We have been setting up a Nativity scene for the last fifteen years,” the mayor said, “and this time we wanted to underscore the problem related to the acceptance of migrants.”
Mayor Stefano Sermenghi — like many others — has missed the boat. The rejection of migrants is not due to unkindness and intolerance, but because of the danger of the unvetted, monumental mass migration into Europe, which has led to the introduction into Europe of harmful cultural practices, and the victims stack up, both from jihad attacks and sex attacks.
Western leaders are to blame for allowing in too many Muslim migrants at once, not screening them, and losing track of hundreds of thousands of them. Now they have to deal with returning Islamic State fighters, for which these same leaders are unprepared.
Mayor Sermenghi is another reckless leader who ignores the fact that among the masses of refugees are Islamic State fighters, as well as other jihadists and Islamic supremacists. He is also operating in extremely poor taste by politicizing religion and the meaning of the Nativity scene in such a crass manner.
Bishop Ernesto Vecchi criticized Sermenghi’s move as “out of place,” stating that “the central core of a nativity scene calls for a child in swaddling clothes lying in a manger, and this must be respected.”
“Italian Bishop Decries Use of Migrant Dinghy in Nativity Scene”, by Thomas D. Williams, Breitbart, December 6, 2017:
A bishop in the north of Italy has sharply criticized the placement of the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus in a migrant dinghy rather than a traditional manger in the town Nativity scene.
The mayor of the Italian town of Castenaso, Stefano Sermenghi, decided to place a small rubber boat at the center of the manger scene in order to draw attention to the plight of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe.
In the crèche scene adorning the town square, the wooden figure of the Virgin Mary has been placed on board the rubber raft with the infant Jesus in her arms.
“We have been setting up a Nativity scene for the last fifteen years,” the mayor said, “and this time we wanted to underscore the problem related to the acceptance of migrants.”
An emeritus bishop of nearby Bologna, Ernesto Vecchi, criticized the move and told the Italian daily Il Resto del Carlino that the addition of the migrant dinghy to the Nativity scene was “out of place.”
“The central core of a nativity scene calls for a child in swaddling clothes lying in a manger, and this must be respected,” the bishop said.
“The most important part of the crib cannot be represented by a boat.”
The bishop added that it was conceivable to have a rubber raft present somewhere in the scene, but not at the very center in place of the traditional manger, as related by the biblical passage describing the Nativity.
Asked about the message the dinghy was intended to give, and reminded about Pope Francis’ call for a welcoming attitude toward migrants, the bishop said that one issue cannot take over the mystery of Christmas.
“I’m not saying a crèche cannot be enriched by other elements, and certainly, a boat is a symbol that reminds us of the need for hospitality,” he said, “but don’t forget that Jesus is the savior of every problem, not just one.”
“Jesus in the manger is the sign of God who was rich and became poor for us, that Christ died on the cross for us and his resurrection is also ours,” the bishop added.
“The intentions were good but woe to us if we distort the image of the manger scene,” the bishop concluded.
Local citizens seem to share in the bishop’s misgivings about the manger scene, and have expressed themselves in sharper tones than his.
“The latest idiocy from a mayor who no longer knows what to invent to draw attention to his crappy little party,” writes one Marco, referring to the mayor’s center-left Democratic party.
Another, identified as Paolo, asks why “the dear mayor Sermenghi didn’t put a nice basket of money in the place of the rubber raft to offer something besides pretty words to those poor artisans and businesspeople who have been beaten down by the crisis and especially by the taxes that his government has doubled?”
For his part, the mayor has remained unmoved in his decision……
Krazy Kafir says
Mary and Joseph were not refugees or migrants. When will the goofball dhimmis get that?
utis says
That’s right. They were hapless taxpayers being shuffled around their own country by a heartless government that just wanted to flaunt its power over the people who paid them money.
James Pierce says
These people want to pretend that’s true because the Holy Family traveled to Egypt for a time. They’re too stupid to realize that it was all part of the same country at that time. It’s the equivalent of saying that I could move from New York to Florida and be in a different country.
mortimer says
Disagree. Mary and Joseph were refugees in the New Testament from King Herod. The point of this Marxist narrative in Italy is to destroy Italy.
In point of fact, it is TEN TIMES CHEAPER to send money to refugee camps in the Near East than to bring migrants to Europe.
Scores of hospitals, schools and colleges could be built to help the people to stabilize their home countries.
