Happy Atheist Forum

Religion => Religion => Topic started by: Jolly Sapper on July 29, 2008, 06:29:18 PM

Title: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Jolly Sapper on July 29, 2008, 06:29:18 PM
Now when people claim to see the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus the Christ) how do they know than its really "the" Virgin Mary?

Let me explain.  Mary was married to Joseph right?  So while she might have been a virgin who became pregnant by God, she eventually had sex with Joseph right?

So are the visions of Virgin Mary,who got preggers before having sex or just Mary, mother of Jesus who later had sex with her husband and therefore isn't a virgin?
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Chimera on July 29, 2008, 07:16:21 PM
Depends on what type of Christianity you adhere to. The Protestants believe that Mary and Joseph consummated the relationship, but others (Catholics, and I'm assuming Orthodox, though I'm not sure) believe Joseph's role was more of a protector than a husband.
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Tom62 on July 29, 2008, 07:46:28 PM
I read somewhere that Jesus had a brother called James.
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Loffler on July 29, 2008, 11:45:25 PM
Quote from: "Tom62"I read somewhere that Jesus had a brother called James.
You mean, the Bible?
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Loffler on July 29, 2008, 11:48:35 PM
Quote from: "Chimera"Depends on what type of Christianity you adhere to. The Protestants believe that Mary and Joseph consummated the relationship, but others (Catholics, and I'm assuming Orthodox, though I'm not sure) believe Joseph's role was more of a protector than a husband.

Joseph, the biggest doormat in the history of the world.
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: jcm on July 30, 2008, 12:19:22 AM
Quote from: "Loffler"
Quote from: "Chimera"Depends on what type of Christianity you adhere to. The Protestants believe that Mary and Joseph consummated the relationship, but others (Catholics, and I'm assuming Orthodox, though I'm not sure) believe Joseph's role was more of a protector than a husband.

Joseph, the biggest doormat in the history of the world.

that or she had a mouth like a hoover
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Tom62 on July 30, 2008, 01:21:01 AM
Quote from: "Loffler"
Quote from: "Tom62"I read somewhere that Jesus had a brother called James.
You mean, the Bible?

I just looked it up in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_ ... p_to_Jesus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Just#Relationship_to_Jesus)). Apparently the Bible mentions four brothers.  
QuoteJesus' "brothers" â€" James as well as Jude, Simon and Joses â€" are mentioned in Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3 and by Paul in Galatians 1:19. Since James' name always appears first in lists, this suggests he was the eldest among them.[14] Even in the passage in Josephus' Jewish Antiquities (20.9.1) the Jewish historian describes James as "the brother of Jesus who is called Christ,".

Paul refers to James, at that time the only prominent Christian James in Jerusalem, as an Apostle, hence his identification by some with James, son of Alphaeus. In Galatians 1:18â€"19, Paul, recounting his conversion, recalls "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."

While Christians believe that Jesus was, as the Son of God, born of a virgin, the relationship of James the Just to Jesus has been rendered difficult by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox belief in the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, the belief that Mary's virginity continued even after Jesus' birth.
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: Loffler on July 30, 2008, 02:29:44 AM
Quote from: "jcm"
Quote from: "Loffler"
Quote from: "Chimera"Depends on what type of Christianity you adhere to. The Protestants believe that Mary and Joseph consummated the relationship, but others (Catholics, and I'm assuming Orthodox, though I'm not sure) believe Joseph's role was more of a protector than a husband.

Joseph, the biggest doormat in the history of the world.

that or she had a mouth like a hoover

Suckerfish or not, the most published book in history is a long-winded exposition of how his wife punked him. And it's there for all to see.
Title: Re: The Virgin Mary?
Post by: afreethinker30 on July 30, 2008, 03:50:13 AM
Quote from: "Tom62"I read somewhere that Jesus had a brother called James.

Yes James the Just.
Quote" He is described in the New Testament as a "brother of the Lord" and in the Liturgy of St James as "the brother of God"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Just
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Brother_of_Jesus_%28book%29