A Different Nativity — or Is It?

I’m a social media junkie. When I cruise through Facebook and Twitter, I feel like John Wesley on a digital destrier, riding from village to village with good news, learning about the people of that hamlet, and providing presence albeit in a limited form.

There are some distinct differences.

Take, for example, the prevalence of sarcasm and irony online.

Recently, I ran across the weirdest nativity scene I’ve ever encountered.

The first thing that caught my attention was that the angel of annunciation had been replaced by a Batman action figure. Then, I saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Naturally, I was hooked.

I blew the photo up, and discovered that the holy parents were portrayed by two action figures from Star Trek: The Next Generation (Troi and Riker, for those of you keeping score at home, perhaps in an effort to recreate this masterpiece). And the Shepherds were being led by none other than Bill and Ted from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

Wow.

Within a few minutes, I was reposting and carrying on conversations, serious and otherwise, about the nature of the nativity scene. “Well, it does say every knee will bow. And I think all of these things have knees,” said one Facebook user.

Let’s recap: The angels represent the messengers. This was big news and it needed to be told. The shepherds represent the folks who are the least and the last, as does the holy family in general. The birth of Jesus was really good news for the poorest of the poor and for the outcasts like unwed mothers and homeless families. And the wise men represent those who were bright enough to bend the knee no matter how smart or how powerful they were.

Why Bill and Ted? Because even big-hearted air-heads have a place at the table.

Why Darth Vader? Because even the baddest of the bad guys can be redeemed.

Why a Tyrannosaurus Rex? Because even bloodthirsty predators find a place at the table (I wonder if he converted to vegetarianism).

And all those little aliens. They probably don’t have green cards. But they are with Bill and Ted, who obviously got the message that this table welcomes everyone, even if you have green skin.

Finally, the holy family. Why Deanna Troi and William Riker? Not to nerd out on you, but this couple endured some powerful turmoil. Let’s just say that if the Christ-child can come out of a messed up relationship like that one, then God can use anybody and anyone as the vessels for peace.

No, I haven’t forgotten Batman. I have no idea why he’s there as an angel. But I do know that Batman knows that real heroes sacrifice themselves for the weak and the innocent. And he probably would have preferred the “overturned tables” of Jesus ministry to the “turned cheek” of Jesus’ teaching.

Now, it’s your turn. Who would you place at the nativity?