The pastor at Anchorage First Free Methodist Church was mystified. Why was the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chastising him?

No animals are harmed in the church’s holiday nativity display. In fact, animals aren’t used at all…

The Rev. Jason Armstrong was confused by an e-mail this week from PETA, which admonished him for subjecting animals “to cruel treatment and danger,” by forcing them into roles in the church’s annual manger scene.

“We’ve never had live animals, so I just figured this was some spam thing,” Armstrong said. “It’s rough enough on us people standing out there in the cold. So we’re definitely not using animals.”

What the church does have is a “living nativity” scene featuring live people in the roles of Mary and Joseph and the wise men.

Seems the confusion started with the church’s choice of phrase. PETA flagged Free Methodist’s display as a “living nativity,” and indeed, that’s how the church describes it on its Web site.

To PETA, that means animals.

Life=animal life. Living=living animals. Revealing, no?

Life.


Not so much.

And, in case you’re wondering why putting live animals in a nativity scene is considered cruel, according to PETA, it’s because sometimes they run away from the scenes and get hit by cars. And, one time some animals got mauled by dogs and had to be euthanized after being in a living nativity. Really, that’s the reason.

Flashbacks from the Brilliant PETA P.R. Files:

Lynched black men=slaughtered cows

Brilliant and racially sensitive!

Your Daddy Kills Animals!

Brilliant and kid-friendly!

I’m Mary Katharine. Come visit some time.

 

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