Did Mother Mary have other children?

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We aren’t discussing other Marian ‘dogmas’. We’re discussing the fact that all Christianity (Catholic and Orthodox alike) have had the same teaching on Mary’s perpetual Virginity and that it is consistent and goes back nearly 2000 years. It is your protestant teaching which is ‘new’ and not consistently taught.

And we Catholics and Orthodox use the same Scripture that Martin Luther did. He believed in the perpetual Virginity as well.

So, why should I believe your ‘interpretation’ of Scripture which is so new? Why do you reject a teaching that is so old and respected by so many Christians for so long?
It look like this person know as much about the Orthorox church as he/she does the Cathloic Church
 
You know, I have a lot of respect for people who want to worship God. I have a lot of respect for people who want to be sure that they are worshipping correctly.

Many of my own relatives are Episcopalians and one grandmother was originally Lutheran but converted to Catholicism, so it’s not like I don’t ‘know’ at least about my own relatives and their beliefs (have been to their churches etc. many times in my 53 years).

Here’s the thing, though. . .While I can understand people who say (I think incorrectly but we’ll let that pass for now) that Catholics ‘changed’ a teaching or practice from an ‘older’ one, what I can’t understand are those who change an ‘older’ teaching, or ignore the older teaching, and present a ‘newer’ one as the ‘real one’ and then try to claim that “it” is really the older teaching.

You did that, Justy, in your earlier posts where you claimed that the people ‘long ago’ just ‘knew’ that Mary and Joseph had sex and therefore they didn’t have to go ‘into detail.’

When it is brought up to you that not only Catholics but Orthodox as well consistently taught the Perpetual Virginity, you try to change the subject into “Well, Catholics and Orthodox disagree on other things” --as though pointing that out would somehow invalidate their consistent teaching on the Perpetual Virginity. That’s a rather shoddy kind of tactic and it’s not going to work.

Why DID Protestants presume to change this particular teaching when their own founders never thought of doing so?
 
Mind sticking to the topic? Why should I accept your ‘interpretation’ of various Scripture when Martin Luther and your own Henry VIII didn’t accept them?
It’s a relavent question that has everything to do with this topic. Why is your Canon different from the that which was derrived from the Holy Spirit in the 4th century?
 
You know, I have a lot of respect for people who want to worship God. I have a lot of respect for people who want to be sure that they are worshipping correctly.

Many of my own relatives are Episcopalians and one grandmother was originally Lutheran but converted to Catholicism, so it’s not like I don’t ‘know’ at least about my own relatives and their beliefs (have been to their churches etc. many times in my 53 years).

Here’s the thing, though. . .While I can understand people who say (I think incorrectly but we’ll let that pass for now) that Catholics ‘changed’ a teaching or practice from an ‘older’ one, what I can’t understand are those who change an ‘older’ teaching, or ignore the older teaching, and present a ‘newer’ one as the ‘real one’ and then try to claim that “it” is really the older teaching.

You did that, Justy, in your earlier posts where you claimed that the people ‘long ago’ just ‘knew’ that Mary and Joseph had sex and therefore they didn’t have to go ‘into detail.’

When it is brought up to you that not only Catholics but Orthodox as well consistently taught the Perpetual Virginity, you try to change the subject into “Well, Catholics and Orthodox disagree on other things” --as though pointing that out would somehow invalidate their consistent teaching on the Perpetual Virginity. That’s a rather shoddy kind of tactic and it’s not going to work.

Why DID Protestants presume to change this particular teaching when their own founders never thought of doing so?
And my response is that NOT everyone held to what Catholicism teaches regarding Mary. Why does the Orthodox church (which was the Early Church as well before 1086AD) not agree with Rome on all that it teaches regarding Mary?
 
I believe I asked FIRST. Why not answer my question and please stop trying to imply that superficial, I repeat superficial differences in certain Marian devotions etc. between Catholics and Orthodox have anything whatsoever to do with ‘invalidating’ the consistent CHRISTIAN teaching that you as a Protestant ‘changed’ and which your own founders did not question.
 
Let’s make this crystal clear.

A. Prior to the mid 16th century, all Christians (Catholics and Orthodox) taught the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.
B. The first Protestant leaders taught this too.
C. At some point, some men began to teach a different doctrine.
D. Now today some of those ‘dissenters’ are trying to present the ‘different’ doctrine as being the ‘original’ doctrine, and that first doctrine in A as being a ‘later’ one.

Does anybody else find such an attempt to be rather. . .questionable in practice?
 
