[T Minus Four]

Why do you think Mary needed God to "keep herself a virgin?" That was the customary expectation of unmarried Jewish women of her time

I'm talking about why would God keep her a virgin AFTER she gave birth. That was most certainly not expected of Jewish woman of that time - in fact, it was scandalous and considered a curse to not produce children.

And if you read my post more carefully, I didn't say she was never pregnant, or never should have been.

I believe she was conceived of the Holy spirit as a virgin and was pregnant with Jesus..

That she gave birth vaginally (pretty much the only option back then)

That when her time of healing was over and she was ritually purified in accordance with Hebrew law, she began normal sexual relations with her husband and conceived and delivered more children over the years.

[betty boop]

That when her time of healing was over and she was ritually purified in accordance with Hebrew law, she began normal sexual relations with her husband and conceived and delivered more children over the years.

I don't dispute that. The point is she was a virgin at the time of her conception by the Holy Spirit. That's why Catholics speak of the Immaculate Conception.

Nobody in their right mind disputes that Mary had other children after Jesus. One of them was actually opposed to Jesus, theologically speaking. But even he came to his right senses, in time.

[Quix]

INDEED.