Re: Saint Matthew-in-the-city

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anrmenchaca47

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I don’t know where else to put this thread, however I came across something that really disturbed me while I was surfing through yahoo. Apparently, some church from New Zealand/Auckland has put out a picture of the Blessed Mother holding a pregnancy test in her hand and covering mouth. What is disturbing to me is the group Saint Matthew-in-the-City did it to “Spark thought and converstion” Is it just me or doesn’t this seem like a very ugly thing to do.

That’s not the worst of it, apparently there another picture floating around regarding Mary and Jospeh. Has anyone heard of this and what are your thoughts on it?

Again, I apologize if this thread was posted in the wrong area.
 
The way Satan keeps encouraging people to attack Mary just proves more and more to us why we love her.

If it hurts you, it shows that you are sharing the pain with her and should bring you closer together.

Pray.
 
Yes i just saw it about an hour ago and i was so upset with it, literally outraged to be honest!! In a way I’m glad the news brings it to our attention,but also on the other hand it just makes me sick as to how they love taking cheap shots at our faith but in a hidden kinda way…idk if that makes sense… but its like these attacks at us just keep coming and I just never really realized how much the news and all other media just love to punch us from behind but its everywhere!! I pray our Mothers Immaculate heart stays strong for all her children!!
 
Here’s the image:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Honestly, I don’t find it offensive. St. Luke tells us she herself responded to Gabriel by asking, “How can this be?” After all, at some point Mary realized that she was going to have a baby, even though she hadn’t done what (for everyone else) was necessary to have one.

St. Matthew tells us that “When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.”

This picture just shows us a modern version of that tale. The look on her face could easily be wonder, fear, how-am-I-going-to-tell-Joseph, or what have you. She’s a virgin, and she’s pregnant. Wow!

It’s Christmas time. It’s about Mary having a baby. This picture brings that home. I just don’t see it as an attack of any kind.
 
Well, think of it this way. If Mary lived today instead of in ancient times, and the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, you can bet your butt she would be running out the next day to buy a pregnancy test to see if it was true. Can you imagine her surprise?

I’m not saying this is the best way to protray it, because many will see it as an opportunity to ridicule…but it makes sense to me!
 
I think this picture is unholy. To me the pregnancy test is meant to imply that she concieved with Joseph. Or at least that is the way many people will interpret the painting even if (big if) the creators of this monstrosity meant otherwise.
 
Job42 said:
I think this picture is unholy. To me the pregnancy test is meant to imply that she concieved with Joseph. Or at least that is the way many people will interpret the painting even if (big if) the creators of this monstrosity meant otherwise.
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How does it imply that she conceived her Son by Joseph? A pregnancy test tells her whether she’s pregnant, based on the presence of hCG, which is secreted by the placenta shortly after fertilization. In other words, it shows positive because she’s pregnant.

And Scripture tells us she was, in fact, pregnant. In fact, she bore her Child to term. So a pregnancy test would, in fact, have shown a positive result.

I just don’t see how it implies that she got pregnant the normal way. I also have no reason to believe that most of the people seeing the picture will jump to that conclusion. It just doesn’t go there.
 
It’s stupid because it makes no sense. Mary was told of her pregnancy by the angel. So why would she be surprised? If you’re going to try to shock people who are religious, at least do your homework.
 
Godfollower said:
Here’s the image:

http://cdn-ugc.cafemom.com/gen/resize/319/206/80/2011/12/14/13/52/se/pogxa9k8841azzo.jpg

Honestly, I don’t find it offensive. St. Luke tells us she herself responded to Gabriel by asking, “How can this be?” After all, at some point Mary realized that she was going to have a baby, even though she hadn’t done what (for everyone else) was necessary to have one.

St. Matthew tells us that “When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.”

This picture just shows us a modern version of that tale. The look on her face could easily be wonder, fear, how-am-I-going-to-tell-Joseph, or what have you. She’s a virgin, and she’s pregnant. Wow!

It’s Christmas time. It’s about Mary having a baby. This picture brings that home. I just don’t see it as an attack of any kind.
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Well…you do make good point, however, this is an Anglican based church and If I am not mistaken they don’t have any positive views or even consider Mary as important. The scriptures that came to MY mind were the ones concerning Joseph not knowing Mary until Jesus was born and the fundamentalist favorite topic, Jesus having brothers and sister. I just felt that this was done with that in mind and nothing else. But then again, I coudn’t know exactly for sure. 🤷
 
puzzleannie said:
I don’t have any thoughts until it was proven this actually was done by a “Christian” church on not another internet fabrication.
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I actually looked up the church that did this and they are Anglican based out of Auckland/New Zealand area. Also, they consider themselves to be “progressive christians.” Their beliefs are based on personal feelings and what thye call “A progressive Anglican church with a heart for the city & an eye to the world”

(Attn: Moderator) I apologize profusely if this is not the area to be discussing stuff like this.
 
so it is unfair to characterize the blasphemy as a general belief of Anglicans, so lets drop the global criticism and concentrate on the place and community that does support the offensive item.

you do realize every time you hit on their site you support them
 
puzzleannie said:
so it is unfair to characterize the blasphemy as a general belief of Anglicans, so lets drop the global criticism and concentrate on the place and community that does support the offensive item.

you do realize every time you hit on their site you support them
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And by “concentrate on the place and community…” you mean pray for them right? So it’s more like pray for your enemies correct?

