What is your Religion/Affiliation/Religious Affiliation/Etc.

[PIBby]

Mute.

[Will]

Dang.. reading a bit more. Whohee! I'm affiliated with the Templars. Never knew they did all the tweaky stuff that this novel alleges. Gospels in the scrolls at Qumran? LOL.

I still believe in my theory. However, that book will only serve to discredit it.

[PIBby]

I am so stupid.

I have no clue about anything you just said.

*smiles and pretends she didn't say that and that she knows what's going on*

[Grakthis]

Ok, here is a question that if anyone here knows the answer to, I'll be seriously impressed.

Why is it that the Catholic church has branded Mary Magdalene a prostitute even though nothing in scripture supports that?

Because the bible is not always clear on WHICH Mary it is refering to.  The only way your notions of Mary Magdalene are accurate is if we assume that there were three or four different mary's throughout the bible instead of just assuming there were two.

For example, John's Gospel mentions a "Mary" washing jesus feet with oils in the week or so before his death (The famous Judas speech about wasting money on Jesus that could have been given to the poor), and in a VERY similar account Luke (7:37) describes a VERY similar sceene and refers to the woman as a 'sinner'.  Also, it has been suggested that no unmarried woman outside of a prostitute would be able to purchase expensive oils such as those.

Some say this was not Mary Magdelene but Martha's sister, and there is good evidence that they were 2 seperate people.  But I am still showing the reference here to show what others would argue that the two are the same Mary.

In luke 8:2 there is talk of evil spirits leaving Mary's body (clearly a sign of former sins) and there are several references that I cannot find now of religious leaders objecting to Jesus associating with women like her.

I also read an account that mentions that "Magdelene", according to tradition, likely refered to the way she wore her hair (curled).  And that it refered to a style that the Talmud refers to as being a sign of a prostitute.

I think what is important is that Mary WAS a sinner before Jesus came.  This much is made VERY clear.  And that Jesus freed her from her sins and she became a follower of Jesus.  What the exact nature of her sins WERE isn't particularly important.

Now there IS excellent record of the things Mary did AFTER Jesus' death.  I don't even think the old school Catholics deny this.  Mary WAS a missionary and WAS one of Jesus' closest followers as is evident by her involvement during and shortly after his death.

[PIBby]

. . . moved to France!

(one of my favourite theories)

And, quite off the subject here, Andrew, but, since it's pretty close to being directly across the street of your high school . . . You may not have even said it, I don't know. But . . . How do you pronounce Thruston? (If you've had to make a reference to it.)

[Grakthis]

. . . moved to France!

(one of my favourite theories)

And, quite off the subject here, Andrew, but, since it's pretty close to being directly across the street of your high school . . . You may not have even said it, I don't know. But . . . How do you pronounce Thruston? (If you've had to make a reference to it.)

Indeed.

And WTF is Thruston?  It's across from St X?

[PIBby]

Okay, you don't know - And THIS ruins my day. You never look at street signs? I'm sure you've driven down it before; it's that street (forgot to mention that :oops:), right next to George Rogers'. But you don't know what it is, so it doesn't matter.

[Grakthis]

Okay, you don't know - And THIS ruins my day. You never look at street signs? I'm sure you've driven down it before; it's that street (forgot to mention that :oops:), right next to George Rogers'. But you don't know what it is, so it doesn't matter.

Nope. I know the street you are talking about.... but I never bothered to read the sign.  I used to park back there!

[PIBby]

Look at that! lol If it ever DOES come up in conversation (? because it always does ), you need to make SURE you say "THRR-stin," rather than the latter day "THRUH-stin."

That's all.

[Will]

Some say this was not Mary Magdelene but Martha's sister, and there is good evidence that they were 2 seperate people.  But I am still showing the reference here to show what others would argue that the two are the same Mary.

Fair enough. I do believe that this Mary was the sister of Martha.

I also read an account that mentions that "Magdelene", according to tradition, likely refered to the way she wore her hair (curled).  And that it refered to a style that the Talmud refers to as being a sign of a prostitute.

Then the account you read was wrong. Mary Magdalene means "Mary of Magdala," which is a small town on Lake Tiberius.

Now there IS excellent record of the things Mary did AFTER Jesus' death.  I don't even think the old school Catholics deny this.  Mary WAS a missionary and WAS one of Jesus' closest followers as is evident by her involvement during and shortly after his death.

All the detailed records I have seen of Mary's ministry are extrabiblical.

[Grakthis]

Fair enough. I do believe that this Mary was the sister of Martha.

Right.  It was.  But there are a lot of accounts that argue that these two are the same person.  In other words, Martha's sister Mary WAS Mary Magdelene.  From a personality and logical story flow, this makes sense.  You assume the two are the same person it doesn't create any logical flaws.  But I don't believe there is anything beyond circumstantial and faith evidence frot his.

Then the account you read was wrong. Mary Magdalene means "Mary of Magdala," which is a small town on Lake Tiberius.

I have no opinion on this, other than to say that there are a number of names like that in the bible that we always assumed were mentions of PLACES that there is no historical record of having ever existed.  So do you KNOW that Magdala was a place?

All the detailed records I have seen of Mary's ministry are extrabiblical.

Right.  The Catholic church accepts other sources than the Bible when it comes to historical records.  All I know is that my Catholic priests growing up always taught that Mary continued to be active in the Church with the apostles after the death of Jesus.  I don't know the details of their source for this, be it word of mouth tradition or specific documents.

[carterrocks]

Atheist.

[KeyboardGuy90]

I'm Roman Catholic and proud of it!

[MyMelody]

Atheist. I could go on off on a huge rant about my Catholic childhood and whackjob Sunday School teachers and classmates, but I don't want to stir up any drama.

[Jessica]

i'm still figuring it out.

so far i'm a :