‘Hipster’ Nativity scene draws criticism

A Nativity scene inside Canada’s largest church asks the question, what would Joseph and Mary do if Jesus were born in modern times? The answer: take a selfie and flash a peace sign.

A controversial depiction of Christ’s birth on display at Montreal’s St. Joseph’s Oratory reflects western society’s embrace of technology, healthy living and the self.

Joseph and Mary are posing next to the baby Jesus for a selfie — presumably to boast how their child is the son of God, as opposed to all the regular babies on their friends’ social media feeds.

Next to the manger — which is topped with solar panels — are the three wise men on Segways, holding boxes that are conspicuously similar to the packages of the online retail giant, Amazon.

The innkeeper, who in the biblical account rents the manger to Joseph and his pregnant wife, is fixated on his handheld digital screen and wears headphones that would drown out news of the miraculous birth.

Museum curator Chantal Turbide said the scene hasn’t brought joy to everyone’s hearts.

“Feelings are mixed,” said Turbide, whose museum is located inside the historic oratory on the flank of Mount Royal.

So much so that the museum had to place a disclaimer next to the scene in order to calm unhappy visitors.

“The museum is aware that the appearance of this creche has raised some concerns,” it reads. “Far from being irreverent, this creche is intended to make us smile.”

St. Joseph’s Oratory has about 1,000 Nativity scenes from about 100 countries, Turbide said.