The pastor of a small church in North Carolina has been besieged by the media since TMZ posted a photo of the church sign altered by some misguided soul to call the child of Beyonce and Jay-Z “Satan.”

But the Rev. Curtis Barbery told the Fayetteville, N.C. Observer that the photo was an Internet spoof, where someone apparently used Photoshop instead of physically changing the letters on the sign to post the message.

The sign, he said, has read “Jesus is the reason for the season” since Thanksgiving.

Barbery told the Fayetteville Observer that he hadn’t heard about any problem with the sign until TMZ contacted him. He disputes the TMZ account that says he changed the sign after complaints from the community. TMZ posted this update on its story about the sign: “We assure you 100%, the pastor made the claims in question … and we continue to stand by our story.”

During his interview with the newspaper Barbery worked in a little Bible lesson.

“Listen, Satan was here a long time before her baby was born,” he told the Observer. “We would never imply that anybody’s baby was Satan. We’re not in that kind of business, condemning people.”

In somewhat related news Us magazine reports Beyonce and Jay-Z had two private suites built at NYCs Lenox Hill Hospital exclusively for Blue Ivy’s arrival.

A hospital source told Us that six to eight rooms were converted into the two suites, which feature luxe accents such as mahogany walls. Meanwhile hospital spokespeople are combatting stories of non-famous parents being inconvenienced during the tiny celebrity’s debut.

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com