I believe I asked FIRST. Why not answer my question and please stop trying to imply that superficial, I repeat superficial differences in certain Marian devotions etc. between Catholics and Orthodox have anything whatsoever to do with ‘invalidating’ the consistent CHRISTIAN teaching that you as a Protestant ‘changed’ and which your own founders did not question.
Ok, let’s handle your claim here first. You claim that Martin Luther held exaclty to the same beliefs as Catholicsm regarding Mary. That is not true. Martin Luther had no problem regarding Mary as foremost of the saints and honoring her as the Mother of Christ. No problem there. However, Luther did Not ever profess in the same fashion as Catholics do that Mary Never had other children and that she was immaculately conceived etc. There is nothing “new” here in what the Scriptures say and what they don’t say.
 
What difference would it make if Mary had other children or not? By her having other children would it make her less then who she is? Would it change your outlook on what she stands for? Does it change the fact that she is the mother of Jesus? Would you look down at her because she had other children? Would it make her less holy and therefore unworthy of your praise? Would it change anything except the teachings that she never had other children? Would it mean that the teachings are wrong about her? Who decided to teach that Mary never had other children? What evidence is there that she did or didn’t have other children?
I guess what I’m trying to say is, “does it really matter, she is who she is eather way you look at it.”
 
Ok, let’s handle your claim here first. You claim that Martin Luther held exaclty to the same beliefs as Catholicsm regarding Mary. That is not true. Martin Luther had no problem regarding Mary as foremost of the saints and honoring her as the Mother of Christ. No problem there. However, Luther did Not ever profess in the same fashion as Catholics do that Mary Never had other children and that she was immaculately conceived etc. There is nothing “new” here in what the Scriptures say and what they don’t say.
Martin Luther spoke extensively of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary. We’ve shown quotes. Where are your quotes showing that he spoke of her having other children?
 
Let’s make this crystal clear.

A. Prior to the mid 16th century, all Christians (Catholics and Orthodox) taught the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.
B. The first Protestant leaders taught this too.
C. At some point, some men began to teach a different doctrine.
D. Now today some of those ‘dissenters’ are trying to present the ‘different’ doctrine as being the ‘original’ doctrine, and that first doctrine in A as being a ‘later’ one.

Does anybody else find such an attempt to be rather. . .questionable in practice?
The real question is what is correct? Scripture doesn’t tell us that Mary didn’t have other children and in fact it names Jesus’ brothers in several verses. Scripture never leads us to believe that Mary stayed a virgin her whole life and in fact it speaks to the contrary. This is the point. You are trying to claim that whatever is believed all along must be correct. This is problematic because even your church doesn’t hold to what the Early Church believed. Why the different Canon from the Orthodox? Why many different versions of the Canon circulated shortly after it was compiled? Catholicism isn’t this bulletproof flawless entity that you are trying to profess here. You cannot prove what you claim.
 
What difference would it make if Mary had other children or not? By her having other children would it make her less then who she is? Would it change your outlook on what she stands for? Does it change the fact that she is the mother of Jesus? Would you look down at her because she had other children? Would it make her less holy and therefore unworthy of your praise? Would it change anything except the teachings that she never had other children? Would it mean that the teachings are wrong about her? Who decided to teach that Mary never had other children? What evidence is there that she did or didn’t have other children?
I guess what I’m trying to say is, “does it really matter, she is who she is eather way you look at it.”
We’re not indifferentists. Yes, it makes a difference. Either the Holy Spirit, through Scripture and Tradition, says authoritatively that she is. . .or she isn’t. No middle ground.

The truth is the truth. If Catholic teaching is the truth, then the non-Catholic teaching which ‘contradicts it’ is falsehood, no matter how you might try to explain it away.

This is not ‘about Mary’. It’s about JESUS.
 
The real question is what is correct? Scripture doesn’t tell us that Mary didn’t have other children and in fact it names Jesus’ brothers in several verses. Scripture never leads us to believe that Mary stayed a virgin her whole life and in fact it speaks to the contrary. This is the point. You are trying to claim that whatever is believed all along must be correct. This is problematic because even your church doesn’t hold to what the Early Church believed. Why the different Canon from the Orthodox? Why many different versions of the Canon circulated shortly after it was compiled? Catholicism isn’t this bulletproof flawless entity that you are trying to profess here. You cannot prove what you claim.
Scripture NEVER says Mary had other children. Ever. The brothers of Jesus are shown, conclusively, in Scripture, not to be children OF MARY.

Hey, I speak the truth. Also, a lot of what you think I’m ‘saying’ is you putting words in my mouth with your ‘bulletproof flawless entity’ and your earlier assertion that I claimed Luther was in lockstep with all the Catholic Church teachings. . .I never said anything of the sort. Nor am I claiming you must believe ‘what is believed all along is correct.’ I am saying that one must believe truth.

And I ask again, WHERE did you get the teaching that contradicts the continued consistent teaching of Christianity for 2000 years?
 
