Quite truthfully, your post is the first sincere post I’ve read in a long time. However, at this point in time I don’t really find it of consequence if Mary rejected intercourse or Joseph and Mary never consummated their marriage. IMHO, it’s none of our business and even more perverted for anybody or any religious doctrine to pay homage to Mary on the assumption and basis she never had sex with her husband.
There are so many more obvious doctrines in Scripture to study, think about, and have daily impact in our thinking than this topic. IMHO, the world has gone nuts over transgender, transsexual, homosexual and any other type of sexual perversion, when God made man and woman, marriage, the family, and national authorities for the blessings of believers and unbelievers alike.
If Mary really remained virgin, after the birth of Christ, couldn’t His Incarnation also be challenged as not having been emanated from a human mother? Wouldn’t His birth alone void her classification as ‘virgin’ after the birth.
That's a very interesting perspective. I never looked at it that way before.
Wouldn’t His birth alone void her classification as ‘virgin’ after the birth.
That has been discussed in great depth. Last I recall, some Catholic theologians have speculated that Jesus' birth was a supernatural passing of Him through Mary's body without the normal birthing process.
http://totus2tuus.blogspot.com/2008/02/dogma-of-perpetual-virginity-of-mary.html
However, that would be contradicted by Luke chapter 2 where is says she gave birth and later in the chapter, she went to the Temple for her purification according to the Law, offering two turtle doves.
You wrote:
“If Mary really remained virgin, after the birth of Christ, couldn’t His Incarnation also be challenged as not having been emanated from a human mother?”
Nope. That’s not even a logical thought. There’s no connection between the one and the other. Jesus’ incarnation was not dependent upon Mary later having sex. How could it? That’s like saying that your incarnation is some how based on your mother LATER have sexual relations. The one has NOTHING to do with the other.
“Wouldn’t His birth alone void her classification as ‘virgin’ after the birth.”
No. Not in her case. Hence, perpetual virgin. That was the point: God respected her vow.