PALESTINE — QUESTION: As I understand it, Christmas was originally started to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who was supposed to have been born of a virgin. To be honest, I have problems wrapping my mind around the whole idea that anybody was ever born to a virgin. It doesn't even make sense to me! Don't get me wrong; I'm not an atheist. I do believe there is a God and have no problem accepting the intelligent design theory of the universe. I'm not some heathen. I'm a generous, law-abiding, productive citizen. But really, I find this whole virgin birth thing ridiculous, and sometimes I think people who believe in it have been duped into believing a lie.

ANSWER: According to the May 2011 Gallop poll, 92 percent of Americans believe in God; this percent is down only slightly from 1944 when 96 percent believed in God. Therefore, the vast majority of America isn't atheist and agrees that a God does exist. Within the context of that, most people accept that God is the creator of the universe. Regardless of a person's religious affiliation, the majority of American culture has no problem believing that God created the earth, animals, human beings, and the whole solar system.

Most religions in the world are about man reaching up to God, trying to find God, or attempting to please or appease God. Christianity is vastly different because it is based on the belief that God came down to man in the form of Jesus Christ and that through Christ human beings can reconcile with God and enter into relationship with Him. As you've already mentioned, Christians believe that Christ was born of a virgin. That means He was divine and, therefore, one with God the Father (John 14:5-14).

Like most American's, you believe in a God as a creator. According to Christian beliefs, God created the first people, Adam and Eve, who lived in the Garden of Eden, also created by Him (Genesis 1-2). Whether you believe that or not, you apparently do believe that God did somehow create human beings. Every breath we breathe is testimony to a miraculous process underway in our own bodies. If you believe that God has what it takes to create people and the whole universe, why is it so hard for you to believe that He has what it takes to move upon a virgin and cause her to conceive?

Yes, I believe that Jesus was divinely conceived because that is the foundation of the Christian faith. And that's not a problem for me because I serve a creator God. If He is capable of creating the earth, me, you, invisible cells, and huge mountains, He is capable of causing a virgin to conceive. HE IS GOD CREATOR!

And as God creator, He not only brought about a virgin to conception, He can also change hearts and perform miracles for those who will let Him. He can cause a hard-hearted, hateful person to love. He can heal broken marriages. He can empower the addict to overcome. He can give the terminally ill strength to face death because they know He will meet them in eternity.

Too many times, we as human beings want to create a God in our minds who is in our image, rather than understanding that God created us in His image (Gen. 1:26-27). When we do this, we manufacture a God with our shortcomings, limitations, and abilities. The truth is, God has no shortcomings or limitations. He is not just a super-human. His is GOD!! In our finite, human intellectualizing, we can only catch a glimpse of a force so great that even Moses would have died if he hadn't been shielded from God's direct presence (Gen. 33:18-23). A force that great can cause a virgin to conceive…or spawn any other miracle He so chooses.

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The author of 53 books, Debra White Smith has over one million books in print worldwide and is the featured relationship specialist on the Fox News Radio Show,“Plain Jane Wisdom.” She and her husband, Daniel, co-pastor Palestine Church of the Nazarene. For more information, visit www.debrawhitesmith.com.

Got a problem? E-mail Debra at askdebra@live.com