DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v06i11.013

Pages: 2134-2139

This study examines ‘The Magi (Reflection on a Christmas Card)’ by Patrick Fernando perceiving the poem as a gentle warning on ‘affronting tradition’ especially tradition surrounding religion. Attempting to add another dimension to the scrutiny, a brief cross analysis between ‘The Magi’ by Patrick Fernando and ‘Journey of the Magi’ by T.S. Eliot explores the poems in juxtaposition across three stages: the journey; the depiction of the nativity; the aftermath. Then a contrastive analysis of the intricacies of the finale of the poems is conducted. Syncretizing belief systems surrounding nativity and a selected Buddhist Jathaka tale: Sasa Jathakaya, this paper argues that scientific inquiry into the accuracy and viability of such legends is an exegesis which results in theological disillusionment. Thus, the norm that legendary belief systems are exempted from veracity analysis is stressed based on a conjecture of Karl Marx's statement "religion... is the opiate of the masses”.