[af_vet_1981]

Yet we have no record of these other children when Jospeh and Mary had to register for the taxes. The argument is dismissed. The word for cousin or relative is not used in the passage as previously noted. The argument is dismissed.

1. Catholics (and I include Greek Catholics/Orthodox) have always believed Mary is blessed and Theotokos, and had no physical children other than Jesus who is Immanuel. Mary remained a virgin.
2. They have always held that the brothers and sisters to whom you refer were the children of Saint Joseph (not from the Virgin Mary) and/or their cousins.
3. The view you espouse is partly Protestant (not held by all) and partly modern. Modernists tend to interpret the Bible according to their own mores and culture. There is almost two thousand years of holy tradition telling us the Virgin Mary remained a virgin.
4. An argument from silence (taxes) rebounds. Nowhere in the holy scriptures, nor in holy tradition, is anyone other than Jesus/Immanuel called a physical son of Mary, let alone a daughter. The only other son of Mary mentioned is the Apostle John in the Gospel of John who became a son of Mary as she became his mother, at the word of Jesus.
5. The Greek word for cousin or relatives is used for the Passover family trip to Jerusalem when he was twelve, and there is no mention of brothers or sisters. The word is also used immediately after the reference to the brothers (named) and sisters in Mark where Jesus said a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house, suggesting both cousins and step brothers/sisters.

[ealgeone]

Catholics (and I include Greek Catholics/Orthodox) have always believed Mary is blessed and Theotokos, and had no physical children other than Jesus who is Immanuel. Mary remained a virgin.

And therein is the problem...this was not a belief of the early church as attested in the Gospel accounts of Jesus and His family and Paul's acknowledgement of James as the Lord's brother.

They have always held that the brothers and sisters to whom you refer were the children of Saint Joseph (not from the Virgin Mary) and/or their cousins.

This gets tiresome....we've explained numerous times why they are not cousins or other relatives based on the non-usage of the Greek words for these.

The claim these are children from another marriage with Joseph raises all kinds of concerns. That the questionable writing which would have supported the Catholic claim regarding this was not included at Trent is telling. All the RCC had to do was declare this canon and it would have strengthened their argument. That they didn't is telling.

The Greek word for cousin or relatives is used for the Passover family trip to Jerusalem when he was twelve, and there is no mention of brothers or sisters.

Can't have it both ways if you're going to dismiss the argument of no mention of Joseph's other children regarding taxes.

Why would Joseph and Mary look among little children for a missing child? I hope you're not a cop or anything.

The word is also used immediately after the reference to the brothers (named) and sisters in Mark where Jesus said a prophet is not without honour, ....

Uh no...they are called brothers and sisters.

....but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house, suggesting both cousins and step brothers/sisters.

It is His hometown....you would expect to find the extended family there.

You will note He included the oikia...the household last where He was without honor.

Your argument fails again on so many levels.

[editor-surveyor]

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>> “Mary remained a virgin” <<

Only in the wild imaginations of those that cannot accept the solid truth of both Tanakh and the NT writings.
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[Elsie]

Catholics (and I include Greek Catholics/Orthodox) have always believed Mary is blessed and Theotokos, and had no physical children other than Jesus who is Immanuel. Mary remained a virgin.

And the RIGHT to an abortion is found in the Constitution by using the same logic.