How does the Nativity story hold up in todays society?
Given the answers so far, I would have to admit that the Nativity story isn’t holding up very well! To all intents and purposes, it looks like most people think the story concerning the birth of Jesus is on a par with Santa Clause and his red-nosed reindeer. It doesn’t help when fiction gets mixed up with historical fact. Question It All is quite right to say the three men from the East turned up some time after the actual birth. According to the Bible, the only witnesses to the birth of Jesus were the shepherds who had been out in the fields tending their flocks. Some people think this is proof the event could not have happened during the winter months, because it would have been far too cold for shepherds and their sheep to be out of doors at night. However, it turns out that the sheep kept for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem were kept out in the fields all year round, and their shepherds were in constant attendance. Bethlehem was in that area where temple sheep were pastured. A
