Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00404)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Ali Hassan" <ananda_hotai@h...> 
wrote:
> No, it means the church metaphorically usurps Mary's position.

???

> If you can appreciate the allegorical nature of Jesus curing the 
blind, 
> perhaps also you can appreciate that the many references Jesus made 
to 
> bridegroom, brides, bridal chambers were not about carnal marriage 
> relations. [Seinfeld sotto voce: not that there's anything wrong 
with those]
> Mary as bride of Christ was symbolic of the lost or prodigal soul 
having 
> returned. In that light, the common notion of her being the 
reformed 
> prostitute enhances her status, imo....even if she wasn't.

If she was not a prostitute, saying she was means you are departing 
from the ancient understanfing. It also seems to me to insult her 
memory unnecessarily. Anyway, where ydo you get the stuff you are 
saying>

> > > 61. The Lord said: Blest be he who was before he came
> > > into being. (=Th 19!) For he who is, both was and
> > > shall be. (Rev/Ap 1:8
> >
> >This is a reference to the pre-existence of the soul, which is
> >implied in numerous places in the OT. Origen says ancient scholars
> >were divided on this and that some insisted the OT taught
> >traducianism.
> 
> Not really, since what you write is an over-simplification. This 
refers more 
> to his statement, "before Moses was, I am." It is more an assertion 
of the 
> Christ/Buddha Universal mind, untrammelled by time and space.

I stand mbty mt oeiginal statement since there is no reason to 
believe Buddha is meant by this beatitude or Christ either. The 
ancients did discuss the idea of pre-existence, though.

> > > A mother that kiss her child on the lips means that
> > > she has an erotic relationship with the child?
> >
> >Kissing kids on the mouth is a strange thing to do. Are you
> >referring to LeTourneau?
> 
> I assume you have children to make another such presumptous remark? 
The 
> 'sin' or 'strange' is in your mind.

I have never seena nyone kiss kids mouth to mouth, but only on the 
cheek or forehead. Anyway, two adults kissing each other on the 
mouth in ancient times indicated thereby the existence of mutual 
erotic interest. A fraternal kiss in the first century was 
administered on the neck.