Did Jesus have siblings?

[Deacon_JAR]

??? It is your idea that is absurd. Why on earth should not Joseph have intimate relations with Mary after the birth of Jesus? She was his legitimate wife. Procreation was a part of Jewish law. In not not trying to have more children he would break the law and not the other way round.

My friend, we may think of the 27 books of the N.T. as the only sacred writings of the early church, but this is not the case. There were others non-canonical writings (not included in our N.T.) that were commonly used by early Christian communities. For example, as Sir Knight mentions, the Catholic Church celebrates the “Presentation of Mary into the Temple”, a tradition in our church. Nevertheless, this event is not contained in any of the books in our Canon (N.T.). Where does it come from? It comes from the same writing that will give you the answer to the question “Did Jesus have siblings”? You need to read the “The Proto-Gospel of James.” Once you complete this reading you will understand. You need to buy the book “Lost Scriptures” by Bart D. Ehrman.

 

[randirhoades]

I tend to believe that Mary is the Mother of God, pure and Holy. I don’t think she would be having relations with a mere mortal given that God is a Supreme Being and well…our God.

Plus, aren’t we the Children of God too and we are called, “Brothers and Sisters of Christ” and not Cousins? I love that you are my brother and sister

Love y’all,

:hug1:

 

[NHInsider]

If we can’t share our Lord with someone, what is the point of sharing anything else?

Aside from that little bit about being the Body of Christ in the world - carrying on a mission which very definitively (and to the great horror of the religiously observant of His day) involved befriending and hanging around with public sinners?

Also in your statements about those who believe in Jesus but do not believe all the truths of the Faith, you seem to indicate that they are also those with whom you do not believe we should associate, although the Church has repeatedly urged us to work and pray with them for the sake of the world and in the hope of future unity.

To the extent that one sees being Catholic as exclusionary, I think one can probably be “too catholic.” (And there is something very ironic, at least semantically, about the notion of catholic exclusiveness. . . .)

 

[inkaneer]

If we can’t share our Lord with someone, what is the point of sharing anything else?

Well for one thing you might want to say “Good Morning” to them. Or you might want to be charitable and share food or clothes. We don’t need any more Pharisees and Levites but we can always use some good samaritins.

 

[John_Lazarus]

My maternal grandmother was Protestant (her father was an Orangeman); married an Irish Catholic. If we are not to associate with “unbelievers”, why does the Church allow mixed marriages? (And yes, they were married in the Church.)

My paternal grandmother was born in a Protestant family. Her mother died young, so the neighbours – mixed marrage – took her in and raised her.

Thanks to some Catholics associating with some “non-believers”, I am merely one of whole passel of Catholic descendants spanning 4 generations.

 

[Sir_Knight]

I’m glad not every Catholic feels as you seem to. If it wasn’t for a coworker of mine “associating” with me, an unbaptized, completely unchurched nonbeliever, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to become a believer. In just over a week, I will be baptized, receive first eucharist, and be comfirmed. All because one believer shared the Truth with one nonbeliever. I will be forever grateful for the love and friendship this person showed me, but most of all my soul will be forever grateful that they shared the truth of God’s love for me. That means everything to me, I feel like I got my life handed back to me, and soon to be washed clean at that! What gift could be better than that?

Did you read what I said here?

 

[Sir_Knight]

My maternal grandmother was Protestant (her father was an Orangeman); married an Irish Catholic. If we are not to associate with “unbelievers”, why does the Church allow mixed marriages? (And yes, they were married in the Church.)

My paternal grandmother was born in a Protestant family. Her mother died young, so the neighbours – mixed marrage – took her in and raised her.

Thanks to some Catholics associating with some “non-believers”, I am merely one of whole passel of Catholic descendants spanning 4 generations.

Your argument isn’t with me, it’s with sacred scripture.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Well for one thing you might want to say “Good Morning” to them. Or you might want to be charitable and share food or clothes. We don’t need any more Pharisees and Levites but we can always use some good samaritins.

I didn’t say that we should shun them like leapers, either. sheeez!

 

[Sir_Knight]

Aside from that little bit about being the Body of Christ in the world - carrying on a mission which very definitively (and to the great horror of the religiously observant of His day) involved befriending and hanging around with public sinners?

The passage does not say anything about not hanging around with sinners. We are all sinners and fall short of salvation.

Also in your statements about those who believe in Jesus but do not believe all the truths of the Faith, you seem to indicate that they are also those with whom you do not believe we should associate, although the Church has repeatedly urged us to work and pray with them for the sake of the world and in the hope of future unity.

