NZ billboard depicts Virgin Mary holding a pregnancy test

[easternabeille]

I think this is wonderful! Apparently a church in NZ purchased a billboard and has been putting up depictions of various religious figures, usually without any text, to "spark thought and conversation". Here are a couple links to the story:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/bi ... 12060.html

http://www.3news.co.nz/St-Matthews-unve ... fault.aspx

And here's the church's page about the billboards:

http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=498&id=999

[rachelsmith1989]

I personally find these billboards funny since they bring up the nitty-gritty, everyday things of sacred figures. I mean, how the hell else do you think Mary would have found out she was pregnant by any other method that her clothes didn't fit her anymore? Would it be less controversial if the test was one dating back to her time? Do we even have evidence of such tests?

Even more hilarious was the one with Joseph and Mary together in bed... :lol:

Who wouldn't imagine that following god's deed would be hard to match?

(I can see why that one would stir up controversy in the Catholic community, but what doesn't these days...?)

The overall point is that most people have thought about the scenarios in the billboards, but why do we remain too afraid of bringing the sacred into the real world where at least it can be relatable...?

[Terrie]

The overall point is that most people have thought about the scenarios in the billboards, but why do we remain too afraid of being the sacred into the real world where at least it can be relatable...?

Some of the most profound sermons I've heard have been on the idea that most of people in the bible were just... people. It makes you think about your own life in a way that stories about larger than life people never will.

[smittykins]

Back in my Catholic days, there was a *big* kerfluffle in the diocesan newspaper when someone dared to call Mary an unwed teenage mother. The Bible says she was *betrothed*! And in those days, that was the same as married! Eleventy-one!1!!

[Almost Quiverfull]

Not all Christians believe that Mary remained a virgin throughout her lifetime which seems to be the assumption in the billboard with Mary and Joseph lying in bed. Most protestants believe that after Jesus's birth Mary and Joseph had a normal married life and even had children.

[CanticleoftheTurning]

Not all Christians believe that Mary remained a virgin throughout her lifetime which seems to be the assumption in the billboard with Mary and Joseph lying in bed. Most protestants believe that after Jesus's birth Mary and Joseph had a normal married life and even had children.

I'm not sure about it being "most Protestants." All the denominations (granted, they were mainstream denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc) I've known believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. But I do know that the Mormons, for example, believed Mary had tons of kids after Jesus, but I don't really count them as Protestants proper--they're their own special religious group, IMO.

[Almost Quiverfull]

Almost Quiverfull"]Not all Christians believe that Mary remained a virgin throughout her lifetime which seems to be the assumption in the billboard with Mary and Joseph lying in bed. Most protestants believe that after Jesus's birth Mary and Joseph had a normal married life and even had children.

[llv]

I'm not sure about it being "most Protestants." All the denominations (granted, they were mainstream denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc) I've known believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. But I do know that the Mormons, for example, believed Mary had tons of kids after Jesus, but I don't really count them as Protestants proper--they're their own special religious group, IMO.

...but doesn't Jesus talk about his brother somewhere in the bible?

[BoomerLynn]

OMG that one with Mary and Joseph in bed is hilarious! :lol:

[ThisOlGirl]

...but doesn't Jesus talk about his brother somewhere in the bible?

That's what I thought. I believe his name was James?

[uber frau]

All the denominations (granted, they were mainstream denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc) I've known believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary.

I've never met a mainstream Anglican or any flavour of Presby or Reformed who did believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary. Actually, I didn't realise anyone outside Catholicism or the High Church confessed it. (But then, you learn something new everyday.)

This is another text that often gets used to reference: "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?" Matt 13:55 (NIV)

[Almost Quiverfull]

...but doesn't Jesus talk about his brother somewhere in the bible?

[snarkbillie]

I'm not sure about it being "most Protestants." All the denominations (granted, they were mainstream denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc) I've known believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. But I do know that the Mormons, for example, believed Mary had tons of kids after Jesus, but I don't really count them as Protestants proper--they're their own special religious group, IMO.

The New Testament talks about his brothers. My mainstream Christian protestant church believes he had brothers.

[Terrie]

I was raised a mix of Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational and I was never offically told anything one way or the other, but the assumption was that they went on to a be pretty ordinary family, with multiple kids. Part of the point was that these were ordinary people. That's what made the story so amazing.

[ilovetchotchkes]

My mom always maintained that they had other kids and sex after Jesus. And she's Catholic.

I think the billboard is AWESOME, just the look on her face....

[Aeryn406]

I love the billboards! It gives an idea of aproachability to normally untouchable religious figures.

It's a quirk of mine, but I like thinking that, at least sometimes, they were regular people, just like us. They went through the same irritations of life that we do - walk too much & get a blister that hurts, eat the wrong thing & get a stomach bug, miss a goal deadline & get frustrated at yourself. By the same token, let them have some of the same pleasures, too - have a great dinner and some laughs at home, enjoy seeing Mary or Joseph open a special gift for a holiday, hang out & hear family stories from past years, get totally sloshed & happy on Purim! (Purim is the drinking holiday, right?) It couldn't have been all *work-work-work-serious-preach-preach-preach*, all the time - that seems pretty dismal! (Sounds Maxwellian actually, now that I see it in print ... *shudder*)

[QAF_Rocks]

I could not possibly care less about religious figures, but I appreciate that the church in question has a sense of humor.

It just seems like the more liberal and progressive Christians are, the easier it is to co-exist. ;)

[Rachel333]

I've actually never heard of Protestants believing in Mary's perpetual virginity before. I was always taught that Jesus had siblings (though I know the interpretation of "brother" is debatable; Catholics think it means cousin, I believe, which could make sense).

[keeperrox]

I'm not sure about it being "most Protestants." All the denominations (granted, they were mainstream denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc) I've known believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. But I do know that the Mormons, for example, believed Mary had tons of kids after Jesus, but I don't really count them as Protestants proper--they're their own special religious group, IMO.

While I no longer know what I believe, I was never told that Mary remained a virgin after she married Joseph. It was never implied, either. In fact, I don't think her sexual status was every brought up in a context other than her being a virgin upon conception.

[Mommy22alyns]

My mom always maintained that they had other kids and sex after Jesus. And she's Catholic.

I think the billboard is AWESOME, just the look on her face....

I know, I wasn't too sure about it, but I burst out laughing when I saw it. Just imagine! :lol: