The Virgin Birth

[Buckalew11]

This topic came up today in discussion and I was wondering if you are a believer in God and a follower of Jesus Christ, do you really believe Mary was indeed a virgin who gave birth?
If you would share how important this concept is or is not to your faith, I'd like to hear that also.

Thanks!

 

[CowboyCO]

Yes, I do. Although I'm not a devout church-goer, I do believe in the virgin birth, the miracles that Jesus performed and of his death and ascension.

There is a reason it's called "Faith" and not "Science".

 

[RitaE]

Well I have to admit, there are times I'm skeptical.
I know some of Faith who go the whole 9 yards - not only was the birth of Jesus a virgin birth, but the birth of Mary herself was an Immaculate Conception, and Mary remained a Virgin her whole life. I have to tell you, it was (and we still are today), a society who was a bit obsessed with controlling women and you mix in there the whole thought of a "pure" woman must be a virgin. I'm a bit too much of a feminist to buy it wholesale.

To me, the idea of sex isn't that shocking. Not so for the times of the Bible. Same way with the whole alleged relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I don't know if it is true or not, but it isn't of primary importance to me.

 

[TangaroaTiki]

No, I don't believe she was a virgin. I believe things in the bible are metaphor and not to be taken literally.

 

[shortbun]

Because the Bible was a book written by men and most of the stories came from ancient fables, I consider the whole thing to be a metaphor on life passed along in folkloric form. I do, however, consider myself a Christian. Weird, I know. I enjoy the traditions, ceremony, symbolism and joy associated with it and most of all the moral compass it has given me for my life. What I do not understand but try not to judge are those who embrace the story of Christ as true but for some reason do not embrace the moral values I think that were supposed to come along with that. Mary, a virgin? Was there even a 'Mary'? Whatever, the whole story makes a cool pageant. My favorite part is the Kings who followed the Star with gifts for the baby.

 

[Lanshark]

Well I have to admit, there are times I'm skeptical.
I know some of Faith who go the whole 9 yards - not only was the birth of Jesus a virgin birth, but the birth of Mary herself was an Immaculate Conception, and Mary remained a Virgin her whole life. I have to tell you, it was (and we still are today), a society who was a bit obsessed with controlling women and you mix in there the whole thought of a "pure" woman must be a virgin. I'm a bit too much of a feminist to buy it wholesale.

To me, the idea of sex isn't that shocking. Not so for the times of the Bible. Same way with the whole alleged relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I don't know if it is true or not, but it isn't of primary importance to me.

I never got the impression that Mary remained a Virgin her whole life or that her birth was a Immaculate Conception. In fact there are many references in the Bible to Jesus having siblings.

 

[RitaE]

I never got the impression that Mary remained a Virgin her whole life or that her birth was a Immaculate Conception. In fact there are many references in the Bible to Jesus having siblings.

Oh, just one of the many things that Christians can't agree on amongst themselves.

http://www.catholic.com/library/Mary_Ever_Virgin.asp

 

[happygirl]

Yes, I do believe she was a virigin. I believe that she DIDN'T remain that way her whole life.

 

[MeghansMommy]

Yes, I do. Although I'm not a devout church-goer, I do believe in the virgin birth, the miracles that Jesus performed and of his death and ascension.

There is a reason it's called "Faith" and not "Science".

I agree.

I absolutely believe that Mary was a virgin and in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. As for Christ having siblings, that I don't believe. Yes, it says in the Bible that he had brothers, but brother didn't always mean "sibling" - it meant cousin or other relative as well as actual brother.

 

[Rora]

I do believe that Mary was a virgin. I don't believe that Jesus had a blood related sibling.

 

[clgwli]

I have been taught by some that Mary was ever virgin.

Personally it doesn't matter to me if she was or not.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

It's one of those things that means absolutely nothing to me. Whether Mary was a virgin or not won't make a single bit of difference in my life, in my religion, or my relationship with God.

I've never quite understood the importance many secs and churches place on her virginity.

 

[luvsJack]

I never got the impression that Mary remained a Virgin her whole life or that her birth was a Immaculate Conception. In fact there are many references in the Bible to Jesus having siblings.

I had never heard of that either and I thought the same thing about the siblings.

I do believe that Mary was a virgin, because the Bible says she was. There are many parables in the Bible and it tells us that; but I in no way believe that all of the Bible or that large parts of the Bible are parables. I believe that she was a virgin because it showed the purity and the miracle of His birth.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

Technically, the Catholic Church believes she was always a virgin and I was raised Catholic; However, I don't believe she was a virgin her entire life. She was married and it wouldn't have been a healthy marriage if she had remained ever-virgin. I do believe in the Immaculate Conception, however.

 

[BillSears]

So...Mary and Joseph were married, they decided to not have sex, and Mary got pregnant? If I were Joseph I know I'd be thinking some bad thoughts about this whole situation. And to top it all off Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life? Darn, Joseph must have been a real saint to go through all of that.

 

[chris1gill]

This is a family board, I think the title is offensive

 

[eddad]

The Jewish Tanakh does not mention a virgin birth. The hebrew word for virgin is bethulah and the hebrew word for "young woman" is Almah. The verse uses the hebrew word "almah" . The "prophecy" is given to Hezekiah to make him feel better about a bad sitation going on at the time.Basically it says by the time this woman gives birth things will be better for you.

 

[MomAndrea]

This is a family board, I think the title is offensive

What is offensive? The word 'virgin'? Seriously?

 

[Keira1387]

So...Mary and Joseph were married, they decided to not have sex, and Mary got pregnant? If I were Joseph I know I'd be thinking some bad thoughts about this whole situation. And to top it all off Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life? Darn, Joseph must have been a real saint to go through all of that.

If I remember correctly Mary and Joesph were getting ready to get married when she became pregnant.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

Keira, you remember correctly and I think Mary was only 14 as well.