2,014 Years Ago

I find Christmas to be a time of reflection.  What do I believe?  What do I know?  What if?  These reflections seemed more pressing this year as I completed my 65^th year on this planet on December 27^th.  I never really liked my birth date much, though I am very glad it was not December 25.  And more than any year in recent memory I have participated in a wide array of Christmas music.  One of the most recent pieces our church sextet sang was, “Welcome to Our World.”  Wow.  That title got my head spinning.

My reflection this year has centered on the fortuitous birth of Jesus 2,014 years ago.  I know, I know, there is evidence it was either slightly more or slightly less than 2,014 years ago, and even more evidence that his birth date was not in December but was in either April, June or August.  My spring board for thinking is not about those issues.  I am totally intrigued by the question, what if Jesus was born to Mary in the US in the year 2014?

First, it is unlikely that we would call this year 2014 as we mark the beginning of both the Julian and Gregorian calendars with Anno Domini (AD) for the birth of Jesus.  What year would we call this year if not 2014?  The Romans numbered their years based on the founding of the city of Rome, so we would likely have kept that calendar as there would have been no good reason in western thinking to change it without the birth of Jesus.  If so the year would be 2767 A.U.C. (ab urbe condita – the founding of the city). 

Let’s assume then that Mary is pregnant with Jesus in the year 2767 a.u.c.  So much would be different!  If nothing else, her OB/GYN would never let her travel, much less on a donkey, that close to her due date.  She would be at home, which would be OK as the census is now completed at home.  If Mary and Joseph did travel, they would likely have had reservations at a Motel 6 or a La Quinta and the entire birth setting would be different.  Once labor began, Mary would end up in a local emergency room.

Shepherds would not be out watching flocks as we have fences, security night cameras and have eliminated most predators.  Oil field workers would be out, as would first responders.  Perhaps the heavenly angelic visit would have happened for these folks.  I bet had that happened one of them would have captured that heavenly chorus on their smart phone and posted it to some social media. 

Once posted, Jesus birth would have become paparazzi heaven!  Scientists would speculate on how the special effects were created and some experts would proclaim the video to be a fraud, though they could not prove it, while other experts verified its authenticity. 

Astronomers would soon be working on a similar dilemma as a new and bright star appears over a La Quinta.  The “star” would be in low earth orbit if it were able to pin point a spot using the naked eye.  Satellites and telescopes would focus on the star, airline routes would change, and the military would buzz the celestial body.  Needless to say, these wise men would have gone to the designated earthly spot to see what was up.  They would find a parking lot full of remote TV broadcasting vans. 

Mary and Joseph’s relatives would have been interviewed and the first crisis would have occurred.  So, when did Joseph and Mary get married?  Ah, so she was pregnant prior to marriage.  Joseph was not the father?  Who was?

The world would become divided into believers and non-believers with live coverage 24/7.  Mary would have to complete the Acknowledgement of Paternity form for the birth certificate.  If you thought Obama had a tough time regarding his birth certificate it would be nothing compared to filling in the “father” blank with “Holy Spirit”.  Blood samples taken at the emergency room would no doubt lead to DNA testing.  OK, Joseph is not the father.  But is the paternal DNA God’s DNA?  Does God have DNA?  Jesus must have, and I suspect Jesus’ DNA would be highly unique.

So, is Jesus an alien?  His father is other-worldly.  His father is in fact an undocumented alien. 

From this point on there would be no peace for Mary and Joseph.  Birth of future children would trigger intense coverage and investigation, but in each case the DNA would confirm Joseph as father and the excitement would dwindle.  Meanwhile, Jesus cannot go anywhere nor do anything as he grows up without media coverage.  We would have digital documentation of his entire childhood.  He would likely join Cub Scouts, play soccer, and go to the job site with his dad. 

Surely by age 13 it would be clear that Jesus was very different; perfect in fact.  As he has his bar mitzvah (yes, he would be born Jewish) he would interact with theologians of all sorts, though he probably would not get lost in a temple as there would literally be nowhere he could go without press coverage.  The interactions would likely be electronic.  He may very well have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email accounts and write blogs regarding his message.  He would be a frequent guest on every talk and news show whenever there was a national or international disaster.  I can only guess what he would have said regarding the Mideast conflict, gun control, tax breaks for the wealthy, etc.

I could go on and on.  The intriguing thing to me is that I am not sure how different Christianity would be with the scrutiny that would have occurred if Jesus had been born in the US this year.  Each “miracle” would have been digitally documented and publicly shown.  And who would be willing to sentence him to death?  Wow.  Death and resurrection are critical components of Christianity and would have to happen.  Would that have most likely happened in Texas, the capital of the death penalty in the US?  Scary thought.  At least it would not be death on a cross.  Not to mention the cameras trained on the burial site 24/7.

I think it is a pretty good deal that Jesus was born some 2,000 years ago.  Faith emerges as the foundation of this and every other religious belief system with the absence of scientific documentation.  In the ongoing pseudo war between belief and science it appears to me that had Jesus been born this year, science would have confirmed the faith. 

But that may only be because I believe.  I recognize it could very well go the other way.

Have a Happy New Year.