Do Christians really believe Mary was a virgin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't Mary married? Why would she be a virgin as a married woman? Or was she supposed to have been impregnated before she was married?

Why would anyone have believed her? If your daughter came to you & said, "Guess what mom, I'm pregnant and it is God's baby not my boyfriend's." Would you believe her?

Just go read the gospels, and then believe them or not as you see fit. This was already explained by a PP.

Not helpful. One poster said unmarried, one eluded to her being married, one said virgin may not mean virgin. I'm on my phone so searching for the gospels is not that easily done right know. Should not be surprised that a request for information is meet with resistance when it comes to religion.

I thought she was married. Wouldn't a married woman have had sex with her husband. Thought the bible encouraged sexual relations in a marriage. Didn't see an answer to the would you believe your daughter.

Okay. Since you want the easy route, it's called Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus). A few excerpts that may help you:

"The New Testament begins its account of Mary's life with the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus." She was bethrothed to Joseph, not married, at the Annunciation. Yes, she was a virgin, and Catholics believe she remained a virgin after her marriage to Joseph.

"Christians of the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God (????? ????) and the Theotokos, literally "Bearer of God"."

"There is significant diversity in the Marian beliefs and devotional practices of major Christian traditions. The Catholic Church has a number of Marian dogmas, such as the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. Catholics refer to her as Our Lady and venerate her as the Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church; most Protestants share only a portion of these beliefs or none at all."

"Although the Catholics and the Orthodox may honor and venerate Mary, they do not view her as divine, nor do they worship her. Catholics view Mary as subordinate to Christ, but uniquely so, in that she is seen as above all other creatures."

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I believe you to be disingenuous in your interest in this information, since you insist on being provocative by asking if "I would believe my daughter." The answer is no, obviously, since the Messiah has already been born and God therefore has no further need for virgin births. Choose not to believe; that is your will. But we believe what we believe, and drawing up deductive arguments to be provactive is pointless. You're not going to change the minds of Catholics because it's nothing we haven't heard before - many, many times. I'm certainly not going to change your mind, that seems clear.

[Anonymous]

As for whether and why people believed Mary, it's because they had been told that the Messiah was coming, so that was their expectation. It was news they were waiting for.

[Anonymous]

I think Christians as a whole believe one thing - Jesus Christ being the son of God - everything else is negotiable/negligible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Christians as a whole believe one thing - Jesus Christ being the son of God - everything else is negotiable/negligible.

What are "Christians as a whole?" There a so many Christian demonimations that it is really pointless and impossible to try to talk about them as a whole. Not to mention flippant to suggest that the beliefs of specific demonimations are negligible. It's not negligible to them.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Catholic Christian. We are one denomination among many. I was raised to believe in the miracle of the virgin birth. But I did not know until I was an adult that Catholic dogma was that she remained a virgin her whole life. So I don't believe that. Nor do I believe Mary is a diety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Catholic Christian. We are one denomination among many. I was raised to believe in the miracle of the virgin birth. But I did not know until I was an adult that Catholic dogma was that she remained a virgin her whole life. So I don't believe that. Nor do I believe Mary is a diety.

You'd be hard pressed to find any Catholics who do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't Mary married? Why would she be a virgin as a married woman? Or was she supposed to have been impregnated before she was married?

Why would anyone have believed her? If your daughter came to you & said, "Guess what mom, I'm pregnant and it is God's baby not my boyfriend's." Would you believe her?

Just go read the gospels, and then believe them or not as you see fit. This was already explained by a PP.

Not helpful. One poster said unmarried, one eluded to her being married, one said virgin may not mean virgin. I'm on my phone so searching for the gospels is not that easily done right know. Should not be surprised that a request for information is meet with resistance when it comes to religion.

I thought she was married. Wouldn't a married woman have had sex with her husband. Thought the bible encouraged sexual relations in a marriage. Didn't see an answer to the would you believe your daughter.

Joseph believed her because he was visited by Gabriel the angel. I don't remember Mary's mother in the gospel. I guess it is reasonable nobody would believe her and that is God sent an angel to Joseph.

On the Bible show on History channel their rendition of what happened was that people did not believe Mary but Jospeh did and protected her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Christians as a whole believe one thing - Jesus Christ being the son of God - everything else is negotiable/negligible.

What are "Christians as a whole?" There a so many Christian demonimations that it is really pointless and impossible to try to talk about them as a whole. Not to mention flippant to suggest that the beliefs of specific demonimations are negligible. It's not negligible to them.

I am not Muslim so correct me if I am wrong. But I believe in the Quran, Jesus is a "messanger of God" not the "son of God".

[Anonymous]

11:02 of course not. Was just mentioning based on assertions upthread.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget that Mary's mother also had her by immaculate conception. Because lord knows that a woman who has had sex or is of a woman who has had sex is a dirty whore. No way would she be worthy of the son of god.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget that Mary's mother also had her by immaculate conception. Because lord knows that a woman who has had sex or is of a woman who has had sex is a dirty whore. No way would she be worthy of the son of god.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being born WITHOUT original sin. It has nothing to do with her mother having or not having sex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget that Mary's mother also had her by immaculate conception. Because lord knows that a woman who has had sex or is of a woman who has had sex is a dirty whore. No way would she be worthy of the son of god.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being born WITHOUT original sin. It has nothing to do with her mother having or not having sex.

Does that not mean that Mary's mother was a virgin when she conceived Mary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget that Mary's mother also had her by immaculate conception. Because lord knows that a woman who has had sex or is of a woman who has had sex is a dirty whore. No way would she be worthy of the son of god.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being born WITHOUT original sin. It has nothing to do with her mother having or not having sex.

Does that not mean that Mary's mother was a virgin when she conceived Mary?

It's understandable to come to that conclusion, but it's not in the bible. She was "full of grace" and "without sin". But her conception isn't detailed. Writings have that she was choose before birth and "protected" from sin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget that Mary's mother also had her by immaculate conception. Because lord knows that a woman who has had sex or is of a woman who has had sex is a dirty whore. No way would she be worthy of the son of god.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being born WITHOUT original sin. It has nothing to do with her mother having or not having sex.

Does that not mean that Mary's mother was a virgin when she conceived Mary?

It's understandable to come to that conclusion, but it's not in the bible. She was "full of grace" and "without sin". But her conception isn't detailed. Writings have that she was choose before birth and "protected" from sin.

Hmm, I dunno. That's not what wikipedia seems to think:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't Mary married? Why would she be a virgin as a married woman? Or was she supposed to have been impregnated before she was married?

Why would anyone have believed her? If your daughter came to you & said, "Guess what mom, I'm pregnant and it is God's baby not my boyfriend's." Would you believe her?

Just go read the gospels, and then believe them or not as you see fit. This was already explained by a PP.

Not helpful. One poster said unmarried, one eluded to her being married, one said virgin may not mean virgin. I'm on my phone so searching for the gospels is not that easily done right know. Should not be surprised that a request for information is meet with resistance when it comes to religion.

I thought she was married. Wouldn't a married woman have had sex with her husband. Thought the bible encouraged sexual relations in a marriage. Didn't see an answer to the would you believe your daughter.

Mary was betrothed (engaged) to Joseph at the time of conception. Therefore not married, and by belief, a virgin. An angel appeared to Joseph and told him Mary would have the son of God.