Answering the Virgin Birth

[rlvaughn]

Some "nutty professor" from Minnesota State University-Mankato has tweeted provocatively about the virgin birth.

"The virgin birth story is about an all-knowing, all-powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario. Happy Holidays."

His follow up included:

"The power difference (deity vs mortal) and the potential for violence for saying 'no' negates her 'yes'. To put someone in this position is an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst."

[One source of many: Minnesota Professor Suggests God Violated Mary By 'Impregnating' Her Without 'Consent']

No doubt this is well-designed for the #MeToo era.
"impregnating a teen" "no consent" "power difference" "abuse of power" "predatory"

How would you answer this professor's assertions?

 

[PastoralMusings]

Let's see:
She may have been a teen, but was a woman in her time.
She did consent.
She was not impregnated by normal procreative means, but by special creative means.
She gladly accepted God's favor in ALLOWING her to bring the Savior into the world.

Finally, fools who refuse to accept God's Word will refuse to accept any argument that disagrees with their pontifications.

 

[Aaron]

Some "nutty professor" from Minnesota State University-Mankato has tweeted provocatively about the virgin birth.

His follow up included:

[One source of many: Minnesota Professor Suggests God Violated Mary By 'Impregnating' Her Without 'Consent']

No doubt this is well-designed for the #MeToo era.
"impregnating a teen" "no consent" "power difference" "abuse of power" "predatory"

How would you answer this professor's assertions?

The potter has power over the clay. Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Since when did God need one's consent?

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Some "nutty professor" from Minnesota State University-Mankato has tweeted provocatively about the virgin birth.

His follow up included:

[One source of many: Minnesota Professor Suggests God Violated Mary By 'Impregnating' Her Without 'Consent']

No doubt this is well-designed for the #MeToo era.
"impregnating a teen" "no consent" "power difference" "abuse of power" "predatory"

How would you answer this professor's assertions?

While I might not say it this way, in part because I'm not as articulate, I rather liked this response.
'Stupid, Banal and Shallow': Steyn Blasts MN Prof Who Criticized God For 'Impregnating' Mary Without Consent

 

[Scarlett O.]

She did consent.

She said, "May it be to me as you say."

Of course, that does not erase the idiocy of his statement. He needs to be prayed for.

 

[rlvaughn]

While I might not say it this way, in part because I'm not as articulate, I rather liked this response.
'Stupid, Banal and Shallow': Steyn Blasts MN Prof Who Criticized God For 'Impregnating' Mary Without Consent

Agree. "The stupidity and banality and shallowness... of this is a dismal comment on the state of atheism in America," Steyn said.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

She did consent. She said, "May it be to me as you say."
Of course, that does not erase the idiocy of his statement. He needs to be prayed for.

I doubt the Incarnation is a starting place for an atheist, especially a "sex expert" like him. But his argument is directly with God, not man. He considers it impossible to fairly consent to, i.e., freely choose, God's offer, because of the differential. Might this align with a Calvinistic perspective?

Praying for him, and his students, and his clients, and his subjects, sounds like a good thing to do.

 

[Alcott]

How would you answer this professor's assertions?

If Minnesota is the Land of 1000 Lakes, go try jumping into 999 of them.

 

[kyredneck]

How would you answer this professor's assertions?

"Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."

 

[church mouse guy]

Here is what Author William Katz wrote on his blog Urgent Agenda about this man:

YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS UP – FROM CAMPUS REFORM: A Minnesota professor suggested in a series of tweets that the Virgin Mary did not consent to the conception of Jesus Christ and suggested that God may have acted in a “predatory" manner. Minnesota State University, Mankato psychology professor and sex therapist Dr. Eric Sprankle critiqued the story of the Virgin Mary in a tweet Monday, suggesting that the Virgin Mary did not consent to being impregnated by God. “The virgin birth story is about an all-knowing, all-powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario. Happy Holidays,” Sprankle said. Another Twitter user called the professor’s claim into question, noting that the Bible states that the Virgin Mary did, indeed, agree to God’s plan for her. “The biblical god regularly punished disobedience,” Sprankle rebutted. “The power difference (deity vs mortal) and the potential for violence for saying ‘no’ negates her ‘yes.’ To put someone in this position is an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst.” That is absolutely sick, and a stunning abuse of the role of professor. Resign now.

The best way to answer this professor is with Scripture that proves the Virgin Birth and Mary's assent.

And then tell him that Jesus loves him and that I am praying for him. I might suggest that he ask Jesus if He was Virgin Born.