'Pregnant' Virgin Mary ad creates furore

Auckland, Dec 20: A Virgin Mary advertisement in a Christmas billboard has created a furore in Auckland, New Zealand.

The poster was put up in St Matthew-in-the-City, an Anglican church.

Proving its stand, the church on its website said that the poster, "Mary is in the Pink," is aimed "to avoid the sentimental, trite and expected to spark thought and conversation in the community."

"Christmas is real. It's about a real pregnancy, a real mother and a real child. It's about real anxiety, courage and hope," read the statement.

"Many in our society are suffering: some through the lack of money, some through poor health, some through violence, and some through other hardships. The joy of Christmas is muted by anxiety," it added.

People, however, protested and vented out their anger over the poster.

"Yes, it is vandalism," said Arthur Skinner, member of an organisation calling itself the Catholic Action Group, who called the Renaissance-style picture "satanic", was photographed attacking it.

"I'm guilty. If they want to arrest me, be my guest. If it comes to that, I believe in being persecuted for my faith.

"We are traditional Catholics. We don't look for trouble, but watch out if you start this sort of thing," he said.

He further said that those responsible for the advertisement would "certainly burn in hell" if they did not atone doing it.

"I'm disappointed that there is not more tolerance of different views. They obviously feel strongly about it," said Rev Glynn Cardy.

The church in the past in 2009 had put up a billboard that showed Mary and Joseph nude in bed after sex.

"Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow," read the caption. The church removed the poster after attacks.

OneIndia News