Do you believe that the Immaculate Conception was the Virgin Birth?
550540
I find it intriguing that when this question is raised, so many still believe that the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception refers to the birth of Jesus.  Every single reference work I have ever read, including all dictionaries, all encyclopedias and the Catholic Encyclopedia defines the Immaculate Conception as the doctrine which teaches that Mary herself was immaculately conceived in her mother's womb so that Mary herself was born free of the original stain of sin. Every single reference work I have ever seen defines it this way - as referring to the conception of Mary - not the conception of Jesus.  I do not understand why many still feel it refers to the birth of Jesus.  While it is true that Jesus was born without sin, this particular doctrine has nothing to do with him.
520544
The Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic dogma that asserts that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was preserved by God from the stain of original sin at the time of her own conception.\n\n\nThe virginal conception of Jesus Christ, see Incarnation (Christianity) and Virgin Birth (Christian doctrine).
704217
I think it is a wonderful portrayal of life before birth. That he was called a babe, not a fetus.  That the word declares a feeling and an action and emotion in the unborn. Wish we did today. Be blessed in the Lord!
755066
1.  Mary was a virgin until Jesus was born, afterward their marriage was consummated.  \n2.  Yes it would have to, but don't hold your breath.\n3.  People are not in the Hell of Revelation, lost souls are in a place Jesus called Hades, the saved are in the presence of God.\n4.  He says he doesn't.
287872
Both Islam and Christianity agree that Mary conceived Jesus when she was a virgin. She was chaste (throughout her life) and after the conception and birth of Jesus she gave birth to more children, who were Jesus's brothers and sisters.\nSo naturally she is remembered for the her having conceiving Jesus without marrying or the agency of a man.\nThat in essence is what the Virgin conception is all about.
1110581
Yes, there is and yes, it was.  We have always had a choice.  Eve didn't HAVE  to eat the fruit.  She CHOSE to eat the fruit.  As a result, women suffer during childbirth.  You can either choose to believe in God, or you can choose not to.  See where I'm going with this?
140039
yes god was the creator of this earth from genesis to revelation from adam and eve to pual. Lord jesus is my savior!
111751
Deities/sons of deities believed to be products of virgin births:\nJesus Christ (Christian)\nLord Krishna (Hindu)\nLord Buddha (Buddhist)\nAhura Mazda (Zoroastrianism)\nQuetzalcoatl (Aztec/Mesoamerican)\nHorus-Re (also spelled Horus) (Ancient Egyptian)\n\nHope this is helpful!  :-)\n----\nIn regards to rian30's post,\n'One tradition states that Krishna was her (Devaki's) eighth child. Another states that it was a virgin birth: "In the context of myth and religion, the virgin birth is applied to any miraculous conception and birth. In this sense, whether the mother is technically a virgin is of secondary importance to the fact that she conceives and gives birth by some means other than the ordinary....the divine Vishnu himself descended into the womb of Devaki and was born as her son Krishna."'\nFrom:\nhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jckr1.htm\nSo I supoose there are two versions of Krishna's birth.
951847
After giving her consent, the Blessed Virgin Mary was miraculously made pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/luke/luke1.htm\n\nWith love in Christ.
1035051
I know it can be confusing. Mary was a virgin and an Angel came to her and told her that she was pregnant. Joseph and her were not married yet. After she had Jesus she and Joseph were wed and he was considered Jesus' father on earth. God the Father is his real Father. Hope that helps!
1093811
If you were Joseph, and Mary told you she was pregnant with the Son of God, would you have mixed emotions?\nOn one hand, you've been chosen to father the Son of God, but on the other, your woman is pregnant with anothers child, and you've never even had intercourse with her....\n\nPossibly an even better question:\nIf you were Joe, as i like to call him, would you feel weird to have sex with Mary while she was pregnant-or even after she gave birth to Jesus? \nThose are Holy fallopian tubes now.......
785922
It's about the male and the female line, although the male line as given by Matthew is supposed to be irrelevant, if you really believe in the virgin birth, isn't it?\nI always thought that was slightly weird.
660173
"2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. \n\nMy frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. " ( St. Charles Borromeo)<1> \n\nMy opinion is that it is murder.  I have a strange feeling that God created us at creation.  When God spoke to Abraham about his decendents being "Countless as the Stars"  is when God announced all life arrivals (the moment of conception).\n\nPlus, it seems that babies have imaginations.  When parents are in the 9 month waiting period, they do little stuff like play classical music and talk to the baby in the womb.  Many of the baby resurch does indicate that this can help the baby grow smarter and more social.  Now, baby research is indicating that a baby can be taught to 'Eat right' in the womb.  \n\nSadly, many abortions happen because the man, woman, or both do not take time to understand life.  It is all about their own 'Self-enjoyment'.  Many times, the woman wants the child, but is bullyed into an abortion when she realizes that the man does not love her the way she imagined him to love her.  This realization comes when he puts his fist through a wall, or starts cusing saying, "How dare you ruin my life" (again selfishness).  Even sadder is when a woman is rapped and has an abortion.  This fear drives her to an action she does not understand and typically the baby of a rape incident is the saving force for the woman many years down the line.\n\nIn short, my opinion of abortion is that it's killing the imagination of a fellow human being who is helpless and cannot protect themselves.  It is a waste!!!
596759
I was baptized Catholic and attended Catechism a few times but even at the age of 7 I didn't believe in "God". I believe the "higher Power" is within each of us and that we are all connected on a subconscious level. Now I worship nature.
1024849
Like AMDG said, there is no proof because the Catholic Church does not teach that.\n\nThe Catechism says this in paragraph #266\n\n "Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal"\n\nThe Catechism says this in paragraph #971:\n\nThe Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of ‘Mother of God,'  . . . \nThis very special devotion . . . differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit\n\n\nThe official teaching of the Catholic Church is clear:\n\n"We worship ONE God in the Trinity"\n\n"The DEVOTION given to the Virgin Mary DIFFERS ESSENTIALLY from the ADORATION  given" to God.\n\n\nSo beware all you people who falsely accuse the Catholic Church of teaching that the Virgin Mary is God or a God or a diety or that the Virgin Mary is to be worshipped like God.\n\nWhen you say these things, you are lying and you are breaking the commandment "Thou shall not bear false witness."\n\nNow you know. \n\nYou now have the choice to stop lying or to knowingly and willingly continue to spread lies.\n\nMay God's Grace come upon you and enlighten you.
369028
The Catholic church claims Mary is still a virgin.\n\nBut I think they're just trying to keep God from being charged with rape. No penetration, no rape.
45504
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.\n\nLuke 1:26-38