Claremont Church's Nativity Scene Depicts The Holy Family As Caged Refugees

The holidays are quickly approaching us with the smell of freshly-baked cookies, the malls are full of Christmas tunes, and we all know that it’s the season to spend time in the warm company of your family. However, not all people will have the luxury of spending time with their loved ones. Especially if they’re running for their lives.

Claremont United Methodist Church in California is making the headlines for its very unusual Nativity scene that depicts Jesus, Mary, and Joseph locked up in cages, as a family of asylum seekers separated at the border.

The reactions to the Nativity scene have been very different and society appears to be divided on the issue.

Claremont United Methodist Church divided society after it unveiled its Nativity scene with everyone in cages

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Karen Clark Ristine

Some believe that it’s the perfect way to grab everyone’s attention about an important societal issue. Others think that it’s wrong to politicize Jesus and his family, and it’s a ‘cheap’ way to get attention and ‘attack’ the current United States government. A third group thinks that the metaphor doesn’t quite work because Jesus and his family were in a different situation than asylum seekers today.

The church’s take on the Nativity scene is a criticism of the way asylum seekers and refugees are dealt with in the US

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

While the Claremont United Methodist Church’s lead pastor, Reverend Karen Clark Ristine, doesn’t see this is as a political statement—she sees it as a theological one. With such a cacophony of different views and opinions being expressed, it’s no wonder the church is getting so much attention.

“We see this as, in some ways, the Holy Family standing in for the nameless families,” Reverend Karen Clark Ristine told the media. “We’ve heard of their plight; we’ve seen how these asylum seekers have been greeted and treated. We wanted the Holy Family to stand in for those nameless people because they also were refugees.”

“We don’t see it as political; we see it as theological. I’m getting responses from people I don’t know,” said the Reverend, who has been leading the church since July 2019. “I am having people tell me that it moved them to tears. So if the Holy Family and the imagery of the Holy Family and the imagery of a Nativity is something you hold dear, and you see them separated, then that’s going to spark compassion in many people.”

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Breznican

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Karen Clark Ristine

The Nativity scene is meant to show Jesus after he was born. However, the Claremont United Methodist Church is trying to make a metaphor about asylum seekers by alluding to Joseph and Mary’s flight to Egypt, to escape King Herod’s wrath.

The church does have a second, more traditional, Nativity scene inside the building itself. Claremont United Methodist Church often uses its Nativity scene to draw attention to important issues, such as Southern California’s homelessness crisis.

The lead pastor of the church shared her thoughts in this post:

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: Karen Clark Ristine

Here’s how some people reacted to what the church did, some were very critical

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

While others loved the idea

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: GarrattJann

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: VJShordee444

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: opiejeanne

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: ArneFelix

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: samdew66

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: soul_brooke

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: maplemouth

Church Sparks Heated Reactions By Putting Jesus, Mary, Joseph In Separate Cages, Separated By The Border Patrol

Image credits: CatspawDTP

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

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What do you think ?

POST

Patrick O'Harris 4 years ago

I must admit that I'm extremely happy about the f****d up wanna be christians in the comments being pissed.

45points

India Frost 4 years ago

Ana, in terms of "listing a couple" of ways that people of color are disenfranchised...I don't think I will. I'm a white woman and with that comes great privilege. My knowledge is strictly academic, but there are many people of color speaking from a visceral and real place about their experiences in this country. My job is to listen and try to deconstruct that in anyway I can, like engaging in these conversations. People are voicing their experiences in this country and the history backs it up. Your vehement defense and denial of it is where I'm asking you to level up. You're not disagreeing with me, your denying history and real peoples experiences. You're inadvertently supporting a structure that is harming people with your ignorance. I appreciate the conversation. All the best to you!

19points

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India Frost 4 years ago

This is something in my field of study. I pride myself on looking at both sides and understanding that every person's reality is different. I respect that you have a different background than I do, and your viewpoints are shaped by that. I'm simply asking that you push back on what is easily accessible to you and genuinely delve into the possibility of the "opposing" side. Why don't you look at statistical imprisonment rates, the "diversity" of people who run our country who have been put there through nepotism that uphold said structures. You sound intelligent and it's difficult to have such a convo over the internet. I know I keep logging off, but whether you acknowledge it or not these things exist and the world can become so much better if we just humanize ourselves to others experience.

5points

India Frost 4 years ago

Ana, you took everything I said and pushed it back onto me. You're funny. I know what Orientalism is about--I read it. You googled it. I cited it as a way for you to understand how your perception is just that, something constructed.

4points

India Frost 4 years ago

Also, to address your argument that racism doesn't exist because of professional athletes, I have an article I'd be happy to link.

2points

Alan Paprocki 4 years ago

You have no mental process except hatred.

0points

Michael Bradford 4 years ago

Thank you Patrick for being so much better than your fellow man. Without holy men like yourself we would have no one to look up to. Jesus has your gifts so hang on until then. Let's all thank God that Obama can no longer cage children like he used to.

-2points

SelenaGame 4 years ago (edited)

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KatHat 4 years ago

Wow, some comments in the article and here in the comments section that indicate great ignorance around what Jesus did and stood for. You can't separate social justice from true Christianity and Jesus made everything political. If you say otherwise you need to read more.

41points

Bunzilla 4 years ago

I really have to question if these people actually read the article. I doubt it. They just saw the headline, then raced down to the comment section to start spewing venom. The article clearly explains the parallels between Jesus Mary and Joseph, and modern day refugees. It's pretty apt.

14points

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Molly Block 4 years ago

All I know is, Jesus was a real person, who taught pretty much all of the same lessons the Buddha taught, who lived and spread his knowledge of enlightenment about 250 years before Jesus. Buddha came first, Jesus followed. And many many people followed both, and for that I am happy. They were both real men, and good men. Now, who will be next??

3points

Renee Gauthier 4 years ago

Yeah, Jesus wept.

-2points

Victoria Swift 4 years ago

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Elizabeth 4 years ago

I'm glad this church did this, it is inspiring a hard conversation that our country needs to have. Anyone who takes the time to look at the display might just think about the greater consequences of our actions. America wants to call itself a "Christian Nation" but a lot of Christians don't act according to Christ's words. I've long been repulsed by the general hypocrisy of Christians and find this church's actions to be heartwarming.

18points

Molly Block 4 years ago

I don't want American to be a "christian nation." I don't want it to be a "Muslim nation" either. I would like it to be an enlightened nation. I'm an atheist, but that doesn't make me an evil person. I wish everyone could just get along, without religion.

7points

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