Analyst

Assuming there was a star, conjunction, whatever, how would they 'follow' it? If I see a star in the sky and I walk towards it, what makes me stop anywhere? It's worse than following a rainbow, looking for a pot of gold. That story makes no sense - not that any part of the nativity myth does.

BurnoutXD360

I'm pretty sure that event was a planetary alignment. Though why three guys would follow the direction of an extra bright "star" is beyond me. Sure, such an unusual sight would certainly merit more intensive observation, but actually following it? Nah, doesn't make sense to me either.

Analyst

Navigating by a star isn't impossible, but the star doesn't tell you where to stop - you do it when your ship hits land for example. But why would they stop in Bethlehem? Why not continue on?

Sheshbazzar

Just like the tale of "Jack and The Beanstalk", I'm reasonably certain that both the "sign" and the "story" never really happened;
Do you also believe in the Tooth Fairy?

Analyst

Who is this directed to?

Sheshbazzar

General audience, Who here believes in The Tooth Fairy?
In other words anyone willing to swallow Biblical crock-and-bull fairy-tales, has little rational reason to reject any other such fantastic claims.
Their embracement of the Easter Bunny doesn't seem the least bit odd amongst them.

My experience has been that christians are extremely susceptable to an uncritical acceptance, believing of, and the repeating of "Urban Legends", their only active skepticism seems to be reserved for the beliefs of sects and denominations other than their own, and for myths from other religions.

TheRealityOfMan

Especially the part about the star coming to rest above a little shed in a town.

Sheshbazzar

Christians have been scraping for almost two thousand years to find any evidence for, or any non-christian account of this acclaimed phenomenon, many crackpot theories have been postulated, and not one of them has ever held up under the scrutiny of scientific investigation.
About all they can resort to at this point is the Deus ex machina, "Gawd" performed one of his one of a kind unexplainable "miracle's", or it was a real long visitation by a hovering alien flying saucer full of angels.

Analyst

The nativity works better if you start by saying, "Once upon a time ...."

Analyst

My favorite example:

Columbine Student Cassie Bernall Said "Yes" When Asked By One of the Shooters if She Believed In God

And this was a few years ago in the USA! So it shows how easily these false 'miracles' can come into being. If this had been a Muslim or Jewish student would there have been a book, a movie, and widespread admiration? Other religions?