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If Mary had taken a vow of virginity then there is not doubt there was no human man involved and only the Holy Spirit in Jesus' conception.
One needs to find out what the culture of the day was like in Mary's time. Her parents took her to temple as a young girl and dedicated her to God. She may have lived out her life there with Joseph as her guardian. There are many things to consider outside the bible. One needs to study the culture and their traditions.
Yet the Protoevangelium of James is the best evidence I have seen anyone offer up that she did in fact take a vow of perpetual virginity. That work was denounced the fanciful invention of some unknown 2nd century writer.
Quote:
Scholars have established that the work is pseudepigraphical (not written by the person it is attributed to). That conclusion is based on the style of the language and the fact that the author describes certain activities as contemporary Jewish customs that probably did not exist. For example, the work suggests there were consecrated temple virgins in Judaism, similar to the Vestal Virgins in pagan Rome, this is unlikely to have been a practice in mainstream Judaism.
The consensus is that the Protoevangelium of James was actually composed some time in the 2nd century AD.
One of the biggest reasons that the Protoevangelium of James was and is rejected by scholars is the very fact that no such custom of "sacred virgins" existed in the Rabbinical Jewish culture that Mary would have grown up in.
The appearance of the notion that Mary was a perpetual virgin is most likely because of the very pagan Roman practice of consecrating Vestal Virgins. Any right-headed Christian scholar knows that modern Christianity and its customs have derived largely from a merging of paganism and the original Christian religion. By adopting many popular trappings of the various pagan religions, Christianity's growth was greatly accelerated. Bunnies and eggs at Easter. Evergreens at Christmas. All pagan stuff modified for Christian consumption. The fact that the notions of the immaculate conception and subsequent perpetual virginity started to appear about 150 years after the fact -- just as the Church is desperately struggling to grow and be accepted within the Roman Empire -- makes this by far the most likely source of the presumed perpetual virginity of Mary.
The Protoevangelium of James was rejected as pious fiction by the Church when the canon of the New Testament was adopted. How does it follow that it is a reliable source on matters about the life of Mary?
Not everything is contained in scripture. There are other books that explain the time and culture.
If youre going to make up a doctrine such as Mary's perpetual virginity that directly contradicts what scripture,says, I think thats an issue. It's one thing if scripture was silent on it.,,,,but its not.
If youre going to make up a doctrine such as Mary's perpetual virginity that directly contradicts what scripture,says, I think thats an issue. It's one thing if scripture was silent on it.,,,,but its not.
If youre going to make up a doctrine such as Mary's perpetual virginity that directly contradicts what scripture,says, I think thats an issue. It's one thing if scripture was silent on it.,,,,but its not.
Catholics do not follow Sola Scriptura.
The CC is guided by the Holy Spirit and if the Church says Mary remained a virgin then it means the Church made this decision guided by the Holy Spirit.
For Protestants it all ended after the Apostles were gone. OTHO, the CC remains alive under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The bible is not clear on many things. I thought Mary was an only child since her parents were elderly when they had her but when the women went to Jesus' tomb it says among the women was Mary and her sister Mary.
So when they say James and Jesus' brother James I am not quite sure what they mean. Plus Jesus gave Mary to John from the cross to take care of her and Mary went to live with John. If she had other children that wasn't necessary.
Reading some novels can get me mixed up as well. Some of the characters have a lot of nick names and I find it impossible sometimes to keep them all separate.
the salvation of the world was dependent on Mary's consent.
Mary replies to the angel 'behold the handmaiden of the lord' . the answer which drew the only begotten son from the father. ( servant.
Saint Bonaventure writes the greatest grace which could be conferred and continues, God could make a greater world, a greater heaven but could not exalt a creature more then by making her his Mother.
there would be no one who is not God, who can be compared to Mary. ( St Andrew of Crete.
Last edited by alexcanter; 01-01-2014 at 03:18 AM..
The CC is guided by the Holy Spirit and if the Church says Mary remained a virgin then it means the Church made this decision guided by the Holy Spirit.
For Protestants it all ended after the Apostles were gone. OTHO, the CC remains alive under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
At least you give bit's of truth with the error you have been told you must accept. The RCC is not guided by God's word or Holy Spirit. And you accept what some man made up about Mary which God's proves is false.
As for the Protestants you keep bringing up, I cannot comment. I have not been around them enough to know. I only know what Christians believe.
At least you give bit's of truth with the error you have been told you must accept. The RCC is not guided by God's word or Holy Spirit. And you accept what some man made up about Mary which God's proves is false.
As for the Protestants you keep bringing up, I cannot comment. I have not been around them enough to know. I only know what Christians believe.
I accept what religions teach. I hang out with Jews and Muslims and I would never say my religion is better than theirs. However, if they ask: I would say that MAry is supposed to be a perpetual virgin according to my Catholicism. Whether it is true or not is a moot point because we will never know. Furthermore, this is RELIGION.
You may think you are above the arguments of others by even denying the Protestants. But, at the same time you unknowingly defend Protestantism which in itself is OK.
You remind me of another poster who elevates himself because he does not believe he is practicing a religion.
The basic difference between you and me is that you actually believe you have it right and that I am wrong. And we are discussing RELIGION! You have got to be kidding me.
I cannot understand someone like you who thinks he knows.
That is the issue.
As for the Virgin Mary: She is better off as a perpetual virgin because she is the mother of God.
By the way: Do you thin Jesus was a virgin?
Moderator cut: deleted
Well I know Mary was only a virgin until Jesus was born. God made it a point to tell us that. I do not know if Jesus remained a virgin or was married. We are not told that. Some want to say He was married but there is no conclusive comments in scripture unlike the fact that Mary and Joseph had sex. That's a cut and dried fact according to scripture.
I suspect God knew there would be those who would try an elevate Mary to a position she does not hold and included it in scripture to disprove that teaching.
Last edited by june 7th; 01-02-2014 at 04:53 AM..
Reason: Insults directed at other members are deleted.
Well I hope you know something. I realize, and thank God you do to, you don't know much about God and His church. Perhaps that is why God sent me to you.
Well I know Mary was only a virgin until Jesus was born. God made it a point to tell us that. I do not know if Jesus remained a virgin or was married. We are not told that. Some want to say He was married but there is no conclusive comments in scripture unlike the fact that Mary and Joseph had sex. That's a cut and dried fact according to scripture.
I suspect God knew there would be those who would try an elevate Mary to a position she does not hold and included it in scripture to disprove that teaching.
Do you go to church?
Where did you get all this stuff?
As fort Mary: She is not a goddess. She is simply the mother of Jesus, who according to the trinity is God. Those that pray to Mary should know they are indirectly praying to God. She is just a intermediary.
Have you ever been to a Catholic mass?
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