woman to death for such an "offense", that this story was concocted to save Mary's honor and her life.

Nor do I think that Jesus' very human origins should make any difference to religious people in regards to his status as a teacher and a prophet. Virginity holds no particular value to me, and if I were a religious person, it wouldn't matter at all how Jesus was conceived.

So, considering that Mary was pregnant at the altar, regardless of how she came to be in that condition, it would seem to me that modern Christians could be more understanding and tolerant toward unwed mothers today.

Too much to ask for, I know.

---

While listening to the radio the other night, a woman called in requesting a religious Christmas carol, saying that songs about Santa Claus didn't reflect what Christmas "should" be all about; the "reason for the season".

I don't agree. Santa Claus has always represented generosity and giving of all kinds to me. Anything that promotes goodwill among humans, even if it doesn't last the entire year, isn't a bad thing in my book.

And at least we know that Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, who lived in the 4th century.