“Why have people stopped believing what has been a belief during much of the history of Christianity?”
Because it is not consistent with the Bible.
Do you think Mary never had sex with Joseph, even after Jesus was born and she and Joseph were married?
“Why have people stopped believing what has been a belief during much of the history of Christianity?”
Because it is not consistent with the Bible.
Do you think Mary never had sex with Joseph, even after Jesus was born and she and Joseph were married?
The answer cannot be determined from Scripture alone. While Scripture does say that Mary did not have relations with Joseph until Jesus was born, it does not say that she did ever have relations with Joseph. While Scripture does say that Jesus was her firstborn son, it does not say that she ever conceived in her womb and gave birth to other children. While Scripture does mention the brothers of Jesus, it does not say Mary was the birth mother of any of these brothers.
Scripture does say that when the angel told Mary that she will conceive in her womb and bring forth a son, she asked how this could be, seeing she know not a man.
If Mary intended to know Joseph, it doesn’t make any sense that she would ask the angel how this could be.