An imagined conversation

A reader sent me a link to this odd story.

Residents of the Turkish province of Antalya have held a rally to denounce the removal of a statue of St Nicholas, commonly known as Santa Claus.

Local authorities replaced the statue of the saint holding a Bible with a plastic Santa Claus.

The statue was a donation from Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who has complained to the Turkish president.

St Nicholas lived in the town of Demre - then known as Myra - in Antalya in the 4th Century.

He is believed to have performed miracles to help poor chidren. [Source]

I wonder if St. Nicholas and St. Valentine ever get together to commiserate or to one-up each other with stories of tacky tributes.

Val, have you seen what they did to my mitre? I might not have much fashion sense, but I would never have been caught dead in a red felt had with white puffy lining. When I was still alive I was always physically fit and if anybody had ever made a crack about me with a comparison of a "bowl full of jelly" I would have laid them out the same way I punched out that heretic Arius at the Council of Nicaea. Well Nick at least they see a person behind you, but for me they use my name and use images of pudgy little cherubs and some of my Angel friends are none too pleased either. I mean if you can appear as anything who would materialize with an obvious growth disorder and hormonal problems? At least you get the 'Spirit of Christmas' even if it is a watered down message of the birth of our boss. My holiday is celebrated with the spirit of "finding the right gift to show you're sensitive to you're spouse or girlfriend and watch out if you're not.". God is omniscience but spouses and girlfriends demand the same when it comes to gift buying. At least your holiday can be celebrated by watching a movie about the birth of Christ. Mine gets celebrated via a "chick flick." And speaking of "chick flicks", it does make me wonder when Lawrence Summers is going to get around to talking about the 'innate differences" in the sexes in regards to movies. Yeah you're right Val, you do get the short end of the holiday stick, but let me give you some advice. Around Easter never broach the subject of bunnies with Jesus. He is a pretty good sport about it, but he will talk your ear off about redemptive suffering and forgiveness of sin being condensed and packaged down to some giant bunny breaking into homes and leaving eggs strewn about.