Argentine nun apparently received death threats for suggesting Mary was not a virgin

[Myrtonos]

I just found this article. If Mary was a virgin, then how come she grave birth to a baby boy? Ask a religion teacher even in a secular school and that teacher might shout at you.

 

[Raggamuffin]

People get riled up about religion. Difference of opinions in religion has led to a lot of deaths and persecution.

There is a lot of overlap when it comes to aspects of religion and myth. To debate fact from fiction is tricky. Especially when you look to the history of the bible, and how it was passed down through oral traditions long before it was ever written down.

But if you make a bold claim such as the origin story of Christ being incorrect - well, you're going to tread on a few million people's toes. Even spicier that she's a nun.

Ed

 

[Forest Cat]

What would people do if they didn't have anything to argue and fight about. It has just been 2000 years, give them some time.

 

[Rodafina]

What would people do if they didn't have anything to argue and fight about.

Tell more jokes and learn new things? (Wishful thinking.)

 

[tree]

I just found this article. If Mary was a virgin, then how come she grave birth to a baby boy? Ask a religion teacher even in a secular school and that teacher might shout at you.

What is it you want to accomplish by making this post?

 

[Magna]

There were numerous gods prior to the origination of Christianity that were said to have come to be by way of a virgin birth as well as returning to life through resurrection. It's sad though that anyone would threaten her life, let alone religious people who would claim to observe The Commandments including the one about not killing....

 

[Gerontius]

Yeah the concept of a virgin birth is kind of a classic religious and mythological trope. It's like having a wicked stepmother and a dragon and a knight in fairy tales, just part of the fabric of this form of expression.

My main problem with Sister's theory is that she really phrased it poorly which...she was trying to get the point across that Mary and Joseph actually loved each other deeply. (This much is actually quite orthodox.)

Some people in the past once had traditions that either Mary or Joseph, I forget who exactly, maybe both of them, had taken vows of chastity prior to betrothal. This is quite interesting and there were ancient societies where some would take this vow. It's not unheard of today either (obviously, as Sister took three vows when she became a nun. She is vowed to poverty, chastity, and obedience.)

She seems to be working in a modern day concept of love's main expression being sexuality, and sexuality being defined by the act of coitus. I wish people would remember that humans are fantastically diverse and there are many who express love in ways other than intercourse. You'd think she as a nun would be aware but I am not familiar with the background and training of an Argentinian nun moved to Catalonia.

One other part: she's acting in Spain, where a Traditionalist movement among Catholic people is pretty intense. Speaking as someone who was in that sort of thing as a teenager it's creepy and they are often easily radicalized. Much of the language is quite violent and harkens back to crusading days, and in Spain, there is a forcefulness in the national character which sometimes finds expression in cruelty (case in point, the Spanish bullfights, and the atrocities of their Civil War.)

I know it's an article from six years ago but as Catholicism remains one of my special interests I figured I could throw that out there. Sister is probably harmless but she definitely expresses herself in a way that is going to get people fired up. Also the newspaper sensationalized the reaction as well.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

As somebody with zero religious faith and knowing that there is no evidence of parthenogenesis in humans, I can only conclude that Mary was knocked up extramaritially, and Joseph needed an excuse to blame somebody that would excuse his being a cuckold. It makes as much sense as the new testament written hundreds of years after JC's purported life.

 

[tree]

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/virgin-virginity/
https://messianic-revolution.com/d22-15-the-biblical-definition-of-a-virgin/

 

[Tom]

I can't read all the article, so am not sure exactly what is being contested. It is recorded that Joseph did not sleep with her until after Christ was born and also that Jesus had several brothers (I believe at least 3-4) and sisters (plural). So the context is Mary and Joseph had several children after Jesus in the normal fashion.

If the church maintains Mary remained a Virgin, I do not see how they have any scriptural basis for that.

 

[Knower of nothing]

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/virgin-virginity/
https://messianic-revolution.com/d22-15-the-biblical-definition-of-a-virgin/

History isn't very clear cut at the best of times so it's very interesting for scripture translations to be taken at face value so often that people consider it "risky" to look into what things mean.

 

[Myrtonos]

As somebody with zero religious faith and knowing that there is no evidence of parthenogenesis in humans, I can only conclude that Mary was knocked up extramaritially, and Joseph needed an excuse to blame somebody that would excuse his being a cuckold. It makes as much sense as the new testament written hundreds of years after JC's purported life.

What if I told you that ideological faith is also religious faith? Ideologies, like religions, are sets of norms and values founded on a belief in an order not signed or legislated by flesh and blood beings.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

What if I told you that ideological faith is also religious faith? Ideologies, like religions, are sets of norms and values founded on a belief in an order not signed or legislated by flesh and blood beings.

And why would I be in thrall to any ideology that does not have a basis in rational thought?

 

[Myrtonos]

How about capitalism or liberalism? Liberalism is belief that individuals of humankind are or should be the highest authority, for example:

*Believing in democracy with elections.
*Producing whatever enough people want to buy as opposed to a central unit controlling to economy.
*Allowing adults to chose which consenting partner to marry based on feelings.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

individuals of humankind are or should be the highest authority,

This is a tenet, not a belief. It is a principle that one may use within a system of ethics. Then, you proceed with examples which are non sequitors. It is a logical fallacy when there is no connection between your stated principle and conclusions (examples). Plus, since you use your own definition of liberalism, and not even the operational definition, you are constructing an illegitimate straw man argument.

You have not gotten an education in rhetoric, have you? I cut my teeth with the Jesuit's Rhetorical Studies.

 

[Jordy]

This is a tenet, not a belief. It is a principle that one may use within a system of ethics. Then, you proceed with examples which are non sequitors. It is a logical fallacy when there is no connection between your stated principle and conclusions (examples). Plus, since you use your own definition of liberalism, and not even the operational definition, you are constructing an illegitimate straw man argument.

You have not gotten an education in rhetoric, have you? I cut my teeth with the Jesuit's Rhetorical Studies.

The meaning of TENET is a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true;

 

[Kalinychta]

Christianity is misogynistic. That’s the answer.

 

[risk]

Christianity is misogynistic. That’s the answer.

Misogyny doesn't exist

 

[Progster]

I just found this article. If Mary was a virgin, then how come she grave birth to a baby boy? Ask a religion teacher even in a secular school and that teacher might shout at you.

This very thing happened to me at school in middle school (I was about 10 or 11).

Religious Education teacher: "...and the virgin Mary gave birth to a baby boy..."
Me: "How come she had a baby if she was a virgin?"
Teacher: PROGSTER!!!!
Classmate sitting next to me: "What's a virgin?"

 

[Knower of nothing]

What if I told you that ideological faith is also religious faith? Ideologies, like religions, are sets of norms and values founded on a belief in an order not signed or legislated by flesh and blood beings.

Religion is specifically an ideology centered on faith in- and worship of deities and the functions of death and existence, frequently expressed through rituals and doctrine. So you've got the classification backwards. Ideology is the larger grouping.
Anyway he was only saying current scientific consensus disagrees that it is possible so there is no reason to think it happened besides WANTING to. Doesn't really have anything to do with ideology.