#virgin birth

[apenitentialprayer]

Have been thinking about the virgin birth since yesterday, and to just reiterate: This is what I'm willing to stake my salvation on.

That Mary conceived Jesus without the aid of a man.

That Jesus, conceived with the help of the Holy Spirit, is Mary's true biological Son, His sacred Humanity taken from and formed by her own humanity.

That Mary was never in danger of dying during childbirth.

That Jesus is Mary's only biological offspring.

This is what I feel certain of. I am unsure of anything else, but submit to the judgement of the Church.

[dayacakrawala]

Όπτιμους ἀνέστη! Happy Easter. I will burn in hell.

TFP Optimus gives a messy egg-birth. Ratchet is here too.

Flying into the Well of All Sparks, Optimus was ready to sacrifice himself, or at least what he's grown used to think of as himself, his frail, mortal form of metal and wires. He was prepared to merge with Primus. Apparently, Primus had other plans.

It started with warm airflow embracing him near the end of the Well, permeating his armor like it was paper thin, overwhelming him, igniting and soothing at the same time, and finally carrying him lightly back to the surface. It continued with his friends' confused happiness. And this new fuzzy feeling, and Ratchet's concern, and a discovery. Oh, the discovery. Optimus Prime not only came back alive. He came back full of eggs.

Living, precious sparks, nested in their vacuoles and soft, translucent shells, were growing inside his gestation tank. The organ designed to incubate one to several eggs has expanded to embrace the holy gift. Ratchet tried to count them but failed. There were just a lot, mostly blue, but some green, pink, and yellow.

Ratchet's medical fascination mixed with religious awe. The more he observed and studied the unique case of his Prime, the deeper it got, even though he had to face things that had to be left out of the equation for others. Medical confidentiality was a thing when it came to Optimus' increasing sexual appetite, to him constantly being on the verge of arousal due to being stuffed in a quite pleasurable way, to his gestation tank pressing on his waste reservoir and making the messiah of Primus visit the waste receiver twice a day. Optimus' increased energon consumption was less of a sensitive issue, yet he was still uncomfortable drinking this much openly, so Ratchet had to watch him fuel in private to control his ration.

So much stayed behind the closed doors of the medbay during Optimus' daily scheduled check-ups. So many little… inconveniences.

When Ratched had Optimus in the examination chair once again, everything seemed noticeably more intense. Optimus seemed more nervous and tired, and he told Ratchet about feeling so full that he was afraid to move. Even his waist plating looked slightly pushed from the inside. He lubricated copiously, letting out oily pink droplets, and the valve visibly throbbed so hard Ratchet called for all his medical professionalism not to growl in frustration and want. He was lying to himself about it being just fascination and awe. Fascination and awe never leave you with your spike in hand after your friend's and leader's daily check-up, moaning and thinking about his heavily pregnant tank.

Ratchet prepared the endoscope, and Optimus tensed. "It's going in," Ratchet informed him, trying to sound calm.

When the head of the endoscope touched the eagerly unfurling petals of Optimus' valve, there was a sound of a small piece of armor retracting. Ratchet tried not to stare at the spike pressurizing, instead focusing on Optimus' frantic apologies. It's alright. They'd been there. No need to feel ashamed. But holy Primus, fuck, how big this spike was, and how big the valve below was, and how smoothly it took the endoscope.

"Ratchet, please, stop." He complied immediately, detecting almost pleading undertones in the strained low voice. Optimus growled, and his hips jerked uncontrollably, grinding on the probing device. "I'm sorry, but I feel like my waste tank may give. The sparks are pressing on it."

"Then we should empty it before it's damaged," Ratchet told him, the phrasing felt odd and ridiculous but was aimed to comfort Optimus, highlighting him being aided and taken care of. The endoscope slid slowly in and out, stimulating the nodes where the tube connecting the waste tank with a small nozzle next to the valve lay close to the inner interface equipment, intertwined with its tubing and energon lines.

