In trying to make this point however, St Matthews ignores the gospel account of matters surrounding Mary’s pregnancy and the birth of Jesus, in which Mary is not a shocked solo mother, but a young woman who, despite any anxiety she may have had, has given her firm assent and trust to God, saying “Be it done to me according to your will”.
Unfortunately, St Matthews’ provocative billboards do not promote constructive debate. As their own Facebook pages and comments on talkback radio testify, they provide a platform for the ridiculing of Christian beliefs on the one hand by people who are hostile to the Christian faith. And on the other hand they provoke extreme actions and abuse by certain Christian fundamentalist groups. Neither of these serve any useful purpose.
