London, November 30 (ANI): A leading bishop has tagged traditional carols as “nonsense” over their alleged inaccuracy.

The Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, in a new book published by the Church of England, Why Wish You a Merry Christmas, blamed the much-loved songs for adding to confusion over the season’s real meaning and turning Jesus into a figure as fictitious as Father Christmas.

He cited O Come, All Ye Faithful among principal misleading examples and associated Once in Roy al David’s City with “Victorian behaviour control.”

“If we sing nonsense, is it any surprise that children grow into adults and throw out the tearless baby Jesus with Father Christmas and other fantasy figures?” The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

He continued: “Once in Royal David’s City has Jesus as ‘our childhood’s pattern’ - even though we know almost nothing of his childhood apart from one incident when he was 12 years old and being disobedient to his parents - and invites children to be ‘mild, obedient, good as he’, which means what, exactly? This sounds suspiciously like Victorian behaviour control to me.”

But others have argued the claim, saying the traditional songs are “joyful” and “triumphant”.

Ralph Allwood, director of music at Eton College, said: “They bring a smile to people’s faces. There’s nothing wrong with feeling like children at Christmas.” (ANI)