General Christian Discussions

The BBC's Virgin Mary – rowanseymour

rowanseymour

Member

Posts: 284
From: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Registered: 02-10-2001
Did anyone else make the mistake of watching the BBC's documentary on the Virgin Mary tonight?

It was painfully patronising in that it presumed that every Christian believes in the white and blue Mary we always see in paintings and Roman Catholic tradition, and then used this to rubbish everything else a Christian might believe.

Mary was always shown as someone who couldn't cope with the "terrible burden" placed on her, always in tears. Not the faithfull Mary that Luke tells us, replies to the message Gabriel brings her with: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said".

The Virgin Birth was rubbished as a later creation of the Gospel authors, and it was proposed that Mary could have been raped by a Roman soldier instead, or that Joseph got her pregnant.

Anytime the Gospel accounts showed a fufillment of OT Messiah prophecy, it was stated as probable that the Gospel author manufactured this to show Jesus was the messiah. For example: the birth in Bethelem, the escape to Egypt were all ridiculed for being a bit to close to OT prophecy.

The visits from the Shepherds and the Magi were also dismissed as fiction, on the basis that they were a bit too convenient at making the point that Jesus had come to the rich and the poor.

They depicted Mary and Jesus arguing - supposing that Mary would not have been happy at all with Jesus choice of career. They suggested it was unlikely that Mary went to Jesus' crucifixion.

The program makers are claiming they were just trying to show a more realistic, a more "human" Mary based on new "scientific evidence". They didn't though ever mention what this evidence was. As far as I can see they just wanted to create a Mary they were more comfortable with, a Mary without those features they don't like such as faithfullness and righteousness.

...

It makes me very sad because Mary's story is amazing, and her faithfullness is an inspiration for us all.

Mary's Song (Luke 1:46-55)

 
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

------------------
Rowan / GODCENTRIC Christian Demoscene

Christian
Member

Posts: 400
From: Australia
Registered: 09-15-2002
Scientific evidence ? LOL !! That's great. I guess they have eyewitness accounts and newly found video footage.

A survey a few years ago found that most Anglican priests ( or whatever they call themselves ) do not believe in the virgin birth or the resurrection. So this sort of thing is little wonder, and IMO a by product of Xmas. Everyone is thinking about Jesus at least a little right now, and so the people who would tear down the Bible get their say, and their time on the TV.

Curry
Member

Posts: 134
From: USA
Registered: 11-21-2002
Didn't see it but thanks for telling us. I'm not surprised by anything I see on TV--unless it's good, and then I'm shocked.

What really gets me is how unashamed so many people are to knowingly distort, mislead, and flat-out lie. It's the same with so many issues. It's almost like they are afraid that if they told it like it is, people wouldn't come to the conclusion they want them to--now I wonder why is that?

The problem is, if anything is from a "reputable" source, and pronounced firmly as fact in a confident voice, people will believe it. They often bluff successfully and say that the other side in the debate is based only on mindless faith or bias or whatever (according to the issue) and not on facts, and if they present it well enough, people will be discouraged from looking and accept what they are told.

In an educational setting, the instructor can throw a great deal of resources like this at students and make more available, but not offer any quality resources on the other side, it can seem like the stacked resources are the sum total of the reality on the subject, and you can see them struggle a bit and then lose part of their original faith, or whatever belief is in question about the issue. A person watching TV with stacked content can get the same feeling of hopelessness in the face of the overwhelming "evidence"--even if said evidence is not legit.

Something has to be done to improve the media, education, and the effects of some of the more influential activist organizations.

Curry