Question:
Do Christians still think that Mary's virginity plays a role in her being clean, although she was married?
2007-12-10 11:43:51 UTC
I mean, do you Christians still accept the bronze-age notion that a woman who's not a virgin is "unclean"? (Even if she's legally married)

Do Christian women still feel they lose something when they're no longer virgins?
22 answers:
wanda3s48
2007-12-10 11:55:08 UTC
I've never believed that or even heard it taught.



(((Elton)))
ninjaphobos
2007-12-10 11:52:29 UTC
Matthew 1:24-25

"And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin UNTIL she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus."



Note that Matthew says UNTIL she gave birth...afterwards, it really didn't matter. The whole point of Joseph keeping Mary a virgin until Jesus was born was to prove (to the people) that she was a virgin. This could have been checked by many physical means prior to Jesus' birth.



Also, it mentions later in the gospels that Jesus had brothers and sisters. Many Catholics claim these were not literal siblings, but just people he "considered" brothers and sisters, but the Greek words used refer to DIRECT BLOOD RELATIVES.



Mary was a virgin until after Jesus was born. That much is supported by Scripture. Beyond that, her virginity is not only questionable AND unsupportable, but also unimportant.



As for Christian women "losing" something when they're no longer virgins, I am a guy...so I can't say for them, but I am still a virgin...and I plan on waiting until I'm married to have sex. And if I did slip up and have sex before I was married, I do feel as though I would have lost something.
Snow Globe
2007-12-10 11:54:58 UTC
Mary's virginity only had to do with Jesus's birth, so that it was obviously an act of God. It had nothing to do with "uncleanness". Sex within marriage is not "unclean". That's part of the reason why protestants don't believe that Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life. The Bible mentions Jesus's siblings and there is no reason why Mary would not be a wife to her husband Joseph. The obsession with celibacy as a virtue is a a later development due to the influence of Greek classical writers.
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
2007-12-10 12:05:20 UTC
First, I see the term "bronze-age" tossed about by many of the intellectuals on this board. When was the "bronze-age" if you don't mind me asking.



Second, there were some definite "issues" that some of the early Fathers had beginning in the second century in regard to women and virginity.



It should be noted that the following teachings are not biblical and sprung from the method of interpreting scripture using techniques gleaned from the Greek Philosophers called allegorical method.



Many of these "fathers" were very influenced by Greek philosophy and you can trace the view of women they carried to the tale of Pandora (Hesiod, 53-105).



Here is an example of such error from Tertullian:

And do you not know that you are (each) an Eve? [2] The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the devil's gateway: you are the unsealer of that (forbidden) tree: you are the first deserter of the divine law: you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God's image, man. On account of your desert----that is, death----even the Son of God had to die (Tertullian, II, 1).



You see from his writings that he already blamed Eve for the fall of man. Thus all women were to blame. However, the teaching developed that if a woman was to remain a virgin she could still be considered clean. It was for them the only way a woman could reach her potential.



Gregory of Nyssa states, “ For you are only calling virginity by another name when you speak of the pure and the incorruptible” and later “It is as if virginity were a kind of bond in humans’ relationship with God” (qtd in Clark, 118-119).
rosiegirl
2007-12-10 12:03:12 UTC
Clean, unclean, has nothing to do with virginity, or marraige. It has to do with her monthly cycle, and after giving birth due to the natural bleeding that occurs. All women not just Mary, was concidered unclean during this time". But it wasn't the same type of unclean that we would associate with being filthy or vile, etc.

It was simply because of ancient Jewish Laws. She, and all women were required to bath 40 days after giving birth before entering the temple.

The same was required after a womans monthly cycle. But not only was it women who were required to bath. During certain seasons... Holy Days, men also were required to bath before entering the temple. It is a misunderstanding to relate unclean.... to something more like nasty, or dirty or sinful. Mary was no exception to the laws of her day.

Mary did not loose her virginity by becoming pregnant. One can only loose her virginity by having sexual intercourse.
Shossi
2007-12-10 11:59:18 UTC
Mary was not a virgin once she became pregnant with Jesus. The process of becoming pregnant made her not a virgin.



And, the fact that she was suppose to be a virgin is only a mistranslation of the Hebrew word for young woman, when the Bible was translated to Greek. Jesus was born to a young woman. A young woman might have been a virgin, or might not have been.



