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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
You have a sick view of sex. Why would sex between a married man and woman desecrate her, when it is an act of love approved by God?

No, I think I have a Biblical view of sex.

Revelations 14.4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (King James Version)

Exodus 19.15 15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. (King James Version)

1 Corinthians 7.5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. (King James Version)

If sex is so totally approved by God for all times, all married people, and all occasions, as you seem to think, why does his Word say it defiles? Why does He command the Israelites to abstain from their wives for three days prior to His physically coming among them to grant the law? Why does St. Paul ernestly entreat married couples to abstain during times of fasting and prayer?

And do you expect us to believe that St. Joseph, the "Just Man" (Matthew 1.19), was so tempted by Satan that he could not live in continence with Blessed Mary? Or that Blessed Mary, who is "full of grace" (Luke 1.28), and at enmity with satan (cf. Genesis 3.15) was so tempted by Satan that she could not fulfill her vow to "know not a man" (Luke 1.34)?

For Mary to have marital relations with Joseph would be a desecration because 1) we believe Mary had made a solemn vow to God to live a Virginal life, like Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, and St. John the Baptist who all lived without marrying; 2) because God made her ineffably holy by dwelling within her and nursing from her.

Just as the Ark of the Covenant was desecrated when touched by a human after the presence of God had resided upon it:

2 Samuel 6.6-7 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. (King James Version)

Just as the Holy of Holies was desecrated when approached by anyone but the High Priest who had ritually purified himself:

Leviticus 16.2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. (King James Version)

Just as Mt. Sinai was desecrated by human presence while God dwelt upon it, and the Lord threatened death to any who would dare come into his presence:

Exodus 19.11-13, 20-24 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount ... And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them. (King James Version)

Most certainly, you and most Protestants today (though not your founders Luther and Calvin) have no sense at all of the holiness of God. This is why you cannot understand the Perpetual Viriginity or the Perpetual Sinlessness of Mary. You have a queer view that God may be seen and touched by sinners, and the sinners live, and that that which God touches, consecrates, and sets apart for Himself only, such as the Ark of the Covenant, or the Blessed Virgin Mary, is not any more Holy than anything else, despite the abundant and most clear words of Holy Scripture to the contrary.

124 posted on 06/24/2003 6:55:16 AM PDT by Hermann the Cherusker
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To: Hermann the Cherusker
"For Mary to have marital relations with Joseph would be a desecration because 1) we believe Mary had made a solemn vow to God to live a Virginal life ... "

This belief comes from superstition not scripture. Mary espoused no such thing or she would never have consented to marry Joseph in the first place. It wasn't until they had already been betrothed a while when the angel appeared to Mary and, Joseph was also reassured to take Mary in a dream.

134 posted on 06/24/2003 7:15:15 AM PDT by Ex-Wretch
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