Optimus shuddered, and moaned, and started pouring the floor before the examination chair with periwinkle blue fluid. It arched between his legs, soiling Ratchet's hand still holding the endoscope. It wasn't the first time a patient voided the doctor, damn, they've been through the war quite horror-rich, but it was the first time Ratchet didn't really mind.

"I need a sample anyway," he said, grabbing a test tube from a tray and catching the stream with it. It did little to dispel Optimus' embarrassment, but at least it was true and gave Ratchet his pitiful excuse to watch closely his Prime peeing with, with the endoscope inside, open, ready to lay his blessed eggs.

Oh yes, he was ready. As soon as he stopped emptying himself and Ratchet took his hand away to clean it alongside the tool, his body spasmed like it was welcoming a long-denied overload. "Ratchet, I feel my destination almost…" He groaned, not from pain. "They are coming, I cannot hold them anymore."

"No, damn, Optimus, w-wait a minute!"

Ratchet rushed to the shelf, where awaited the basket, voluminous enough to accommodate a prime clutch and padded with soft material. Two seconds later, he found Optimus mindlessly stroking his spike, trying to distract himself and relieve the tension at the same time. His plating noisily rattled against the chair, his broken whimpers made Ratchet's mind dizzifyingly spin and Ratchet's panels open, but Ratchet was left with little time to care. He saw Optimus' valve squirting a jet of lubricant, his whole body contracting, and a first butch of divine eggs falling wetly into the basket.

They were magnificent. Glowing, warm, colorful, fertilized by Primus, and coming from Optimus' overloading valve. Ratchet didn't hear his own praises and prayers, only Optimus' powerful engine roaring, his cooling fans whirring, his shaky in-vents, and beautiful strangled grunts escaping his voice box.

With his own spark pulsing and his spike throbbing, Ratchet held the basket with one hand, using the other to touch the seam between Optimus' thigh and hip plating to draw attention to himself. "You alright, Optimus? Any pain now?"

"I am fine, my friend. How are… they?"

"Perfect, you… You are doing wonderful," Ratchet reassured, the container in his hand was getting heavier and heavier. Optimus' hand never left his own spike, and Ratchet surrendered too. Powerless before the spectacle of life and pleasure and how badly it aroused him, he placed the basket on the floor, right in the puddle, and quickly stroked himself until the blinding overload made him moan and grab Optimus' leg.

It took a couple minutes more and two more small overloads for Optimus to tense in a final one, his spike spilling intensely, his frame using every output to dump the charge. He was crying.

The basket was full, the eggs piled in it, glowing. Each spark was visible inside, each had its own unique song. Ratchet and Optimus, both calming down, could already sense their energy and life.

A gift, a treasure. The future.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

==

Exactly as mythological and anti-science as "a virgin can get pregnant."

This is a female-lead ideology.

[rubiks-to-the-third-power]

Totally Original Thought:

Kinda hilarious that Easter landed on Trans Day of Visibility this year. Here's your regular reminder that if Jesus truly had a virgin birth, then he is almost certainly a trans man, personal identification notwithstanding.

And yes, I said "is" and not "was" because he was likely a powerful wizard (miracles) who, allegedly, turned himself into a truly immortal lich by making his phylactery "anyone who believes in me". Truly some fae-level rules lawyering. They do say he resides in anyone who believes in him, or rather, a piece of his soul does.

I for one, welcome our trans lich savior, whenever he shows back up 🏳️‍⚧️💀🧙‍♂️✝️

[revretch]

I think people get confused about parthenogenesis. It's not self-fertilization by hermaphrodites/monoecious individuals--it's a female making diploid eggs, so they don't need to be fertilized to begin with! Literally, virgin birth. As a result, some species (like whiptail lizards, bdelloid rotifers, some mantises etc. etc.) can be all female!

[hale-nathan]

Trump Weird News - F#ck Project 2025

[booradleyboo]

My latest creation:

Blessed Virgin Crocodile

Based on this story:

[gramarobin]

👀

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Unto Us a Child is Born

1 But there is no gloom upon her who is distressed, as when at first He humbled the land of Zeḇulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Yardĕn, in Galil of the nations.