I never heard your reasoning. I grew up a Christian, tho, I am not one now.
Misti M
2007-12-10 11:55:53 UTC
When Mary had Jesus she was not married to Joseph. Jesus was born to a virgin, because a virgin is "pure" without "original sin".

If a woman gets married a virgin and loses her virginity to her husband, that is honorable in the sight of God.

It is when a woman loses her virginity to a man she is not married to, this is unpure. A sin.
2007-12-10 11:51:05 UTC
There's nothing unclean about losing your virginity in marriage to your marriage mate. That's how it is supposed to be, that's what's normal according to God's plan.



Mary was a virgin when she was pregnant with Jesus, but after that she had children with Joseph. Jewish families had a lot of children, why would Mary and Joseph be the exception?
?
2016-10-11 04:01:57 UTC
My opinion adult men now a days dont care approximately virginity. Now a days you may desire to sleep with the guy first, then if he nonetheless desires to be with you after, then he relatively does care approximately greater desirable than intercourse. If he does not, then pass on and basically inspect it with a mans attitude of hey a minimum of i've got been given some.. ladies now adays might desire to think of like adult men, and all people who thinks there a slut for that's a dumb ***. Weener or coochi it doesnt remember. tell your little sis she is youthful and could pass on that guy is a loser and he or she might desire to be bragging that she used him.. Virginity potential no longer something anymore and the greater significant element is who loves you no longer who you lost it to.
2007-12-10 11:50:10 UTC
In Christian mythology, Mary is depicted as the Virgin, because Virgo plays a role in the astro-theological birth story.
jgmoomaw
2007-12-10 11:56:46 UTC
Mary actually wasn't married when God sent His angel to tell her that she was with child. Joseph was going to cancel the marraige engagement when he found out, but God sent another angel to explain that Mary was touched by God. They didn't have sex then until after Jesus was born.



Also, yes, women do. Saving sex for marriage is an important thing in God's eyes. I don't know because I'm not there in my life yet, but I'm not thinking that you "lose" something if it's in a loving marriage. Then it's something that you give away.
hmm
2007-12-10 11:58:50 UTC
There's no way to check to see if a woman's a virgin or not dude. You're sick. The hymen can break by itself, easily. Sometimes I think people who place too much importance on "cleanliness" and "purity" and the most perverted people out there. It's been a long standing thought of mine... *Shrugs*
Lamborama
2007-12-10 11:48:48 UTC
Nope. There's nothing unclean about a woman not being a virgin. If women weren't meant to have sex, there would be no future generations, which would have made it pointless for God to have created us at all. There's nothing impure about sex, it's just that people don't always use it well.



I think the significance of Mary being a virgin was more that we know Jesus was God's son, not the son of Mary's husband of boyfriend.
AdoreHim
2007-12-10 13:04:16 UTC
By the way, Mary was not without original sin, as someone said- everyone is born in sin- however Jesus had to be born of a virgin- and have no physical earthy father- Every one is unclean without Christ- God did not choose Mary to be the mother of Jesus because she was without sin, He chose her because of her humility before Him.
juliette
2007-12-10 12:06:08 UTC
Um.. She was promised in marriage to Joseph.. so no sex yet until the marriage was consumated ...



I would think that any woman who has sex for the first time loses something unless she is raped.. or is married to the man she loves.



If a girl has sex ..Christian or not and is not married.. she loses something which is precious and innocent.
SMX™ -- Lover Of Hero @};-
2007-12-10 11:54:41 UTC
That is not true, especially when you are married. It is considered HOLY matrimony so sex tis not a crime nor is it unpure when married. Sex is not a sin, it is a beautiful thing which God created amongst woman and man, something to be cherished only when married.
2007-12-10 11:48:37 UTC
I think Mary might have fibed about being as virgin, but even with proof, which I don't have, nobody will believe me.
Tasha
2007-12-10 11:48:41 UTC
She wasn't married, she was engaged. She was "clean" because she was without original sin...to lose her virginity would have gone against that. No I don't feel I have lost something, I am not Mary. I was born with original sin.
2007-12-10 11:47:30 UTC
Your misunderstanding of the issue is huge.
pepsiolic
2007-12-10 11:48:34 UTC
Mary was not married when she conceived Jesus.
2007-12-10 11:48:14 UTC
its over and done...shes already dead...it meant she was a good woman thats all... i didnt feel that way but then i didnt bear Jesus either..
Anthony C
2007-12-10 11:48:20 UTC
married or not, a virgin is more pure than a non-virgin..wouldn't you agree?


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