Mary and Joseph were ‘doing it’
What the heck is the problem with that, that it deserves 2 thousands years of speculation?
Some faiths lose their freaking minds at the thought of Mary EVER having sexual relations with her husband.
It made me stop and ask what other "tenets of the faith" did I receive during those cathecism classes that also did not line up with scripture. And yes, our cathecism classes were all taught without ever a reference to scripture.
I understand that the Pontiffs are not to be questioned, but to set their personal doctrines above the written word almost smacks of other faiths that have established their tenets on a man or a small group of men that teach a new revelation.
I believe this discussion is worthy as it tends to make the important aspects of the faith more real.
I much better understand Jesus as a person, facing the issues of life, much as we do, and to know that he grew up in a family, probably with younger brothers and sisters and two loving parents. Yes, Joseph is last mentioned when Jesus was twelve, but since there is nothing else written about the next two decades, we don't know what happened to Joseph.
Today, I tend to think that Jesus spent an actual three days and three nights in the tomb, as I strongly doubt he died on a Friday, but rather on the eve of the High Sabbath (not necessarily a Friday!)
I believe that Jesus did visit and preach to the souls of those that had departed earlier, as they were in the bosom of Abraham waiting for his resurrection.
I believe in the second coming, but also that each of us experience our own second coming when Jesus comes and the spirit dwells within us.
I believe in a believer's baptism, Jesus is the example of this himself.
And we do not pray to Mary, for the Father himself has appointed His Son to be our Chief intercessor.
Mary was especially favored, but still just as human as anyone of us.
Her humanity is so strongly shown at the foot of the cross. She was as heart-broken as any Mom could ever be, and to know she experienced all of that as a person brings encouragement to each of us.