2 The people who were walking in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death a light has shone.

3 You shall increase the nation; You shall make its joy great. They shall rejoice before You, as in the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 For You shall break the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Miḏyan.

5 For every boot of one trampling in tumult, and coat rolled in blood, shall be used for burning and fuel of fire.

6 For a Child shall be born unto us, a Son shall be given unto us, and the rule is on His shoulder. And His Name is called Wonder, Counsellor, Strong ��l, Father of Continuity, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His rule and peace there is no end, upon the throne of Dawiḏ and over His reigna, to establish it and sustain it with right-ruling and with righteousness from now on, even forever. The ardour of יהוה of hosts does this.

8 יהוה sent a word against Ya‛aqoḇ, and it has fallen on Yisra’ĕl.

9 And the people shall know, all of them, Ephrayim and the inhabitant of Shomeron, who say in pride and greatness of heart:

10 “The bricks have fallen down, but we rebuild with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we replace them with cedars.”

11 And יהוה set up the adversaries of Retsin against him, and stirred up his enemies,

12 the Arameans before and the Philistines behind. And they devour Yisra’ĕl with an open mouth. With all this His displeasure has not turned back, and His hand is still stretched out.

13 And the people have not turned back to Him who smites them, nor have they sought יהוה of hosts.

14 And יהוה cuts off head and tail from Yisra’ĕl, palm branch and reed in one day.

15 Elder and highly respected, he is the head; the prophet who teaches falsehood, he is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people lead them astraya, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.

17 Therefore יהוה does not rejoice over their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is defiled and evil, and every mouth speaks foolishness. With all this His displeasure has not turned back, and His hand is still stretched out.

18 For wrongness burns as the fire; it consumes thornbushes and weeds, and sets the bushes of the forest ablaze, and they roll up like rising smoke.

19 The land shall be burned up by the wrath of יהוה of hosts, and the people be as fuel for the fire. A man shall not spare his brother,

20 and cut down on the right hand, but shall be hungry; and he devours on the left hand, but shall not be satisfied; each one devouring the flesh of his own arm:

21 Menashsheh Ephrayim, and Ephrayim Menashsheh; together they are against Yehuḏah. With all this His displeasure has not turned back, and His hand is still stretched out. — Isaiah 9 | The Scriptures 1998 (ISR 1998) The Scriptures 1998 Copyright © 1998 Institute for Scripture Research. All Rights reserved. Cross References: Judges 7:25; 1 Samuel 30:16; 2 Chronicles 28:6; 2 Chronicles 28:18; Psalm 46:9; Psalm 68:2; Ecclesiastes 4:5; Isaiah 1:31; Isaiah 7:1-2; Isaiah 7:8-9; Isaiah 31:1; Matthew 1:1; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 4:15-16; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 24:24: Luke 1:32; Luke 1:79; Luke 19:4; Revelation 18:8

[apenitentialprayer]

Speaking of the birth of Christ, I have seen people argue online that the physical signs of virginity were preserved for Mary. I doubt this portion of the birth is dogmatic, but I find it odd to hold that belief in modern day? Especially when some of them were saying Christ was teleported out of the womb. (I don't think they actually said teleported but im not sure the exact wording, they were explaining the logistics of this non-vaginal birth. And that the Holy Spirit entered through her ear?) What are your thoughts?

Going to address the ear canal thing first, because that's simpler; but from what I understand, Christians didn't actually believe that. It's an artistic and poetic motif, to be sure; it appears in a lot of Annunciation iconography up until the fifteenth century, and the imagery is used in an antiphon in the Carolingian liturgy as well. But we have to remember that Mary was not physically impregnated by God; she was made pregnant.

