Catholics and the Perpetual Virginity of Mary

 

I came across the above video in which Trent Horn, a Catholic apologist from the Catholic Answers, is discussing and defending the Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, against arguments to the contrary—in this case by James White. I am no fan of Protestantism. I have a lot more respect for Catholicism than for Protestantism. So my aim here is not to defend Protestantism against Catholicism. But the Catholic dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary is evidently unbiblical and incorrect, and needs to be refuted. The best way to refute it, however, is to start at something more fundamental than that. The Catholic dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary has a more foundational theological basis—and that is the basic Catholic idea that virginity and abstinence from sex is somehow morally superior to having legitimate sexual relationships within the bonds of lawful marriage. That is the justification for enforced priestly celibacy in the Catholic Church; and having monasteries filled with celibate monks and nuns! That is the real foundation for the Catholic dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary. She would be viewed as somehow less pure and holy if she had legitimate sexual relations with her lawful and legally married husband. That is the real, more foundational issue with Catholic theology and doctrine.

That doctrine, however, is undoubtedly unbiblical and incorrect. The first thing that God said after he had created Adam was, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The Catholic Church says the opposite: it says, “It is good for man to be alone!” When God says one thing, and the Catholic Church says the opposite, it is a no-brainer which one is right and which one is wrong. And what it says in that scripture about “man” is equally applicable to “woman”. It is not “good” for either of them to be “alone”. So that is one obvious contradiction, but there is more:

The first great commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve after they were created was to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28). He did not qualify that statement by adding, “But if you remain celibate, you will be more holy!” That again is in direct contradiction to the Catholic dogma and doctrine. In Catholicism, being celibate is more holy! Again, when God says one thing, and the Catholic Church says the opposite, it is a no-brainer which is the right one. Examples abound, one more example will be sufficient:

The greatest blessing that God gave to Abraham (and his descendants) was that he would multiply his seed as the “stars of heaven” for multitude, and as the “sand which is upon the sea shore;” and that through him and his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:15-19; see also Genesis 24:59-61; 28:13-14). God didn’t qualify that statement by adding, “But if you remain celibate, you will be more holy!” The Catholic Church says the exact opposite, and therefore it cannot be of God.

That is the real source and origin of the Catholic dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary. She would be seen somehow as less pure and holy if she had continued to have sexual relations with her legally and lawfully wedded husband, after she had given birth to Jesus—which contradicts everything that the Bible has said. So the best way to refute that false dogma of Catholicism is to start at a more fundamental level, than just by quoting the obvious biblical verses (Matthew 1:24–25; Mark 6:3; John 2:12; 7:5-10) that do indeed contradict that doctrine, as James has pointed out.