Jason Answers Questions:

Q: When does this story take place?

JAQ: It happens in 0 B.C. It starts 9 weeks after Mary conceives the Son of God, so it’s about 7 months before the Nativity would have happened. But I play a little loose with continuity… for example, I don’t think there were actual coat hangers to perform abortions with in those days.

Q: Is this story pro abortion or anti abortion?

JAQ: Neither. That’s not the point of it. If I wanted to write a story expressing my views about abortion, I’d write a story about a modern woman who’s faced with that decision, and what happens in her life because of it. Yeah, I have my views about abortion, and you might guess at them from the story, but you also might guess wrong. A good writer – even a good theological philosopher – can see an issue from more than one side, and poke fun at any of them. Bottom line: I’m a creator… an entertainer, and this is – at least it’s supposed to be – entertaining.

Q: So is this a satire of the abortion debate?

JAQ: No, because again: abortion’s not the point of it. In this story, an abortion takes place, and it happens to involve God’s unborn child. But that’s just the McGuffin, the thing that gets the story going. This is a story about what happens afterward. How does Fetus Christ cope? What’s His backup plan going to be? He’s got prophecies to fulfill! But He doesn’t even have a name, because Mary and Joseph didn’t give Him one! It’s a story of the persistence of God in carrying out His plan for salvation, and how things might work out in the end.

Q: Is this serious, or is it humor?

JAQ: Humor is serious. At least the good stuff is. But the main goal here is to be funny. It’s morbid humor, and it’s obviously irreverent humor, but it’s not stoopid humor. I do have some serious things to say through the jokes.

Q: Are you trying to offend people… Christians in particular?

JAQ: Let’s just say that I’m not going out of my way not to offend Christians. I know a lot of them will be appalled by this. They know who they are, and I suggest that they don’t read it. Sorry to have upset you. But I know a lot of Christians who’ll find this funny. You know, a lot of Christians laughed all the way through Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. Not that I’m claiming to be a Python-level humorist, but having sincere and confident beliefs doesn’t mean you can’t laugh when someone uses them in a good joke.

Q: If you’re sorry about offending people with this, why publish it?

JAQ: Nobody has a right not to be offended. That’s nonsense whether it comes from the right or the left. And people who aren’t offended have a right to read it. I’m very much on the side of the full First Amendment here.

Q: Is this going to be an ongoing series?

JAQ: No way. From Christmas to Easter, and that’s it. Sure, you could drag it out and do a whole lot of stuff about Fetus Christ in this situation or that situation, and make up all sorts of new adventures for Him, but that’s not what this is. And when you see how this story ends, you’ll know that there really isn’t an opening for a sequel.