"Beckham Nativity" Outrages Churches

　　Church leaders have condemned a Christmas nativity tableau depicting soccer star David Beckham as Joseph and his pop singer wife Victoria as the Virgin Mary.

　　A spokesman for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of 70 million Anglicans worldwide, reacted with weary resignation to the "Posh and Becks" tableau.

　　"There is a tradition of each generation trying to re-interpret the nativity but, Oh Dear..," he said.

　　Paul Handley, editor of the Anglican Church Times, thought the tableau was "just pathetic."

　　"It is yet another sign that people feel they can play around with sacred things," he told Reuters. "God is not going to worry. He is going to cope -- but it is a bit depressing."

　　The Reverend Rod Thomas, spokesman for the conservative evangelical grouping Reform, told Reuters, the scene was a case of exploiting Christian symbols without any understanding.