Gay marriage-themed Christmas ornaments depict baby Jesus with same-sex parents, slammed by Christian groups

A California artist is being heavily criticized by Christian groups for designing and selling gay marriage-themed Christmas ornaments that feature the nativity story with a same-sex couple implied as baby Jesus' parents instead of Mary and Joseph.

Many Christians are offended by the Christmas ornament that shows two Josephs standing over baby Jesus. The said decor also has a lesbian version, featuring two Marys sitting over the nativity baby.

Campaign group Christian Concern has slammed the ornaments as a "blasphemous attempt to rewrite the Christmas story," reports MailOnline. Chief executive Andrea Williams said, "These decorations are a desperate and ridiculous attempt to pretend that homosexual relationships are pure and holy," adding, "The LGBT lobby is not interested in the welfare of children but only in pursuing its own selfish agenda. Trying to rewrite the Christmas story is their latest self-deception."

Mark Thaler, the artist who designed the ornaments for his company Pride and More, stated, "Not everyone's viewpoints are the same. People need to coexist and not judge one another."

Thaler is mulling over removing the Christmas decorations out of respect for others, reports PinkNews.

Another modern depiction of the nativity scene has also been getting attention online. Called Hipster Nativity set, it features Joseph taking a selfie with a cell phone, Mary giving a peace sign and baby Jesus sporting a beanie on his head. It has the Three Wise Men carrying Amazon packages, a cow feeding on all-natural grass, and a sheep in a Christmas sweater.

The Hipster Nativity set does not get as much criticism, though. Entrepreneurs Corey Wright, who is behind the modern take on the Christmas story with his brother Casey, told Mashable via email: "We have quickly found out that this product is very polarizing," adding, "It's usually, 'This is hilarious, I need one,' or 'This is sacrilegious, I hope you burn in hell,' and almost nothing in between those two extremes."