Maria sweetie I agree with you 100%. I am not really religious in the sense I believe in too many things to decide which path I want to follow but I do agree with you that Christmas should be about Christ and not the commercial side. And yes I was shocked at rositys winners too. Awesome work btw....and (((((((((hugs)))))))) to you too!

!!! Excellent image and !!! Merry Christmas Maria !!! ... Antonio.

neither am I religious Maria, but I feel the same as you. The present thing does not mean anything to me. Christmas is about Christmas nothing else. I recieved an email from my sister that mentioned a memorial to Pearl Harbour stating the words of the president annoucing the attack had been put on the memorial, but the last part of his statement had been omitted"in God we trust". here in the USA christian children is not allowed to pray or mention religious things to other students. BUT, the goverment said that local schools has to provide a place for moslem children to do their noon prayer. where has the system go haywire? your art work is very beautiful and meaniful. I personally stay away from the "contests"

It is a beautiful image Maria, and you did a wonderful job with it, your postwork is excellent. In a way, I can understand why religious interpretations would be avoided, this is a world wide web spot, and Christianity is not the only religion practiced throughout the world. There are traditions that go much farther back, and we still practice many of those holiday traditions to this day. Quite a few of them in fact. You did a wonderful job with this image.

I'm sad to hear you so pissed off, dear! :( I think you spelled the answer while posting the problem - you might be one that let anyone practice their religion in peace, but it the winner would have been a "religious" piece, i really think that flame mail and messages would have started appearing everywhere (as if it doesn't happen already... sigh) - so i can suppose the staff has preferred to favour less "troublesome" pieces - not that i agree with them (my low concept of contests is well known around), but i think in this case at least a share of the guilt comes from the system - i.e. from the people - should we live in a more tolerant world there would have been no "need" (carets are mandatory) to make such discrimination! (not that the votation would have been equitious... they are usually ridicolous anyway...) - just my 2c... And of course i get the chance to wish you a wonderful christmas!!! ^_^ You did good to express your thoughts, but don't let those things take you down!! squeezing naga hugs

Beautiful image!!!! I have to go look at the winners. I ahven't seen them yet.

Very beautiful! Bravo!

Dear Maria I agree with the words of the Dear Hedda ...you are a wonderful person and your image is a wonderful message of what is the Christmas for our religion...Merry Christmas to you and your family and thanks of your magnific work

Merry Christmas to you and your family.thank you for your words its clear enough to think about. #:O)

Beautiful image Maria. Stunning and with such feeling and depth. I've been reading the responses and I'll tell ya.. I just don't get it. What's this attempt to take Christianity and Christ out of Christmas? I don't see any other religions days of religious celebration being systematically broken down. I'm a Christian and proud to be one. I don't force my religious beliefs on anyone else nor do I attempt alter or basically delete any faith based traditions because their not the same as mine. And expect the same in return. So Maria.. a resounding thank you for adding back the key element to this holiday season. The Christ-mas Season. And as for the rendo contests.. umm well.. from the looks of what I've seen it's kinda like the modern day voting systems. Fixed before it ever gets off the ground. lol

Wow this is so beautiful pose and romantic love it excellent feeling beautifuly done Maria ,Merry Christmas to you and your familyV

Well hon, thank God you have the guts to say something!!! I hate to say it but I don't think much of these contests here anymore, the only good ones were the ones sponsored by members themselves, which RO took away. I haven't looked at but one or two since. The contests are just as strange as the top 20 stuff, which I don't vote because of this. But Christmas lost "Christ" a long time ago in the public eye, with all this politically correct BS. I'm very sorry about the other entries. :( I think your image is a wonderful depiction of Jesus and Mary. Beautifully done and full of heart! I joyfully wish you a Merry "Christ"mas and NOT just a half hearted Happy Holidays. Excellent image sweetie!! :)))

Take a deep breath, Maria my dear. Believe as you would believe and have no care in what the world as a whole believes. It is by necessity this world of ours is becoming much more secular. Ours is a world of kowtowing to every loudmouth fanatical group that swears they are offended by someone elses actions or religion. So for the sake of being so wonderfully homogenious and politicaly correct, we suppres them all. :) BTW!!!! It is a beautiful image. :)

Fantastic compo, excellent posing. Wonderful work!!! Happy New Year!!! V**

You go girl; maybe you and the other artists should boycot the contest or reach an agreement where some of the artists serve as judges as long as they do not enter the contest. Better yet let the public vote for the winners.

Maria...I agree whit you. This the one of teh reasons why I dont send my Pics for any contest here. Hugs sweetie

beauty art !!! this is real center of Christmas+excellent moody art

Tolerance would be fine, and - agree - this would mean accepting any religous or pagan contest entry as worth of a price or a honorable mention as far it is well done and striking. But look - fundamentalism everywhere, religious fanatics endanger the global safety. Of course no one of these maniacs estimates himself as menacing for the rest of the world, but this is exactly a sign of this sneaky danger! After 9/11 we have to rise a new kind of secure tolerance. Christmas was once a christian holiday, but now it's global. So everyone should go in his living room and celebrate to his taste. But in public and especially in the internet political cleanness and safety require some serious precautions. That's why I think the staff took a wise decision: Let all those fanatics emit their religious delusions but hush them up concerning the pride and the money. On this note I do recommend that the religiously biased term "Christmas" has to be changed over to a word that is totally neutral in a secuerly tolerant manner. Thus, belatedly. Happy Voidmas!

The problem here is PC is killing the US. People have been so indoctrinated by revisionist history and worry about "offending" and "tolerance" that they completely overlook what the deal with this country is...sorry guys but it IS a Christian nation and was founded upon those principles. Christmas is a religious holiday gone awry...most people don't have a clue what the reason for the season is anymore. The "majority" of the country are self-proclaimed Christians...yet the "minority" make the rules because they yell the loudest...so the "majority" have to kowtow to the wishes of the "minority"...yep...makes sense to me.

Hi maria. i entered that contest myself and didn't win. I tried portraying three wise men, but as woman, because i didnt have M3 installed at the time. At the end of the day the most popular people on this site will win every contest because their cult of friends will vote multiple times for them.....You just can't win.

I love your picture and I love you stood up for what you believed in!! I think so many forget what Christmas really is and I say BRAVO to you for saying how you feel! I think many people are afraid of religion and not afraid of santa..........just my opinion.

Stunning image of The Madonna & Child Christ! Bravo on speeking out as well! Good for you! I stopped entering contests two years ago. ;)

Jesus IS the REASON for the Season! The ONLY reason! It IS a Religious Holiday and nothing will ever change that! I am so delighted to see your image even if it didn't win . . . it depicts the very essence of Chiristmas . . .

That's beautiful and very peaceful :D

Very beautiful work!!!!!!!!