The Crowned Salus Populi RomaniPosted on 10/02/2014 3:27:27 PM PDT by matthewrobertolson
With the Virgin Birth, you actually have more evidence that it is true rather than untrue.
We have great historical testimony to it, and there is no proof that it did not happen -- obviously. But there is more.
How can it be proven by science? Well, I suppose this depends on your definition of "science". If you refer to that of the exact (quantitative), of course, it could be difficult. But theology, "the highest form of philosophy", does have an answer. And, just as you trust astronomers to tell you about many things beyond earth, you should trust the Church to tell you about God.
Before I can get into that, you must consider something: how did you come into being, and why do you exist? You cannot know much else aside from that you were ordained for some purpose. If you were not around, things would be different, the environment would be changed -- perhaps, this would not just cause some sort of "gap", but it would be destructive, even. You are necessary, to us and to the "Something" (God) from which you spring.
Let us say that the Virgin Birth, too, was necessary for things to properly function. It was ordained from the beginning, as God knew that He would come to reach out to the lost tribes of the house of Israel (Gentiles). The Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection were necessary for God's "re"-marriage, this time to the Church, His Bride. (This connects to the Church's teachings on the indissolubility of marriage.) The destroyed Temple and Jewish sacrificial method had to be replaced with a new, universal and eternal system. "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins" (Mark 2:22). If something is truly necessary to proper existence, it comes into being.
Why has this Birth not been replicated, though? It was only needed once, just like you are only needed once. Likewise, there has to be a mystery to it, as there is mystery to you. Uniqueness and mystery pervade.
But St. Thomas Aquinas pointed out, also, "According to the Philosopher [Aristotle] (De Gener. Animal. i, ii, iv), in conception the seed of the male is not by way of matter, but by way of agent: and the female alone supplies the matter. Wherefore though the seed of the male was lacking in Christ's conception, it does not follow that due matter was lacking." (Summa Theologiae, TP, Q. 28, A. 1, R. to Ob. 5)
That point is key. Mitochondrial DNA, for example, come exclusively from the mother, and there is also talk of "female sperm". "Female sperm" could, theoretically, develop within a woman, given the right impetus. (Of course, the impetus for normal procreation is male sperm.) The point is, the material necessary for life sufficiently exists within women -- that is evidenced by the fact that the X-chromosome contains far more genetic material than the Y-chromosome. All the material needs is the masculine influence to trigger it, to give it form and shape. Even without the Y-chromosome from a man, one could still be a "XX male", at least. And it is clear that the distinctions and origins of the Y-chromosome are a mystery, anyway [1, 2]. In Mary's exceptional case, this trigger was the Holy Spirit, which poured out abundantly on her and directed her body on what to do (Luke 1:30-35). "...[T]he Divine power, which is infinite, can transmute all matter to any form whatsoever" (Aquinas). This mutation can be rationally explained -- "random mutations" occur frequently.
Is it not ironic that we have confirmed this by reckless science, which has sought to artificially create "test-tube babies" [1, 2] and introduce "transgenderism"? God has drawn straight with our crooked lines, yet again.
Christ's body was not tangled to any imperfect man. This connects to scientific proof of Mary's perfection, too. It has been shown that groups of cells from infants transfer to mothers' brains [1, 2], after traveling through the placenta. Because of this, the Blessed Mother must have been perfect, for she literally had, in purity, the mind of Christ.
Why else must the Theotokos be a virgin? St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, "For it behooved that our Head, on account of a notable miracle, should be born after the flesh of a virgin, that He might thereby signify that His members would be born after the Spirit, of the Church a virgin..." (Of Holy Virginity)
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The Crowned Salus Populi Romani
How can science prove a miracle? A miracle is by definition is something that defies science. When Jesus fed the 5000 if it was just people sharing what they have hid, that would be a scientific explanation and not a miracle. If Jesus “miraculously” multiplied the bread and fish that is a miracle and would be rebutted by science.
Science at it’s best man trying to understand God’s creation. Miracles are when God intervenes in His natural order to preform his will.
Neatly:
1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.
1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do].
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Tts 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Took the words right out of my mouth. Lest we forget, this is the same author who think Protestants are like violent radical Muslims.
No, what is your answer..?. These passages say nothing about the two differing accounts in Genises about the creation of Adam’s wife.
And why is is so important to some that she be declared without original sin. God did what He did to save His children from Hell. He made David pure and sn free before David's death despite some of the things David did - no question that He may have done similar to Mary, but what is the fuss about? No matter her condition, Mary gave birth to the Savior and we were given ready access to His Grace.
He resided in a sin full world didn't He?
Do you have scripture for that?
And, just as you trust astronomers to tell you about many things beyond earth, you should trust the Church to tell you about God
Ya right...Philosophers are humanist guessers...Your Church is full of humanist guessers...
Why should anyone go to a religion where they guess about God when we can go right to the words of the Source and get the true facts???
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
I just love to see examples of random word generators. It's so entertaining to read something that is supposed to sound intelligent but really says nothing at all.
He spent 33 years on earth.
So in a word.
Yes.
Why not?
Why don't you believe that He was tempted in every way just as we are and yet was without sin?
Yep. You are right. The rest of the text does say virgin as in “no sex”. I stand corrected.
Yes.
Proof is in the fact that He lived a life here on Earth.
Why???
(John 18:33-38)
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”(John 14:6-7)
Jesus answered,I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.
They address silly tales
, by implication then Lilith is silly.
Moreover, to assert there are two accounts is to ignore the ancient style of story-telling (and indeed, it can be found in modern media as well) which would provide different details depending on the focus and place the current-story in the timeline appropriately. (e.g. in the story of Hercules's tasks, it is usually preceded by a tale of Hera causing him to go insane; the story of Hercules going insane and killing his family could be, itself, fully told w/ more details w/o being "two stories".)
2 Samuel 12:13New International Version (NIV)
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
This is the first reference - there are more, even into the New Testament.
The rest of the text does say virgin as in “no sex”.
Is it any wonder that many Protestants think Catholics are just a bit off track.
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