"Virgin" birth - deifnition?

Question

Was watching the Midnight Mass with my wife last night, as she was raised in the Catholic tradition, and when the priest asserted that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus, my wife snorted uncontrollably - "I'll bet her hymen broke before he came out!" she whispered to me. Is this not a fair point? Just exactly how far does the idea of a virgin birth remain credible, even if we accept divine impregnation? Or was the Caesarean section widely available in Bethlehem?

Damn Christmas dyslexia! - meant definition, obviously.

Ah yes...some very good and fair points being made here. Thanks folks - keep 'em coming.

Answer 1

Virgin birth = commonly-used religious metaphor to symbolize awakening of consciousness. It was used to describe both Jesus' and Buddha's enlightenment. It has NOTHING to do with a literal virgin birth, Mary, or mothers.

Answer 2

The presence of a hymen is not the definition of virginity, as one part of the human species doesn't have one. Virginity is like being with or without sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, physically, nothing changed. What changed was their mental makeup, in that they experienced sin and could not close that chapter once it was open. Virginity is the same, it is not that something physical action, but what happens mentally. The experience is what makes the person a virgin or not. She was a virgin because she had not experience sexual relations until after Christ was born. In fact, what she learned was what it was like to be pregnant before letting Joseph near her. It is likely a good thing that God made it an easy pregnancy, otherwise, she may have remained one.

Answer 3

The first Christians claimed Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary for a very good reason: They were absolutely convinced that it actually happened.

Remember, Mary expressed disbelief when the angel first told her what was about to happen. And yet the Bible's witness is clear: "The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you. ... So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'" (Luke 1:35). Jesus' first followers knew His mother and His immediate family well, because they often followed Him from place to place. If the virgin birth was only a myth, those disciples would have known it, and neither they nor Mary would have allowed it to be proclaimed.

It's significant that the most thorough Gospel account of the virgin birth was written by Luke, who was a medical doctor. If anyone knew the impossibility of a virgin birth it was Luke—and yet, after careful research, he knew it was a fact. The God who was powerful enough to create the whole universe also was powerful enough to bring Jesus into the world without a human father.

You will only understand the virgin birth of Jesus when you understand who He was: the divine Son of God, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. His miraculous birth was a sign, pointing the way to our salvation. Why not put your life into His hands?

Answer 4

the respond on your question isn't an elementary one; particular sects of incredibly some religions view re-incarnation in literal words, meaning your existence keeps in yet another form and as long as you're making progression you have particularly of a call interior the situation. Others advise which you get to decide on your mom and dad yet not the rest. nonetheless others (and that's my own concept) advise that the sole factor you're taking with you into yet another existence is your karma . . . meaning what you have set in action. you is purely not the guy you may desire to in all probability remember. This definition ability that purely whilst one reaches the utmost point of life could one have the skill to remember previous lives (psychologists, and hypnotists and so-noted as "clairvoyants" can not unquestionably help right here), and, of direction at that time what has occurred interior the previous is under no circumstances significant. It was that changing gender from lady to male replaced right into a "advantages" for living a perfect existence (Even the Buddha had a situation initially ordaining or allowing women human beings into the order, or so this is declared). for that reason on my own I advise the "good" portion of do could be to take the line you're on. good success my chum

Answer 5

Confusion may lie in the fact that many cannot conceive of (no pun intended) a woman getting pregnant without sex.

When an egg is fertilized in vitro and then implanted into the prospective mother's uterus, no sexual relations literally took place on this occasion, did they? Ovum and sperm are taken from the couple and artificial insemination takes place in a dish, yes? We understand this process. So literal sexual relations are not necessary for conception to take place.

In the case of Jesus, he existed and lived in the heavens before he was born as a human. God transferred Jesus’ life to the womb of Mary. God’s powerful Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, causing her to become pregnant and to give birth to a perfect human son. It really isn’t that complicated.

Hannah

Answer 6

there are many definition of being a virgin, some culture basically it means never had intercourse.. but to some people meaning that the hymen already gone/tore.. Hymen also can be broken if you are to active...

i think what virgin birth means that Mary or Mariam does not have any help from any men to get herself pregnant

Answer 7

I think some teenage girls who get pregnant believe it....it's called denial !!!
The only credibility it holds is with those who believe. Mary was pure and untouched and so produced Christ the savior...untainted and perfect in the eyes of God...lets face it there are so many contradictions in the bible. For one.... Adam and Eve only had sons so some kind of incest must have taken place to produce the rest of the human race???

Answer 8

Virgin simply means that she had not had sex with any man. Her conception was miraculous - God caused her to become pregnant with the infant Jesus, without the participation of a human father.

Answer 9

Virgin birth happened to Mary when the Holy Spirt overshadowed her, and she became pregnant that way, not by the usual sexual intercourse method. This is credible, only if you have faith and believe what is said in the Bible. If you don't believe, there are no words to convince you otherwise.

Answer 10

Well I think if you read and pay attention to the birth of Christ you will see that "virgin" didnt mean "unbroken hymen" but "untouched by a man"