I wasn’t aware that a “hit”, in light of research, was considered supporting them:shrug:

Oh well… Que sera, sera
 
anrmenchaca47 said:
Well…you do make good point, however, this is an Anglican based church and If I am not mistaken they don’t have any positive views or even consider Mary as important. The scriptures that came to MY mind were the ones concerning Joseph not knowing Mary until Jesus was born and the fundamentalist favorite topic, Jesus having brothers and sister. I just felt that this was done with that in mind and nothing else. But then again, I coudn’t know exactly for sure. 🤷
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Im afraid you are mistaken. The Anglican church takes a very positive view of Mary and her role in salvation history. ARCICs last(?) statement was infact about Mary. Many anglicans will pray the angelus and Mary is the patron saint of many individual anglican churches.

I dont see anything wrong at all with the image.It was meant to make people think and to start conversation and this thread is a testament to its success. It certainly makes the point about the position in which Mary found herself in relation to society and asks our modern day society to reflect on the relevance of the Christmas story for today.
 
waterbrook said:
Im afraid you are mistaken. The Anglican church takes a very positive view of Mary and her role in salvation history. ARCICs last(?) statement was infact about Mary. Many anglicans will pray the angelus and Mary is the patron saint of many individual anglican churches.

I dont see anything wrong at all with the image.It was meant to make people think and to start conversation and this thread is a testament to its success. It certainly makes the point about the position in which Mary found herself in relation to society and asks our modern day society to reflect on the relevance of the Christmas story for today.
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Well then, I must admit, I am mistaken…I’m glad I learned something new today. :o

It sure has been a success… I’m guessing it was done in what Austin Powers would say “I’m just trying to get a rise out of you…you know? for …and giggles.” 🤷
 
Godfollower said:
Here’s the image:

Honestly, I don’t find it offensive. St. Luke tells us she herself responded to Gabriel by asking, “How can this be?” After all, at some point Mary realized that she was going to have a baby, even though she hadn’t done what (for everyone else) was necessary to have one.

St. Matthew tells us that “When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.”

This picture just shows us a modern version of that tale. The look on her face could easily be wonder, fear, how-am-I-going-to-tell-Joseph, or what have you. She’s a virgin, and she’s pregnant. Wow!

It’s Christmas time. It’s about Mary having a baby. This picture brings that home. I just don’t see it as an attack of any kind.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t agree more.
 
anrmenchaca47 said:
Well…you do make good point, however, this is an Anglican based church and If I am not mistaken they don’t have any positive views or even consider Mary as important. The scriptures that came to MY mind were the ones concerning Joseph not knowing Mary until Jesus was born and the fundamentalist favorite topic, Jesus having brothers and sister. I just felt that this was done with that in mind and nothing else. But then again, I coudn’t know exactly for sure. 🤷
Click to expand...
You are deeply mistaken about the Anglican Church’s view on Mary. The Anglicans certainly revere Mary and believe in the Virgin Birth. Its completely inacurrate to suggest that they “don’t have any positive views” of Mary or that Anglican’s believe she is not important.
 
I personally don’t find it any more offensive than a novel I read a few years back entitled “Eli”. Don’t remember the author’s name, but it pretty much translated the life of Christ into the modern age: Mary gave birth in the laundry room of a motel with No Vacancy instead of a stable behind the inn, the shepherds were a group of hippies from a nearby hippie commune; the Apostles were a ragtag of construction workers and retail wage slaves; instead of being a publican, Zaccheus was a Hugh Heffner-style pornography king (really!) and the Christ-figure ended up having dinner at his Playboy Mansion-style pad. I loved it to heaven and back, as the author really did a good job translating everything into the modern age.
 
TMC said:
You are deeply mistaken about the Anglican Church’s view on Mary. The Anglicans certainly revere Mary and believe in the Virgin Birth. Its completely inacurrate to suggest that they “don’t have any positive views” of Mary or that Anglican’s believe she is not important.
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No doubt, I admit I am wrong about my presumption regarding the Anglican view on Mary. That’s what I get. :o

I also regret starting this thread. Oh well
 
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