[Stage Notes:: Though I can't see any windows, the darkness outside from the current storm, can be felt even at my desk]
[iPod:: Ghost Town | Shawn Clark]
This is your warning for this post: This post will possibly infuriate you depending on your current religious beliefs. However, this is my blog, and this is something that really made me think last night. Therefore, I think it is worth saying, and if it makes you mad, put some serious thought into why. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
Alright, now that we have that out of the way, lets get to the meat and potatoes, so to speak. In some christian belief systems/religions, people believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin through her entire life. These same people also believe that Mary and Joseph were married.
The problem is that the two statements that she died a virgin and she was married are mutually exclusive. Meaning, if she was married then she cannot have died a virgin. If your blood is currently boiling, sit tight and read the rest of this with as calm a head as possible.
In our society today in the U.S. we think it would be possible. We have all heard the jokes about how infrequently married couples make love. With that in mind, and the importance of Mary's virginity at conception, it is conceivable that God would want her to remain a virgin indefinately to provide further strength to the virgin birth. Unfortunately, this logic involves us naturally assuming that today's reality is the same as 2000 years ago thousands of miles away in Israel.
I know, you are wondering just what realities I am referring to and how does this tie into Mary and Joseph's marriage. I am getting to that. In Jewish culture a man and a woman were not officially married until they had consummated their marriage. Think about that for a second. In the Jewish world, their was a wedding ceremony then everyone led the couple to their bedroom and waited outside for the marriage to be consummated. Then and only then would the couple be married and the party could begin!!!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Don't Kill the Messenger
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3 comments:
Isn't that true in the Christian world too? When I was taking adult CCD classes to be confirmed 6 years ago, the Decon of the church said that a marriage can be annulled if the it wasn't consumated-b/c it's not technically a marriage if it hadn't been.
Therefore, you are correct. If they were married for real, she couldn't have been a virgin.
I've always liked the way the movie Dogma put it...
Rufus: Mary gave birth to CHRIST without having known a man's touch, that's true. But she did have a husband. And do you really think he'd have stayed married to her all those years if he wasn't getting laid? The nature of God and the Virgin Mary, those are leaps of faith. But to believe a married couple never got down? Well, that's just plain gullibility.
Mags, you are quite right. I even debated mentioning that when I was writing. When I was growing up, one of the priests at my school was on the local board that decided on annulments.
Anonymous, welcome to the blog. So true! That movie along with a few others, and some people in my life really got me to start examining my spiritual life :)
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