The Nativity and why it’s not right.

The Real Version

 

Today

The poorest communities in the world don’t have a shed or stable for animals.

The animals sleep with them. For warmth and to stop them being stolen!

Unless you are in Rwanda.

Unless you are part of the refugee camp in east Rwanda we visited and supported (a tiny amount).

Hippos are the extra dimensions! They come into homes at night.

Here they are nearby- this are the very same dudes. They bath on road side pond by day. Enter homes by night. Unbelievable

Anyway welcome to subsistence living.

New and Old homes in refugees camp at Kajeyo, Rwanda which we visited

 

Jesus was most likely born in a house– with the animals at one end for warmth and to stop them being stolen.

Not sure if they had Hippos.

This 7 minute podcast explain why I think that…  click to listen:

Animal feeding troughs (mangers) carved from stone separated the animal quarters from the communal living room. Warmth, Mary and Joseph. A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths.

 

(ABOVE) ILLUSTRATION FROM ‘ JESUS THROUGH MIDDLE EASTERN EYES’

 

He (Jesus) would most likely have been placed in one of the mangers.

The word stable is never mentioned in the New Testament. Not once honey. The word ‘inn’ is mentioned. It has two versions. The ‘inn’ of the Good Samaritan (with spaghetti western style sign swinging if you like. You can just hear the rusty hinges).

 

And another word that mean a guest room in a home.

 

Joseph- of the Royal line, with Mary, about to give birth would NOT have been refused hospitality in homes in the Middle East- the thought is crazy!!!. It’s middle easterners. Their middle name is hospitality! – Never mind that this is Joseph’s own home town. He would have been known. He is with a woman about to give birth- come on! get a grip! There was no room in the guest room/ upper room etc (it’s a different word – ‘katalyma’.)

Most likely he, Jesus was born in the living room of the family. If you are looking at the ‘incarnation’; that’s is what followers believe marks the point where God enters our world.

Then where did it happen?

Right slap bang in the middle of the family living room- the most obvious place. Not in some stable as an extra curricular event.

For ALL THE PEOPLE

It bothers me so very very much that the voice- whatever happened in the moment- that spoke to the Shepherds used the phrase:

“This is for everyone. Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE”

For ‘all the people’ really bothers me

He has been snaffled by religion. Flippin’ religion. From religious groups to religious leaders  all declare- they have hi- Jese- wrapped up.  And the ‘everyone’ is lost. What would it be like to reclaim that ‘everyone’? Might be the last thing I ever explore. Might be the most important and fun thing I ever do. NO walls, no meetings, no clubs to join. Your terms, my terms. Everyone.

I wonder and have for 30 years what it would be like if he was really (accessed) for all the people. You could follow him on whatever terms you wanted, I am soooo keen to explore that further.

The Refugee camp on the hillside at Kajeyo. we learnt so much from them

a small amount of help in form of food and seeds