But this imagery does highlight two things; first, that Jesus is the Word of God. In this motif, Mary is receiving Christ the way that people normally receive words; she listens. The Christian, to quote Erik Erikson, is someone who has "aures perfectas et perfossas: good and open ears." Second, it says something about Mary; following this image, Christ enters Mary through her ear and travels down to the womb; all of Mary is thus suffused by Christ as He travels from her head downwards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But, anyway, moving on to the first question. There was a controversy in the early Church about whether the perpetual virginity of Mary encompassed the period where she was giving birth to Christ; virginity here seems to be conflated with "physical intactness" of Mary's body, i.e. whether she still has a hymen.

We can see this understanding, for example, in the Protoevangelium of James. This text (circulating by the last half of the Second Century) features a midwife by the name of Salome who is not physically present for the birth of Christ, but who hears the story of the virgin birth and says she will not believe it unless she is allowed to "insert" her finger and "investigate her." (Notice the parallels to the Saint Thomas story in John 20?).

But what's the point of this emphasizing her physical intactness during childbirth? I think that the decree by the Lateran Synod of 649 probably helps us here. That Synod decreed that Mary gave birth to Jesus "without loss of integrity." In other words, Mary's body was not compromised by the process of childbirth; which, you know, has historically been (and still is!) a very dangerous process.

And the "teleportation" act that you mentioned is found in Second Century sources, too. It actually may be found in the work I already mentioned? The Protoevangelium (19:9-16) describes Jesus's birth; first, a cloud covers the cave that Mary is giving birth in but as that cloud evaporates "a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the Infant appeared[.]" So, did Mary physically bring forth Jesus, or was the infant made manifest from the Light itself?

Another text redacted at about the same time as the Protoevangelium is The Ascension of Isaiah, which describes Jesus's birth in its eleventh chapter. Mary is already pregnant, and she and Joseph are living together, when one day "Mary then looked with her eyes and saw a small infant, and she was astounded. And after her astonishment had worn off, her was was found as it was at first, before she had conceived."

It seems that the early Christian community believed that there was something miraculous about Jesus's birth as well as His conception, but weren't sure how the logistics of that birth would have worked. So we have ambiguous birth narratives (did He teleport out of Mary's womb? Was the birth so easy Mary simply didn't notice she gave birth? Did He literally manifest out of light?) that nonetheless highlight the strangeness of that birth.

I, and I imagine most modern Christians, think that Mary physically gave birth to Jesus.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

According to the Bible, the birth of Jesus Christ was in this wise. When his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

And the Greek demigod Perseus was born when the god Jupiter visited the virgin Danaë as a shower of gold and got her with child.

The god Buddha was born through an opening in his mother's flank.

Catlicus the serpent-skirted caught a little ball of feathers from the sky and hid it in her bosom, and the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli was thus conceived.

The virgin Nana took a pomegranate from the tree watered by the blood of the slain Agdestris, and laid it in her bosom, and gave birth to the god Attis.

The virgin daughter of a Mongol king awoke one night and found herself bathed in a great light, which caused her to give birth to Genghis Khan.

Krishna was born of the virgin Devaka.

Horus was born of the virgin Isis.

Mercury was born of the virgin Maia.

Romulus was born of the virgin Rhea Sylvia.

For some reason, many religions force themselves to think of the birth canal as a one-way street, and even the Koran treats the Virgin Mary with reverence.

There's no end to the way in which this kind of thing can be fabricated, but those who say that you can just tell by the potency and pungency of the story, or the memorability of it, that there must be something true about it, are simply inviting you to rely not on your thinking faculties or your intellectual capacity at all, but on straight out credulity and on the repeated manufacture of things that appear to be part of the hard and soft wiring of legend, in our mammalian primate history.

Apparently if you want to have a prophet, it’s better if his mother is a virgin.

For the Greatest Story Ever Told, it sure is derivative.

[utaitemusic]

【ママに内緒で】ショウコ隠滅、少女純潔 / みつあくま fealty. 初音ミク【プロセカNEXT】 (Virgin birth)

[atheostic]

[bumblebeeappletree]

A female crocodile appears to have given ‘virgin birth,’ laying several fertilized eggs — the first documented example of asexual reproduction in the species 🐊

#Crocodile #Science #Animals #Earth #Environment #NowThis