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	<title>Comments on: Pope Benedict&#8217;s third book on Jesus reaffirms doctrine of his virgin birth</title>
	<atom:link href="http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/11/20/pope-benedicts-third-book-on-jesus-reaffirms-doctrine-of-his-virgin-birth/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/11/20/pope-benedicts-third-book-on-jesus-reaffirms-doctrine-of-his-virgin-birth/</link>
	<description>Religion, faith and ethics</description>
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		<title>By: Anonymous</title>
		<link>http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/11/20/pope-benedicts-third-book-on-jesus-reaffirms-doctrine-of-his-virgin-birth/comment-page-1/#comment-71990</link>
		<dc:creator>Anonymous</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:37:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/?p=26910#comment-71990</guid>
		<description>Virgin birth – Myth or Historical Truth?

This question falls over from the start if the virgin birth story doesn’t appear in the New Testament. And it doesn’t.

With the missionary activities of Paul and others, the passing of the original followers of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem, the NT soon fell into the hands of the Greeks and Latins.

They interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures through the prism of their own culture, and gave meanings to words and phrases never intended by the NT authors.

For example the Holy Spirit coming “upon” Mary is read as a virginal conception. However there are dozens of instances in the Bible where the Holy Spirit came “upon” individuals, usually men, but only in Mary’s case is it read as God impregnating someone.

Also a ridiculous interpretation was given to Mary’s question to the angel, &quot;How can this be, since I do not know a man?&quot; It interprets these words as Mary saying that she does not know how she could get pregnant in the future because currently she is a virgin!

I could go on, but to cut a long story short, the NT says nothing about a virgin birth. What it does say is that Joseph was not Jesus’ father. Luke 3:23, when properly translated, names Heli as the father of Jesus.

The few passages about the birth of Jesus in the NT are analysed on -  http://www.wallsofjericho.info/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=14&amp;Itemid=26</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Virgin birth – Myth or Historical Truth?</p>
<p>This question falls over from the start if the virgin birth story doesn’t appear in the New Testament. And it doesn’t.</p>
<p>With the missionary activities of Paul and others, the passing of the original followers of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem, the NT soon fell into the hands of the Greeks and Latins.</p>
<p>They interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures through the prism of their own culture, and gave meanings to words and phrases never intended by the NT authors.</p>
<p>For example the Holy Spirit coming “upon” Mary is read as a virginal conception. However there are dozens of instances in the Bible where the Holy Spirit came “upon” individuals, usually men, but only in Mary’s case is it read as God impregnating someone.</p>
<p>Also a ridiculous interpretation was given to Mary’s question to the angel, &#8220;How can this be, since I do not know a man?&#8221; It interprets these words as Mary saying that she does not know how she could get pregnant in the future because currently she is a virgin!</p>
<p>I could go on, but to cut a long story short, the NT says nothing about a virgin birth. What it does say is that Joseph was not Jesus’ father. Luke 3:23, when properly translated, names Heli as the father of Jesus.</p>
<p>The few passages about the birth of Jesus in the NT are analysed on &#8211;  <a href='http://www.wallsofjericho.info/index.php?option=com_content&#038;task=view&#038;id=14&#038;Itemid=26'>http://www.wallsofjericho.info/index.php &nbsp;?option=com_content&#038;task=view&#038;id=14&#038;Ite mid=26</a></p>
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