Leaving the migrants in their home countries is economically smart.
Oliver says
Mortimer,
I recently read in either an Israeli or Jewish website that Israel os doing something similar.
Israel has a refugee problem, many Africans try to get in. Illegally
What Israel does, knowong the country of origon, they might say, “your country needs (pick something)..
We will train you in that field, and give you some money, and send you back home.
Israel has accomplished several things at once.
Taught a would be refugee, without skills, a skill. In most cases, made a friend for Israel.
Gave him some money, to start practicing his new skill. or skills
Helped his home country, they got a person with skills that could help improve living standards.
And Israel has a new pr better friend in Africa
Win win
And less expensive than the alternative, eelfate, etc
gravenimage says
This is a reference to the flight into Egypt. But–as I noted elsewhere–Jesus and his family did not come into Egypt in order to conquer, oppress, and slaughter their hosts. They did not even expect welfare.
mummymovie says
Pop it!
Charles says
This “Mayor” seems absolutely INSANE!
These vile, SATAN (allah) worshipping savages are utterly devoid of any of the kindly sentiment we Christians usually express at Christmas time! They would gladly/eagerly slit his throat!
When will this PC madness END???
James Pierce says
So in the past few weeks we’ve seen a Nativity scene with two Josephs and no Mary, one where a half- eaten sausage replaced the baby Jesus and now this foolishness. What a sad and lonely existence these people must lead, creating and displaying something for the sole purpose of offending others.
mgoldberg says
As a jew, it isn’t my place, nor my religion to comment. But I like the manger scences and it has nothing to do with toadying up to the massive failure of bringing untold muslim migrants to europe to mostly live off welfare and to despise european culture, mores, and freedoms.
The mayor is worse than an idiot who understands little, but rather and ennabler of defiance of the values espoused by the manger scenes.tterAs a jew, no… I do not share the belief, but the ideals of the belief are indeed something we can all compete over, to better our selves, our nations.
Islam forbids even tolerating any of that except as humiliated dhimmi’s and those welfare demanding migrants who harass christians and worse, are living proof of that fact and reality.
James Pierce says
It is your place to comment because you appear to be a sane, rational person who understands that you can’t simply invent your own version of things that actually happened.
mortimer says
Agree with mgoldberg. Many Jews in the West (being somewhat Leftish) are very compassionate to migrants and refugees. They feel comfortable with the Leftist view of bringing more economic migrants, believing they are more than mere ‘queue jumpers’ seeking to emigrate in an accelerated stream. Such Left-leaning people are in my view allowing a superficial compassion to overrule logic. ALL CHARITY SHOULD BE GIVEN WITH DISCERNMENT TO THE DESERVING.
It is not uncharitable to refuse undeserving candidates for accelerated immigration.
WPM says
A cartoon drawing of Mohammad will bring rioting and murder ,declaring Jerusalem Israel,s capitol and the place where the US embassy should be a call of war by Moslems world wide, but Catholics should not object a bastardize display of their Lord. If the said Catholics and other Christians simply object{no violence or threat of violence} they are worse then then the murdering rioting Islamics ,the world and MSM will call them the “R” word “racist” the scarlet letter of the 21 century!
gravenimage says
Thanks, mgoldberg.
utis says
A touching fantasy (does the mayor take drugs?), but the reality is that most of the invaders, uh refugees, are young males without a single kid or female, not even their mom.
mortimer says
Agree with utis. A realistic depiction would include RAPISTS, THIEVES and SUICIDE ATTACKERS in the crèche scene.
gravenimage says
Also true, Utis. Instead of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, there should be three young “Josephs”, all with dirty skull caps, ugly beards, and vicious scowls. (No offense to St, Joseph intended!).
Tricia Stuercke says
That dingy DOMINATES the Christian scene, so this shameful so-called man & mayor has in ONE MOVE, HELPED ISLAM ESTABLISH IT’S DOMINANCE OVER CHRISTIAN ITALY! As Christmas nears, it’s sure to get altered further, perhaps Joseph will be learned over the creche & decapitated, the Baby Jesus will be crucified like ISIS did to young children in front of their parents, & Mary will be gang raped…the mayor just wants a realistic, modern-day portrayal, right? REAL ITALIANS, STAND UP, TAKE YOUR CHRISTIAN CRECHE & COUNTRY BACK!!!
