The Three Wise Men who brought gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the infant Jesus, were predatory paedophiles according to a biblical scholar.
Dr Matthew McGrath from Oxford University says careful reading of translated Dead Sea Scrolls, reveals that the gifts were unwanted by Mary and Joseph, who thought those presenting them wanted nothing more than what he describes as 'un-natural relations'. with the new-born.
"It's clear from the writings that Casper, Melchior and Balthazar were considered as predatory paedophiles by those they came into contact with on their journey to Bethlehem and left Mary and Joseph with the same impression." he says.
"It's well known that Bethlehem had the ancient world's largest branch of Mothercare at the time of Jesus' birth and therefore a cuddly toy would have been easily available to the wise men if they had honest intentions"
"However, by offering such expensive and prestigious gifts to an infant can only mean their intentions were less then honourable. It's an appaling thought and one that previous historians have hushed up in order to maintain a good story."
But other religious scholars are pouring scorn on to Dr McGrath's work.
"I don't wish to impune his character or intelligence, but Dr McGrath is quite clearly a twat. " Reverend Simon Twiss told reporters.
"To make such a suggestion shows a twisted mind. There's no evidence to suggest the Three Wise Men were sex perverts who had no more right to walk on God's earth than evolutionsists. They were simply paying their respects with gifts of incredible value to a child who had no concept of trheir true value."
"In fact, modern scholars now believe that the gifts ended up in the Nazareth branch of Cash Convertors."