Last night I heard for the first time that other religions teach that Mary was always a virgin and that she never had any more children. Please explain how JW's arrive to say she did have more children. I am so lost because I haven't been to a meeting in a hundred years.
Mary and virginity
by Iforget 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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stillajwexelder
Please explain how JW's arrive to say she did have more children. I am so lost because I haven't been to a meeting in a hundred years.
It is not just JWs - many religions apart from Roman Catholics teach Mary had other children .The doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity is Catholic doctrine and completely false and ridiculous
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Steam
Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born. That seems clear enough.
Did Mary have other children? Some say YES!
Others say NO!
Best for you to study it and make up your own mind!
I believe Mary had several children, Jesus being the first one.
Steam Psalm 50:5
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Narkissos
It is based on the simplest (although not necessarily accurate as far as history is concerned) reading of the Synoptic Gospels, e.g. Mark 6:3:
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brotherof James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
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stillajwexelder
also historically in Jewish society at the time it would have been abnormal not to have had a large family. Why marry Joseph and not have sex - just to keep perpetual divinity - crazy - obvious a Church/man made doctrine tha tmakes zero sense
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Narkissos
historically in Jewish society at the time it would have been abnormal not to have had a large family
I guess historically in Jewish society virgin births were not too common either...
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Iforget
The answer when I asked was that in those days the term "brother's and sisters" was used to mean cousin. I was super lost and several people looked at me as if I had 3 heads.
Only one Catholic in the bunch and the others are mainly coming from Methodist backgrounds. So the Catholic church is the only one teaching this?
Oh and one more thing...where is the account of Mary's death in the bible. I can't find it.
Glad to have you all.
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Narkissos
The answer when I asked was that in those days the term "brother's and sisters" was used to mean cousin.
Another traditional explanation is that they were children of Joseph from a previous marriage.
Only one Catholic in the bunch and the others are mainly coming from Methodist backgrounds. So the Catholic church is the only one teaching this?
No, the Eastern orthodox churches too, and originally the Methodists, which is the exception within Protestantism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_virginity_of_Mary
where is the account of Mary's death in the bible. I can't find it.
It is not in the Bible.
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Iforget
Then what do you all suppose happened to Mary. Was she born without sin? If this is the teaching of the Catholic church then why did she die? I asked that question last night as well and the response was that they don't know.
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Narkissos
This is specific to the Catholic Church indeed. Google for "immaculate conception" and "assumption of Mary" to see the official definitions and arguments. You'll note that the Catholic doctrine of assumption (vs. the Eastern Orthodox notion of "dormition") is ambiguous as to whether Mary "died" or not. In any case it makes Mary's "death" a very unique event.