The story changes depending on which book of the new testament you read, but it essentially boils down to
Mary becomes pregnant out of nowhere and is somehow aware of it and that it was god who did it (but never agreed to it)
Mary is visited by an angel who tells her god will impregnate her very soon
Mary is visited by an angel who tells her god will impregnate her very soon, Mary is afraid but says yes
I’m going to be extremely charitable here and go with that last option, that’s still kinda messed up.
We already know that a power imbalance can make it seem like you have to accept their advances “or else” (think Harvey Weinstein or someone groomed by their priest or a family member).
The power imbalance here is between a teenage girl and the person she knows, from the Old Testament/Torah, to be an all-powerful, vengeful, genocidal, and sadistic deity. She doesn’t really have a choice but to go ahead with it. Does that sound like real consent to you?
The story changes depending on which book of the new testament you read, but it essentially boils down to
Mary becomes pregnant out of nowhere and is somehow aware of it and that it was god who did it (but never agreed to it)
Mary is visited by an angel who tells her god will impregnate her very soon
Mary is visited by an angel who tells her god will impregnate her very soon, Mary is afraid but says yes
I’m going to be extremely charitable here and go with that last option, that’s still kinda messed up.
We already know that a power imbalance can make it seem like you have to accept their advances “or else” (think Harvey Weinstein or someone groomed by their priest or a family member).
The power imbalance here is between a teenage girl and the person she knows, from the Old Testament/Torah, to be an all-powerful, vengeful, genocidal, and sadistic deity. She doesn’t really have a choice but to go ahead with it. Does that sound like real consent to you?
I think that’s a philosophical question I’m not equipped to answer, but thank you for the explanation.
This was way more informative and insightful than what other people were saying, lol.
I wonder if most people thought this about God at the time.