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Originally posted by crash override
It doesnt matter what the bible or any other religion says for age consent.
It only matters what the Law of today says and that is 18.
As I understand things, and I could easily be wrong, there is no mention of Mary's age at the time of her Immaculate Conception anywhere within The Bilble and any suggestion of her age is Oral tradition or suggestions due to society practices of the time.
Originally posted by seeashrink
I feel that we are confusing Biblical principles with cultural/society norms.
For example, in America, nudity is synonomous with sex. However in Europe there is nothing thought of public nudity at beaches, spas and swimming pools, not to mention many countries/areas, or tribes where clothes are not worn at all.
In the Bible there is not a marriage ceremony written in the scriptures. You will see marriage celebrations but not a vow. The marriage was made at the time of consummation, that was the vow. Marriages probably took place fairly young. Lets face it, boys and girls reach puberty between 11 and 13. I don't believe God made us that way for the fun of it but by design. We we were also designed for one mate and to remain pure until that mate was found. (Now I know that someone is going to bring up the fact that men had multiple wives in the Old Testament but this was not by design but by God's toleration of sinful man.)
So, the Biblical age of sexual consent was the same as the age of marriage and the two were never meant to be separated. Otherwise we need to go by the laws of the land and what is accepted by society. It's two different discussions.
Seeashrink
Originally posted by halfoldman
When religion is asked why it focuses guilt on a pretty average chunk of people for
individual drives that come naturally, the argument is that pedophilia and murder may also be "excused" by the "natural drive" argument.
However, there is nothing specifically in religious texts on what constitutes pedophilia.
If one took 16 as a general age of consent most religious myth and theory falls into the realm of sinful illegality. Some would argue that religion has been a cover for legalized child-abuse, and it's not just the Catholics who have monthly scandals in that respect.
but where does any religion get the historical background to pronounce themselves as "moral" based on modern concepts like "pedophilia"?
Throughout most of the 19th century, the minimum age of consent for sexual intercourse in most American states was 10 years. In Delaware it was only 7 years.
As late as 1930, twelve states allowed boys as young as 14 and girls as young as 12 to marry (with parental consent).