Odd that so many reject the Shroud despite the evidence that it is authentic but accept the Ossuary which doesn't prove any geneology at all. It's also humorous to watch the Protestant clamor considering that Calvin, Luther, Zwingli Wesley and many others all believed in, wrote and preached about the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Please provide those passages of Scripture that state the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to other children or that the "brothers" and "sisters" of Jesus are called the "sons and daughters" of Mary. The linguistic literalists get tripped up again.
You know where it is.
If you think this is a, "Protestant," thing, go ask a protestant. I don't care what superstitions you want to hold. If it comforts you, more power to you.
Hank
The NIV has it as "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son." (Emphasis mine).
The King James Version has it as "And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:" (Again, emphasis mine).
There are other verses that can be cited as well, but the point is that if Mary had taken some sort of vow of virginity, then by allowing Joseph to marry her she would have been contemptuous of the holy covenant of marraige. Even the Catholic church does not allow a wife to take a vow of continence at her own pleasure. The Bible is also clearly against it, declaring that the marriage bed is God's will for married couples (Genesis 1:28; 2:21-24; I Corinthians 7:3-5) and that it is honorable in all (Hebrews 13:4).
Sorry, but the myth of Mary's perpetual virginity doesn't hold up to scripture.