What difference would it make if Mary had other children or not? By her having other children would it make her less then who she is? Would it change your outlook on what she stands for? Does it change the fact that she is the mother of Jesus? Would you look down at her because she had other children? Would it make her less holy and therefore unworthy of your praise? Would it change anything except the teachings that she never had other children? Would it mean that the teachings are wrong about her? Who decided to teach that Mary never had other children? What evidence is there that she did or didn’t have other children?
I guess what I’m trying to say is, “does it really matter, she is who she is eather way you look at it.”
It seems to me this perpetual virginity of Mary has to be sustained to be able to live into the other claims of Mary. Without this perpetual virginity, the other claims and interpretations of Scripture that Rome has would collapse like a house of cards. The problem with the whole thing is that none of it is consistent with what the Scriptures teach. The Mary of the Bible and the Mary of Catholic theology do not parallel one another.
 
It seems to me this perpetual virginity of Mary has to be sustained to be able to live into the other claims of Mary. Without this perpetual virginity, the other claims and interpretations of Scripture that Rome has would collapse like a house of cards. The problem with the whole thing is that none of it is consistent with what the Scriptures teach. The Mary of the Bible and the Mary of Catholic theology do not parallel one another.
True, it would collapse and all their teachings would be in question.
 
Scripture NEVER says Mary had other children. Ever. The brothers of Jesus are shown, conclusively, in Scripture, not to be children OF MARY.

Hey, I speak the truth. Also, a lot of what you think I’m ‘saying’ is you putting words in my mouth with your ‘bulletproof flawless entity’ and your earlier assertion that I claimed Luther was in lockstep with all the Catholic Church teachings. . .I never said anything of the sort. Nor am I claiming you must believe ‘what is believed all along is correct.’ I am saying that one must believe truth.

And I ask again, WHERE did you get the teaching that contradicts the continued consistent teaching of Christianity for 2000 years?
The Orthodox church and your church do NOT agree on much doctrine Tantum! This is the point. If the Early Church was given the correct discernment of the Holy Spirit then why do you both have different Canons, different doctrines and different views on things such as the sacrements, the saints and traditions?? You can’t claim to be correct for 2,000 years and have these profound differences. That horse won’t pull the sled anymore my freind.
 
There is no ‘disconnect’ between the Mary of Scripture and the Mary of Catholic teaching. Please do give me chapter and verse which specifically state that Mary had other children. You can’t find it because it isn’t there. The only child listed as a child of Mary is Jesus Christ Himself. You can’t find it taught consistently in Christianity that Mary had other children. . .not from AD 33 until the mid 16th century. . .to this day neither the ORTHODOX nor the Catholics teach anything other than that Mary had no children other than Jesus. Scripture bears this out. Your false teaching that she had other children is a ‘new’ and ‘different’ Scripture.

We won’t ‘collapse’ because our teachings aren’t changeable and made by men.
 
There is no ‘disconnect’ between the Mary of Scripture and the Mary of Catholic teaching. Please do give me chapter and verse which specifically state that Mary had other children. You can’t find it because it isn’t there. The only child listed as a child of Mary is Jesus Christ Himself. You can’t find it taught consistently in Christianity that Mary had other children. . .not from AD 33 until the mid 16th century. . .to this day neither the ORTHODOX nor the Catholics teach anything other than that Mary had no children other than Jesus. Scripture bears this out. Your false teaching that she had other children is a ‘new’ and ‘different’ Scripture.

We won’t ‘collapse’ because our teachings aren’t changeable and made by men.
Show me by Scripture where she had no other children besides Jesus. Who are the brothers shown by name in several verses? Firstborn child? Did not have relations UNTIL Jesus was born? You can’t continue to explain away Scripture.
 
The Orthodox church and your church do NOT agree on much doctrine Tantum! This is the point. If the Early Church was given the correct discernment of the Holy Spirit then why do you both have different Canons, different doctrines and different views on things such as the sacrements, the saints and traditions?? You can’t claim to be correct for 2,000 years and have these profound differences. That horse won’t pull the sled anymore my freind.
Trivial differences based on culture and superficialities, especially those prior to 1054. I wonder what you’ll say when Catholics and Orthodox reunite. . .because it’s going to happen.
 
Trivial differences based on culture and superficialities, especially those prior to 1054. I wonder what you’ll say when Catholics and Orthodox reunite. . .because it’s going to happen.
Trivial differences?? The Orthodox church doesn’t celebrate the 7 Sacrements as Catholics do, they don’t believe in the Immaculate Conception. Trivial differences? What about the pope? Your dillusional if you truly believe that you will reunite with them. AND, they have a different set of books in their Canon. HUGE differences.
 
We’re not indifferentists. Yes, it makes a difference. Either the Holy Spirit, through Scripture and Tradition, says authoritatively that she is. . .or she isn’t. No middle ground.

The truth is the truth. If Catholic teaching is the truth, then the non-Catholic teaching which ‘contradicts it’ is falsehood, no matter how you might try to explain it away.

This is not ‘about Mary’. It’s about JESUS.
Ok, but can you please answer my questions?
 
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