As I said earlier, there is a difference between bringing the faith to someone who has never been exposed to the faith for the purpose of spreading the faith and associating with someone who knows the faith and/or has been exposed to the faith but refuses to accept it. There is nothing wrong with doing the former but there is something wrong with doing the latter.

To the extent that one sees being Catholic as exclusionary, I think one can probably be “too catholic.” (And there is something very ironic, at least semantically, about the notion of catholic exclusiveness. . . .)

Please explain this concept of how someone can be “too Catholic”? Being Catholic means embracing the teachings of the Church – ALL of them, not some of them or most of them but all of them. This does not mean that one follows all of them but the ones that a person doesn’t follow, they recognize that THEY are in the wrong and NOT the Church. If they do not follow a Catholic precept because they believe it to be wrong, then they have expelled themselves from the Catholic faith and can no longer consider themselves to be Catholic.

 

[grndslm]

I didn’t say that we should shun them like leapers, either. sheeez!

What your Church IS in need of is a lot more people like Christ Jesus, the Anointed One, who hung out with drunkards and other sinners, even a whore.

Your religion is in need of THAT kind of graceful humility.

 

[grndslm]

As I said earlier, there is a difference between bringing the faith to someone who has never been exposed to the faith for the purpose of spreading the faith and associating with someone who knows the faith and/or has been exposed to the faith but refuses to accept it. There is nothing wrong with doing the former but there is something wrong with doing the latter.

At what point of attainment does one know that they know all of the faith and/or that they have been exposed to the absolutely true faith??

Most people don’t know anything, because the people around them really don’t know the faith, and the people to the side of them don’t know the faith, and they’ve got their own ideas and questions, and most importantly… nobody to answer those questions. People don’t have decent teachers nowadays.

That’s the biggest part.

And I did, personally, feel like that was something that separated Catholics from all the rest. The desire to associate with all God’s creatures and wait until THEY bring up religion before discussing controversial issues. Catholics have the sane marketing plan, if you will. At least, that’s how it always seemed to me. Until I met someone, who others called “too Catholic”.

 

[MyCatholicHeart]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sir Knight Did you read what I said here?
I did. It still seems a little overzealous to me.
I have worked closely with this person for over 3 years while they lived a near perfect example of a christian life and I was not exactly polite in my rejection of their faith. Eventually they got to where they never mentioned God in front of me, which was what I thought I wanted. It took a major crisis in my life and me breaking down before I was willing to listen. If this person hadn’t continued to be my friend despite my rejection of God, there’s no way I would have accepted their help the day God finally had me in a place where I knew I needed to listen. Sometimes it’s not a one day process of “Hey, this is God, isn’t he great? Let’s get you converted.” For me it was 2 years of knowing this person and accepting their friendship but not their faith before I was even willing to listen to one thing they had to say about God.
All I’m saying is sometimes there has to be a basis of friendship built with people before they are willing to listen to anything you have to say about God and religion. I know that’s how it was for me, and I’m sure there are others out there with similar experiences. I’m glad my friend (and now my sponsor ) was willing to wait until I was willing to listen. Forcing it on me on a daily basis before I was ready would have only pushed me further away from them and from God.

 

[Sir_Knight]

What your Church IS in need of is a lot more people like Christ Jesus, the Anointed One, who hung out with drunkards and other sinners, even a whore.

Your religion is in need of THAT kind of graceful humility.

Our Church needs more people who obey the instructions of those who were taught by Christ – the instructions of the Apostles as found in sacred scripture and passed on through the succession of that authority.

 

[inkaneer]

I didn’t say that we should shun them like leapers, either. sheeez!

Leapers? Anyway its sort of difficult to know exactly what you mean as you back away from your prior statements. First you say we should not associate with them then you change it to we should not share communion with them. Try standing in one place on the subject rather than jumping around like a jackrabbit.

 

[ConnieMelton]

I feel you are mistaken in your interpretation. If you read all of 2 Corinthians you will read that we are all Ministers of God. It would be best to speak to the unbelievers in order to enlighten and save them. Speaking to the saved, you are “preaching to the choir”.

It is my belief that the passages of 2 Corinthians refers to being yoked with unbelievers unequally.

To not associate with non-believers I feel would be a sin in itself. Don’t you want to witness to and show by your daily living and faith that our Church is the One Church, founded by Christ who instructed Peter to build his Church? There were more non believers at that time than believers, the Apostles had to associate with them in order to spread Christianity. Is that not we are asked to do?

I believe in one Holy and Apostolic Church. You need to look up the meaning of APOSTOLIC!

