Jesus Christ Replaced By A Handbag, Mulberry Cashing In On Jesus Myth?

The concept of Jesus Christ being a mythical character rather than a historical one is hardly new. As the western world has become more secular, more and more people have lost their faith in God and in Jesus Christ as the son of God. Back in September, it was reported by the Inquisitr that writer Michael Paulkovich had carried out extensive research for a new book called No Meek Messiah. Paulkovich concluded that Jesus was a mythical figure in the same way as the gods of Norse legend.

Paulkovich even goes so far as to claim that Saint Paul the prophet did not claim Jesus Christ was a real person. It seems that the Dead Sea Scrolls make no mention of Christ. What we do know is that Christianity was a fairly minor religion until the Roman emperor Constantine the Great converted before the battle of Milvian Bridge in around 312 A.D. Constantine is widely credited with helping the spread of Christianity to increase in pace. In the centuries that ensued, the number of followers of Jesus Christ grew until Christianity became the world’s greatest religion.

Serious doubts as to the existence of God and Jesus Christ have become more prevalent as science has advanced. Many now believe that the foundation of religious belief was seriously undermined by Charles Darwin’s “Theory of Evolution.” The idea that God created the world in seven days and that Jesus Christ was his only son was subject of fierce debate. As time has progressed, evolution has become accepted as fact whilst creationism has largely been discounted.

Of course, as reported by the Huffington Post the concept that Jesus never existed is a massively difficult one for Christians to accept. Put simply, if Jesus Christ did not exist, then Christianity is a lie. The belief system that has underpinned billions of lives for centuries would be based on, at best, a myth and, at worst, a massive fraud.

For centuries, Christians have believed that Jesus was the only son of God and was sent to save us from our sins. However, BBC News reports that a recent Church of England survey found that 43 percent of British people do not believe that Jesus existed. Atheism is spreading throughout the developed world, including in the U.S., the same survey concluded that of those who classify themselves as Christian fewer than 10 percent attend church, read the bible or pray.

It is probably fair to say that the media and popular culture have helped to portray Jesus as a mythical figure. Monty Python’s Life of Brian made a mockery of Christ and outraged Christians at the time. Since then, Madonna, Prince, and many others have been criticized for what many see as blasphemous behavior.

A special mention must be made of high-end fashion retailer Mulberry, which has launched a Christmas advertising campaign based on the nativity story. Controversially, Mulberry has replaced Jesus in their advertising with a handbag. Premier reports that the advertisement shows a woman being visited by three kings, wise men, and a shepherd who come to admire her gift: a $1,500 handbag rather than the baby Jesus.

Perhaps predictably, some Christian groups are outraged that Mulberry would cut Christ out of Christmas in what many see as the continued commercialization of the celebration of Christ’s birth. Others are more charitable, saying that Mulberry’s advertising may help to spark conversations about Jesus Christ and the true meaning of Christmas.

Mulberry is not the only advertiser to miss the spirit of Christmas. German retailer Aldi began leaking its Christmas advertising in August and replaces any mention of Jesus with the claim that “Christmas is the time for excess.”

[Photos by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images]