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I think the line of reasoning was that, if he knew that she had taken a vow of perpetual virginity, then any pregnancy must be virginal and via divine action. So he wouldn't have been upset or surprised or wanting to put her away.

Thank you for the lucidity. I don't see how this is any different than the other scenario. He would "believe" her and not have the utterly human reaction that he had been cheated on, if he knew she had taken a vow of perpetual virginity. But not is she had merely taken the "vow" to be virginal until their wedding night?

She still was supposed to be a virgin at the time it happened. He still questioned her chastity. The duration of her committment to virginity doesn't seem to be a factor, to me.

It's somewhat ironic that we acknowledge Joseph doubted Mary and did not understand the plan of the Lord. The others seem to want to have us make Joseph "more perfect" than we regard him as.

I don't see how this is any different than the other scenario. He would "believe" her and not have the utterly human reaction that he had been cheated on, if he knew she had taken a vow of perpetual virginity. But not is she had merely taken the "vow" to be virginal until their wedding night?

I don't see the difference either. But then, IMO this is all academic, because I don't think there was a virgin birth anyway.

Marriages without the expectation of procreation, or even carnal knowledge, were quite common even in the United States prior to the advent of pervasive social welfare.

The last Union Civil War widow died on January 19, 2003, even though she was born 38 years after the last bugle's call. Her husband, who died in 1937, was 63 years her senior.

The last Confederate Civil War widow is still alive. she is 98 years old and was married in 1927 to a husband who was 60 years her senior.