Did Jesus bang Mary M.?

[Tinkerbell]

I'm inclined to say yes, but the opinion isn't strong enough for me to not question it in reading this.

[Pablo Sanchez]

Ah Yes, More of the great "Catholic conspiracy!!"" nonsense as spouted by one Dan Brown. Putting shitty writers who can't write for crap aside, There is no textual evidence in The bible or Canon or anywhere else that says that they had anything more that close relationship as a student would have to a teacher or a brother to a sister. Zero-zilch.

I wouldn't know what Dan Brown thinks, I never read his book and likely never will. However, I doubt that the Catholics had anything to do with that, as current Catholicism has about as much connection to the early church as a Ford Explorer to a steam-driven train. I certainly wouldn't put the removal of a key character from the bible past Saint Paul, who had some "interesting" ideas about women. I wonder how well Mary Magdalene, the only woman known to have consistently followed Jesus in the same manner as the 12 apostles, and the person to whom the Savior announced his resurrection, would have fit into Paul's conception of a Christian church in which women should never speak.

I admit that there is no tangible evidence for a deeper relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. However, since the entire argument centers around texts of highly questionable veracity detailing the acts of a figure (Jesus) whose existence is itself very much in doubt, I don't find it particularly objectionable on the intellectual level to entertain hypotheticals like "did Jesus have sex with Mary Magdalene?"

Before you go yelling at me regarding the Supposed Gnostic "gospels". Let me remind you what Gnosticism is. Gnostcism is a relion that has it's roots in mid-eastern mystery cults and several forms of Judaism. Gnostics believe that the world was created by an evil god and everything created henceforth from that time is Evil. This includes material and intrinsic possessions, the rocks, trees, animals, so forth. Gnostics also believe that there is a second God that is good. The only way to reach him is not through prayer but through philosphical enlightenment by rejecting all worldly things including sex its self. That's very much an anathema to what has been written in Biblical Judaism and Christianity.

Their doctrinal disagreements with traditional Judeo-Christian tradition have what bearing on their factual accuracy, exactly?

Infact most Gnostic writings don't even show up until the 3rd or 4th Century's AD, and thus can not be taken down as anything serious.

The gospels themselves can't be reliably established as existing before the mid-2nd century, so take care what you tar with that brush.

[Agent Fisher]

A) Being 30 and not married was so abnormal it would have been mentioned somewhere.

That would have been a sign of poverty. This was not a society where you married for love, you got a wife by being able to support her and sometimes buying off her father. If Jesus was sufficiently poor it would not have been atypical.

he joined the roman army as a carpenter auxilery at age 14, and wasn't heard again for another ten years. Theoretically he should have had quite a bit of money, given that he had a monthly wage when other carpenters didn't

What the hell? Where did you hear this?

[The Yosemite Bear]

actually that's supposition of questionaable content.

namely it's exposed as truth by Indian Christians (that Jesus traveled to India as a paid labourer working under the roman army (not as a legionaire), which explains the simularity between some of the eastern philosphy and christ's teachings not generally present in Jewish tradition. It's also repeated by some orthodox scholars that are generally disliked by Prodastant and Catholic sources.

[thejester]

namely it's exposed as truth by Indian Christians (that Jesus traveled to India as a paid labourer working under the roman army (not as a legionaire), which explains the simularity between some of the eastern philosphy and christ's teachings not generally present in Jewish tradition

When did the Roman Army go to India?

[The Yosemite Bear]

I don't know about the military but the romans did have a lot of trade with india.

[tharkûn]

he joined the roman army as a carpenter auxilery at age 14, and wasn't heard again for another ten years. Theoretically he should have had quite a bit of money, given that he had a monthly wage when other carpenters didn't

Never heard that one before? Source.

No having a bible on me, do check whether Lazarus' wife had this poor treatment. Oh, and what was Joseph's wife's name?

Lazerus has no mentioned wife. Joseph's wife was known as "Mary, Mother of Jesus". Joseph of old testement fame married Aseneth, though she was Egyptian in a society with far more women's rights than 1st century Judea (she is named once and is denoted as "daughter of Putiphare"). Finding a women of note who had a famous husband is quite rare. It was ridiciously common in antiquitious literature (Christian, Jewish, or otherwise) to introduce a person in the manner of Mary, wife of Jesus. Or Mary daughter of. Mary Magdalene never has such an introduction and it seems quite unlikely that the wife of the Messiah (in Christian tradition) would never have been introduced in such a manner.

[Rogue 9]

It's a strong possibility. The Gospel of Thomas (or what remains of it) hints at it, and Mary Magdalene was certainly highly involved in Christ's story, particularly at his death. She went to the tomb before even his devoted followers? That would be an odd level of devotion from someone who was less important than the disciples.

[EmperorSolo51]

It's a strong possibility. The Gospel of Thomas (or what remains of it) hints at it, and Mary Magdalene was certainly highly involved in Christ's story, particularly at his death. She went to the tomb before even his devoted followers? That would be an odd level of devotion from someone who was less important than the disciples.

As has been mentioned before, I don't think we should take Gnostic "gospels" at face value due to the fact they were out in left field in regards to thier relationship with the Other Christian denominations such as the Arians or the Copts, or the Proto-Catholics. In fact, I think that other Apochryphal works that are outside mainstream Canon should be regarded as Biblical Fanfiction.

[EmperorSolo51]

Their doctrinal disagreements with traditional Judeo-Christian tradition have what bearing on their factual accuracy, exactly?

I'm trying to make the case at alot of thier writings don't really jive with the events in the Gospels as we Know them in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those writings themselves actually contradict several passages in the Bible where Jesus does say that salvation comes through faith and works.

[tharkûn]

It's a strong possibility. The Gospel of Thomas (or what remains of it) hints at it, and Mary Magdalene was certainly highly involved in Christ's story, particularly at his death. She went to the tomb before even his devoted followers? That would be an odd level of devotion from someone who was less important than the disciples.

If Jesus married Mary Magdalene, why exactly, would no surviving text Catholic or Gnostic come out and say they were married?

As far as why she went to the tomb first, she was going to complete the requisite Jewish burial customs while the disciples were hiding in fear of their lives. There are an awful lot of horsetracks around here, but I see nothing to suspect zerbas.

[Lord Pounder]

jesus was obviously a closet case and Mary M was his fag hag.