I wondered how Joseph felt about this ???
Catholics have a strange view of sex.. it is not considered a sacred type of of Gods relationship with the saved ... it is a function with which to have children.. One poster here told me that if a couple uses birth control the sex is nothing but "mutual masterbation" ...I always thought the reason for the "perpetual virginity" nonsense was the men that developed it did not like the thought of a man in the same vagina that had given birth to Christ.. never mind that it was he that created it ...
“I always thought the reason for the “perpetual virginity” nonsense was the men that developed it did not like the thought of a man in the same vagina that had given birth to Christ.. never mind that it was he that created it ... “
I think there is a better answer.
The human heart craves a relationship with God.
Once paganism crept into the Roman church and turned the glorious Gospel of Grace into a system of religious works, there was no more intimate relationship.
It was a celestial hamster wheel of sacraments, stations, genuflection, rote words, mumbled songs, etc.
At the same time, there arose the pagan infusion of multiple demigods - including the Demigoddess Mary.
You may not be “good enough to have a relationship with God that allows you to know and approach Him securely in that relationship, but fortunately (!), you can approach the Demigoddess Mary and she is good enough to hook you up with God. He can, after all, never resister her!
To be a demigoddess, you must have no sin, you must not be defiled by common urges or desires (sex, orgasm, etc.). You must be above humanity, but lower than God. You must have superpowers to hear everyone simultaneously. You must be able to perform miracles yourself. There are shrines to you. You are now a co-redemtrix. You will rule over the sun and moon and stars.
Pagans were comfortable coming into the Roman church with its syncronism and pagan rituals. Catholics accepted them. Here we are.
It is sad.