 

[guanophore]

If we will read the bible. Jesus has siblings. It didn’t say that Mary stayed a virgin after Jesus was born. We should consult only the bible to avoid contradictions.

Can you show me where you found this rule in the Bible?

 

[Sir_Knight]

I feel you are mistaken in your interpretation. If you read all of 2 Corinthians you will read that we are all Ministers of God. It would be best to speak to the unbelievers in order to enlighten and save them. Speaking to the saved, you are “preaching to the choir”.

It is my belief that the passages of 2 Corinthians refers to being yoked with unbelievers unequally.

To not associate with non-believers I feel would be a sin in itself. Don’t you want to witness to and show by your daily living and faith that our Church is the One Church, founded by Christ who instructed Peter to build his Church? There were more non believers at that time than believers, the Apostles had to associate with them in order to spread Christianity. Is that not we are asked to do?

I believe in one Holy and Apostolic Church. You need to look up the meaning of APOSTOLIC!

You need to look up Matthew 18:17 to see how Jesus says we should treat people who do not listen to the Church.

 

[Janet1983]

You need to look up Matthew 18:17 to see how Jesus says we should treat people who do not listen to the Church.

That’s what excommunication is for. To be however in that position one has to be part of the Church in the first place.
As far as I know, since the canon law of 1983 there is no distinction between vitandus and a toleratus anymore as there had been before. And even then not everybody who was excommunicated was a vitandus…
Canon 2258 §2 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law
“§2. Nemo est vitandus, nisi fuerit nominatim a Sede Apostolica excommunicatus, excommunicatio fuerit publice denuntiata et in decreto vel sententia expresse dicatur ipsum vitari debere, salvo praescripto can. 2343, §1, n. 1.” (“Nobody is a vitandus excommunicate unless the Apostolic See has excommunicated him by name and has proclaimed the excommunication publicly and in the decree has stated expressly that he must be avoided.”)

 

[Deacon_JAR]

Good morning to all of you and I pray you are having a blessed day. Reading thru your writings and oppinions it looks to me that WE ARE ALL FAILING THE TEST, including myself. “OUR FATHER, who are in heaven…” First statement of the prayer given to us by our Lord. We are all children of the SAME FATHER, SAVED by the actions of the SAME PASCHAL LAMB, and ANNOINTED BY THE SAME SPIRIT. We all hope to partake of the SAME BANQUET in heaven and LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD for ETERNITY. Why do we have to argue about the 10% of the ideas or teachings that we may disagree with? Why is it that we cannot rejoice, celebrate, and share about the 90% that bonds us together? In the next life there will not be any Catholics or Protestants worshiping in DIFFERENT CHURCHES or TEMPLES. We will be ALL TOGETHER, from all nations and races, worshiping the One who seats on the throne and the LAMB who sits at the HIS right hand. Be carefull, my brothers and sisters in Christ, to waste so much time in arguments that may not be that important in the eyes of the Lord. Like the Lord told the apostles, what is important is “that your names are written in the Book of Life.” Bless each other and rejoice in the Lord, Let us remember that we have one common enemy, and it is not ourselves. We all know his name, a name is not worthy to be mentioned. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

 

[inkaneer]

Good morning to all of you and I pray you are having a blessed day. Reading thru your writings and oppinions it looks to me that WE ARE ALL FAILING THE TEST, including myself. “OUR FATHER, who are in heaven…” First statement of the prayer given to us by our Lord. We are all children of the SAME FATHER, SAVED by the actions of the SAME PASCHAL LAMB, and ANNOINTED BY THE SAME SPIRIT. We all hope to partake of the SAME BANQUET in heaven and LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD for ETERNITY. Why do we have to argue about the 10% of the ideas or teachings that we may disagree with? Why is it that we cannot rejoice, celebrate, and share about the 90% that bonds us together? In the next life there will not be any Catholics or Protestants worshiping in DIFFERENT CHURCHES or TEMPLES. We will be ALL TOGETHER, from all nations and races, worshiping the One who seats on the throne and the LAMB who sits at the HIS right hand. Be carefull, my brothers and sisters in Christ, to waste so much time in arguments that may not be that important in the eyes of the Lord. Like the Lord told the apostles, what is important is “that your names are written in the Book of Life.” Bless each other and rejoice in the Lord, Let us remember that we have one common enemy, and it is not ourselves. We all know his name, a name is not worthy to be mentioned. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Galatians 5:9 could be one answer. Usually on these forums we deal with doctrine and the differences that separate other christians from the Catholic Church. These people usually have been taught lies and half truths about Catholicism either deliberately or negligently. Here, people both Catholic as well as non Catholic can learn what Catholicism actually does teach.