TESTING THE FAITH
Christmas magic show sparks
outrage
Bible miracles 'recreated' including making virgin pregnant
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Posted: December 17, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
A Christmas magic show on British television claiming to recreate
miracles including making a virgin pregnant has been condemned
by Christian groups.
"The Magic Of Jesus," broadcast on the independent Channel 4,
features illusionists Barry Jones and Stuart McLeod attempting to
see if eight New Testament "feats" are possible, reports The Sun
newspaper of London.
The performers sought to raise a headless corpse from the dead,
cure a blind person, feed 5,000 soccer fans with five loaves and
two fishes and walk on water, the paper said, but angry Christian
leaders said Jones and McLeod are dishonest.
"Maybe these two fraudsters could try being crucified to see if
they can rise three days later," said Bishop Michael Reid, founder
of television watchdog the Christian Congress for Traditional
Values.
"The big difference between a couple of tricksters performing
illusions and our Lord's miracles is that Jesus actually healed
people, raised the dead and forgave sins," Reid argued.
In the "Virgin Mary" illusion, the performers passed an ultrasound
scanner over a woman to demonstrate she was not pregnant. Then,
just seconds later, the scanner purportedly picked up a heartbeat,
though the woman never had sexual intercourse.
John Beyer of Mediawatch said the program "seems to me a calculated
attempt to cause offense."
The show will be broadcast December 28.
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False Messiah empowered
to perform this tricks?