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March 25, 2005

Christian 'Conception' Parties Raise Ire, Eyebrows

Christian_thumbThousands of Christian couples plan to celebrate the occasion of their savior's creation by attending 'conception parties' tonight, intimate gatherings where the conception of the world's most famous baby is lovingly reenacted. Fans of the pro-life parties say that theirs is a way of livening up the culture of life. But some Christians say that they're uncomfortable celebrating the pregnancy of a teenage girl, even if the father was a heavenly one.

Let's party like it's 4 BC

By Cole Walters

Christian_raversFORT WORTH, TX—While the vast majority of Christians in the US will spend this weekend marking a tragedy—the crucifixion of Jesus Christ upon the cross on Easter Sunday—a small but determined minority plans to celebrate their savior with a bang. Against a backdrop of farmland, city streets, even mountain vistas, this merry band will spend tonight marking not Christ's death, but his conception.

They're called 'conception parties,' intimate gatherings where creation of the world's most famous baby is lovingly—and literally—recreated. And for a few lucky couples, the event will pay off in a big way. Since the biblical bashes burst onto the scene just five years ago, 13 couples have gotten pregnant as a result of attending the gatherings. Two of the lucky mothers went on to have children—both girls—who share Christ's December birthday.

A celebration of life
Christian_web"It's just a lot of fun," says Fort Worth resident and party host Earl Silos. "We'll bake a ham, put out bowls of macaroni salad and potato salad. People can relax a little, take a load off." He says that he's expecting 25 married couples to attend tonight's festivities. Marriage is a condition of attendance, says Silos, who advertised the event at his church, on local Christian message boards and on telephone poles in his neighborhood.

Silos says that he got the idea from his brother-in-law, who has hosted a conception party in Pascagoula, MS, since 1999. Today, notes Silos, his brother-in-law's annual March 25th bash attracts upwards of 100 people, including many town notables. "He does it up with a deep-fried turkey, the whole she-bang. We're a little less fancy around here," notes Silos. "We keep most of the attention on the main event."

Christian critics
But not everyone is enamored of the idea of celebrating Christ's conception—especially in the form of physical reenactments that even participants admit can get out of hand. Some Christians say that they're reluctant to shine a spotlight on the event's surrounding Mary's pregnancy. Christ's mother was only a teenager, after all, and according to Matthew, a friend of the couple, was not actually married to Joseph. "When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost," Matthew wrote in a tell-all account.

If Matthew's version is correct, Mary's actions would contradict the teachings of many abstinence-only education programs, which encourage women to remain pure virgins until their wedding nights.

A down hill slide?
Christian_mittFor critics, the new popularity of conception parties is a disturbing reminder of their faith's pagan past. Among social conservatives there is also mounting concern that their iron grip on cultural discipline is already beginning to loosen. Earlier this month, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a practicing Mormon and a likely republican presidential candidate in 2008, raised eyebrows with his statement that "marriage should be between a man and a woman…and a woman, and a woman."

But for thousands of Christians who plan to don party dresses and suit jackets, tonight's parties represent nothing more than a chance to celebrate one of history's most magical moments. "Obviously none of us is going to be lucky enough to get pregnant by Him," says Earl Silos' wife Carol. "So this is the next best thing. We're celebrating what turned out to be the biggest night of Mary's life."

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Christian 'Conception' Parties Raise Ire, Eyebrows "Thousands of Christian couples plan to celebrate the occasion of their savior's creation by attending 'conception parties' tonight, intimate gatherings where the conception of the world's most famous ... [Read More]

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Comments

The writer of the article lost all credibility when he wrote that people mourn the crucifixion on Easter Sunday when in fact the crucifixion is honored on Good Friday - people celebrate Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. Idiot.

Posted by: Bill | Mar 28, 2005 8:42:49 AM

THIS SITE IS GREAT!!Just as good as Landover Baptist Christian Parody Site. OR www.Bettybowers.com


This is FN Hilarious!!!!!!


Christian Orgy's??? Sounds like the Catholic Church

Posted by: JUST-A-THOUGHT | Mar 28, 2005 2:35:06 AM

What absolute nonsense. Also, what ab solute nonsense typed in using all capitals.

Posted by: paul | Mar 27, 2005 6:05:26 PM

If nothing else, no one knows the date of Jesus's birth, and therefore certainly not the date of his conception. December 25 was chosen as the date to celebrate his birth simply because that was the time of pagan celebrations of winter solstice, so it was convenient to slip in a Christian observance in order to help convert people without making them throw out all their old customs.

This whol orgy business just makes lot of the sacredness of Jesus, even for those who may not believe the Christian myth.

Posted by: windy | Mar 27, 2005 1:11:59 PM

A conception party? Or an orgy, albeit one where sex partners are not shared.

How can one re enact an unrepeatable event? Mary was not impregnated by sexual means. Indeed medieval art has a point when they portray her impregnation as resulting trough the ear by means of having heard the word of God.

So let christians imitate Mary not by saving sex parties, but by hearing the Word of God and believing it

This being so, all that remains of their ideal is an orgy.

Only in America could such sloppiness of thought be advocated

But the comment in the article above "If Matthew's account is correct. . " is pure ignorance. Mary's action in hearing the word of God to her, which was to simply beleve what He told her, did not contradict her virginity.

Why is it that error and sloppy thinking on one hand (the whole conception party business) is countered by error and sloppy thinking on the other hand?

I will conlude with noting that why do they think that self righteous oaths to remain physically virgin actually constitute purity? All we have here is sinful self indulgence being opposed by sinful self righteousness. Do they not know the Law of God which declares our stern religious efforts to be worthless hypocrisy?

Posted by: Steve Meikle | Mar 27, 2005 12:44:02 PM

2 TIM.4:1-5
PREACH THE WORD;BE INSTANT IN SEASON
OUT OF SEASON; REPROVE,REBUKE,EXORT,WITH
ALL LONGSUFFERING AND DOCTORINE
FOR THE TIME WIL COME WHEN THEY
WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTURNE: BUT AFTER
THEIR OWN LUSTS SHALL THEY HEAP ,TO THEMSELVE
TEACHERS, HAVING ITCHING EARS;
AND THEY SHALL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS
FROM THE TRUTH,AND SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES
BUT WATCH THOU IN ALL THINGS , ENDURE
AFFLITIONS,DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST,MAKE
FULL PROOF OF THE MINISTRY. AMEN GO BACK
TO THE BIBLE , AND PREACH , JESUS CHRIST
CRUCIFIED AND RISEN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND
OF GOD INTERCEDING FOR US. JESUS IN HIS WORD TOLD US TO REMEMBER HIS DEATH AND NOT HISCONCEPTION , LET ALONE HAVING A PARTY . " TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE ,AND THE THINGS OF LIFE WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM IN TH LIGHT OF HIS GLORY AND GRACE". ANNA

Posted by: ANNA | Mar 26, 2005 11:06:52 AM

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