AvantiBev says
Grazie! Avanti paisani!
mortimer says
Tricia and Bev, The mayor can easily claim he is following the instructions of Pope Francis!
The Italians will need to dismiss Pope Francis if they want their country back.
Andrea says
Your ideas are considered almost fascist, in Italy. The vast majority of Italians vote for center-right or center-left parties which do not share such a harsh view on immigration: speaking like that, you offend an entire country. We even recently abolished the illegal immigration crime.
Benedict says
“and this time we wanted to underscore the problem related to the acceptance of migrants.” –
The Mayor can say that again.
One problem e.g. is that Europe provides much better and many more opportunities for a Muslim migrant to find a suitable place to blow himself up and all the way to heaven while at the same time sending a sample of infidels to hell. If he doesn’t like this gambit he can rent a jihad-truck and postpone the eternal visit to the heavenly brothel to a later time.
CogitoErgoSum says
Okay, let’s make the scene even more relevant to today and show a raft full of pirates holding Mary with her hands tied. Joseph has already been tossed overboard and is floating away drowned in the sea as the head pirate (who may or may not be Muhammad) holds the baby Jesus by the feet just a few inches above the water. Shouts of Allahu Akbar can be heard playing in the background along with an instrumental version of Silent Night.
gravenimage says
Grimly spot on, CogitoErgoSum, given how many Muslims have murdered Christians in the crossing boats.
gravenimage says
“Italian Police: Muslim Migrants Threw Christians Overboard”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/11/italian-police-muslim-migrants-threw-christians-overboard
Savvy Kafir says
Do they still burn people in effigy? Is that still a thing? This mayor seems like an excellent candidate.
Oliver says
I would just hang him
Can use the rope again
Shmoovie says
This is beyond silly and irritating. Disagree there is any place for the dinghy.
Christmas markets in European cities have been threatened, security has had to be increased. The migrants have brought their resentment of Christian celebrations into Europe with them, and multiculti leaders go along without a peep.
Why should this depiction of a most important event in the Christian religion have to have ANY PC attached to it? It is a stupid-looking reach at attempting to compare Mary and Joseph with these hordes of migrants, who are hardly being told to shelter in a barn.
Rosewood11 says
This is as offensive to me as the recent “gay-tivity” scene!!! It is also a form of using God’s name in vain because Jesus was neither gay nor a “migrant” jihadi. I am sick of everyone using my Lord to justify their own twisted opinions.
LeftisruiningCanada says
Time for some Christian rampages? Rioting? Looting? Burning flags and storming embassies? Should we attack some halal storefronts?
Didn’t think so.
LeftisruiningCanada says
If there were only 3 migrants coming to Europe there would be no problem.
gravenimage says
Good point.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
He sure gets my vote for the “Virtue Signaler of the Year” prize. (Just in time before the end of year too.) And look, he recycled all those palettes; he’s so, so, so good!
City: Castenaso in **Bologna**
Phone Number: (+39) 051-6059111 (if you have free international calling)
Mayor: Stefano Sermenghi
Wish him a Merry Christmas.
gravenimage says
Meanwhile, this is what actual Muslims are up to in Bologna:
“Al-Qaida plot to blow up Bologna church fresco”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/24/arts.artsnews
gravenimage says
Italian mayor puts migrant dinghy in Nativity Scene
…………………
Oh, gag me.
Jesus and his family fled to Egypt to escape violence, not to visit violence upon their hosts.
LeftisruiningCanada says
But, but, Jesus brought a sword and division!
gravenimage says
Yep…
FYI says
What next?
Will each crib have 3 ayatollahs to replace the 3 wise men?
That won’t do to replace the Wise men with sh’ia muslim “holy” men…because you see… they cannot be wise men if they are unable to differentiate between the True Biblical God of Moses and the counterfeit koranic god allah,can they?
That’s not very smart of these “holy” men is it?They cannot be wise men.
What gifts would such islamic “holy” men bring?Obviously not Gold,Frankincense and Myrrh.
It would be more like Grievious bodily harm,Fanatical islam and Mayhem in the name of their allah.
Throw in a signed picture of pope francis on his knees licking a refugees foot and a few borrowed limbs from an old doll scattered around the crib to represent the Christians murdered by muslims…
Carolyne says
That’s about the silliest thing I’ve ever seen.
Valkyrie Ziege says
; Yup! They’re “dinghy”!
Z says
That just looks stupid