Regarding the Sins of Catholics, and a Paradigm Shift in Catholic Apologetics

Dr. Brian Kopp

[Dajjal]

Excellent article. I'll have to come back later and read all the comments.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

With all due respect, I do know what RC's believe about Mary, I been conversing with them for 9 months here on FR. You believe that Mary stayed a virgin her whole life, right? This violates the very command that Brian quoted above from God: "Be fruitful and multiply". Along with the command to not deprive your spouse of sexual intercourse. Our bodies belong to our spouses, not ourselves. My belief is that what the Bible clearly shows, after the birth of Jesus the family carried on as any righteous Jewish household at the time and Joseph and Mary had many other children, including James the author of the Bilical book.

Your belief is clearly wrong and shows that you do not know Scripture. Mary was the spouse of the Holy Spirit not Joseph. Joseph was chosen to serve as a the earthly husband/protector of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Scripture writes that Jesus is called the carpenter's son, Matthew 13:55, yet we know that He is the Son of God, not Joseph. After Christ is found in the Temple at the age of 12 Joseph is not mentioned in Scripture again. Who was Mary's new husband? No mention is made of other children; Luke 2:41-51. No mention is made off Mary remarrying. Jesus is always referred to as the son of Mary, not a son of Mary. The Disciples were older than Jesus, not younger. Due to Jewish custom, younger brothers would not give advice to an older brother. We know that Jesus was Mary's firstborn, which does not mean that others followed, son. If Jesus had brothers and sisters He would not have entrusted the care of His mother to John. You misunderstand the words brethren and brothers to mean blood relation, which it is not. Refer to John 19:25. Mary of Cleophas, the sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the mother of James the Less, Joses and Juda.

Our bodies belong to our spouses, not ourselves.

Our bodies belong to God, not our spouses.

Stating that Jesus had siblings and that Mary had other children contradicts Scripture and is simply wrong. Calvin, Luther and Zwingli also believed in the Blessed Virgin Marys' perpetual virginity. I'm surprised that your conversion classes have failed to have you read the The Protoevangelium of James and Brothers and Sisters of Jesus. Don't allow yourself to be conned into thinking that Jesus had brothers and sisters. Mary gave birth to only one child and remained a virgin her entire life. Don't add to Scripture. If you need more explanation, freep mail me.

[Gophack]

I, for one, am a practicing Catholic. I practice NFP and do not use any artificial contraceptives. I initially opposed contraceptive use not because of my Catholic faith (in the past, I was not as good a Catholic and I try to be now), but because most contraceptives were abortificients, and I strongly oppose abortion.

I have three children, and would welcome more into my life. NFP is more effective than any artificial birth control if done properly. There is nothing wrong with practicing NFP to avoid pregnancy. We did that for five years because after two children, we were financially strapped. The difference between NFP and artificial birth control is that when you practice NFP, you are always welcome to new life EVEN if you are not intending to conceive. While your cycle may disfavor conception, and you may be the best NFP practicer and track your cycle daily, you are accepting that God might have different plans.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that NFP is the only method of birth control -- and it is birth control -- that is acceptable because the practice of it is pro-life, it brings husbands and wives closer together both emotionally and physically because they are making these decisions together, with God.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

bttt