[Scared to post] Serious misunderstanding about the Virgin Mary...

So only people with traditional views can be intolerant? Definition two would seem to disagree with that, so which one are you working off of because they mean different things if you get into the nuance of it all.

 

heh, I always get a kick out of people who refuse to accept conservative views calling themselves tolerant and others not-tolerant.

 

Didn't Jesus warn of this very thing?

 

"this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath" -that's melville. max, i think no worries is just having fun at your expense, i wouldn't let it bother me. twhy, you're just makin' up stuff as you go along, and that's okay by me, i'm tolerant.

 

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

 

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Boy that really clears the whole topic up. (Now if someone could translate that into layman English ...)

 

And where in any of those two passages (Genesis 3:15, Luke 1:28) does it say that "Mary's mother was a virgin, as well. Mary didn't just have sin removed from her by God, but she was created without it from the beginning."

 

I am sorry you have trouble reading.

I already pointed out that the first sentence was an historical belief. It was based upon tradition and theological exploration but even in its day it was strongly debated. What I quoted from the CE was related to the second sentence. The rest is tradition and historical interpretation.

 

I'll make this a little easier. It's Catholic tradition that Mary was born in an immaculate conception. Protestants disagree since they cannot find proof in the text. It is a denominational dispute. I don't see the point of rehashing it here; there are other and more important differences between Protestants and Catholics they can fight about, like transfiguration, the role of the Pope, and whether you can sprinkle or must dunk for a baptism.

 

i'm used to it. been through it over and over again.

 

Don't forget communion.

I don't even know about the transfiguration differences. What are they?

 

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

 

I think he meant transubstantiation...

 

Well, the controversy isn't neccessarily about the law. Doctrines on Mary really do nothing but add to the glory that is Christ, therefore, with a proper understanding of the doctrines surrounding her, we hope to gain a greater understanding and communion with Christ. It's an important topic to us Catholics...

 

that's awesome. my point is, to the extent this sort of thing is divisive among Christians, than it is...as Paul says...not profitable.

 

agreed, you guys should just agree with us...

 

i agree with you about the really important stuff!

 

The thing is, growing up Catholic I never had any issues with Protestants. I didn't know I was supposed to, and I didn't know any catholics who did. But I sure have met many Protestants that have big issues with Catholics. "You worship Mary" and all this stuff almost to the point of hatred. To me the hostility is completely one-way (like the texans / cowboys "rivalry"). It's weird. I sense a big inferiority complex from those people.

 

i'm wondering that if the proverbial or literally interpreted rug were pulled out from under you christians, would it be devastating? i mean would incontrovertible evidence that mary, jesus, god, et al. don't exist be welcome news?

 

you make me smile!

i know catholics who talk poorly of baptists...i know of baptists who talk poorly of catholics. mostly its because they really don't know what the other truly believes. certainly not all protestants are baptists...but the real divide that i see isn't between lutherans and catholics...or presbyterians and catholics...or methodists and catholics...but rather between baptists and catholics.