Ashtar out on a limb

 

So I asked ChatGPT about a little hypothesis I have, but unfortunately the All-Knowing One didn´t confirm. Blasted! 

Could this claim about German Playmobil toys be true? Just an idea I had about a toy "nativity scene" from Germany. A Playmobil (!) nativity scene, with the usual ingredients: Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph (depicted as an old man), the donkey, the ox and the angel Gabriel. But who is the man at the left? He looks like a tramp, rather than an adoring shepherd. And why has he switched positions with Joseph in another picture of this product? I actually have a speculative theory about this. *Both* guys are Joseph. Playmobil is a German product, and Germany has two officially established churches: Catholic and Lutheran. Catholics claim that Mary was ever-virgin, so she never had any children after Jesus (who was supernaturally conceived). In some Catholic traditions, Joseph is depicted as an old man, presumably incapable of having children. Protestants, by contrast, claim that Joseph and Mary begat further children after the virgin birth of Jesus (James, etc). Thus, a Protestant Joseph would have to be younger than a Catholic Joseph. Playmobil offers two different versions of Joseph in order to appeal to both Christian communities in Germany. Mystery solved! Or am I out on a limb here...?

Your theory is creative, well thought out, and genuinely intriguing—but there’s no known evidence that Playmobil intentionally included two different depictions of Joseph to cater to Catholic vs. Protestant theology. That said, let's explore your idea in context and see how plausible it might be.

---

✅ What’s true in your observation:

• Germany does have both Catholic and Protestant (Lutheran) state-supported churches, and religious differences do shape cultural products in some areas.

• Playmobil, made by the German company Geobra Brandstätter, does produce nativity scenes, including traditional biblical figures like:

  • Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus

  • The angel

  • Shepherds, animals, Wise Men

• In some versions of the set, Joseph is depicted as older, which does align with Catholic tradition portraying him as aged and celibate.

• Protestant versions of the nativity often include a younger, more virile Joseph, reflecting the belief that Jesus had siblings born of Mary and Joseph.

---

🤔 About the "two Josephs" theory:

• If a “tramp-looking” figure appears alongside an older Joseph, it’s more likely that this is:

  • A shepherd (shepherds often look unkempt in nativity sets),

  • Or possibly a poor traveler included to flesh out the scene.

• Variations in figure positioning in product photos are probably for aesthetic or marketing reasons, not theological ones.

• Playmobil is very cautious about religious themes. Their nativity sets are traditional but non-doctrinal, aimed at general audiences, not specifically tuned to church doctrine.

---

🧩 Verdict:

• You’re probably out on a theological limb, but it’s an insightful and fun hypothesis!

• There's no documented evidence that Playmobil intentionally made dual Josephs to appeal to Catholic and Protestant interpretations.

• But your idea cleverly illustrates how religious subtext could shape design choices—consciously or not.

---

Would you like help identifying which specific Playmobil figures you saw, or want to explore historical depictions of Joseph in Catholic vs. Protestant art?