for the love of god wtf is wrong with ppl?

[lkfmdc]

There are a lot of traditions and variations, etc

The key, if you want to be taken seriously, is to apply the same standards all historical research is subjected to to the sources. IE a lot of the variants can not be dated back close enough to Jesus' actual time on earth.

This is why Paul's writings are so important, and of course the 4 gospels. Paul was as close as we can get. The 4 gospels are within 60 years or so, and some thin they are all based on an older source (s) closer than that

To what end would Paul create brothers and sisters? James is mentioned as a brother of Jesus by Paul in Epistle to the Galatians 1:19.

The gospels name even more brothers and sisters! James as well as Jude, Simon and Joses are mentioned in Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, and siblings are referred to in Acts 12:17

Then of course there is an independent historical source. According to a passage in Josephus's Jewish Antiquities, "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James"

All these sources pre-date Nycia... this leaves obvious questsions

[sanjuro_ronin]

There are a lot of traditions and variations, etc

The key, if you want to be taken seriously, is to apply the same standards all historical research is subjected to to the sources. IE a lot of the variants can not be dated back close enough to Jesus' actual time on earth.

This is why Paul's writings are so important, and of course the 4 gospels. Paul was as close as we can get. The 4 gospels are within 60 years or so, and some thin they are all based on an older source (s) closer than that

To what end would Paul create brothers and sisters? James is mentioned as a brother of Jesus by Paul in Epistle to the Galatians 1:19.

The gospels name even more brothers and sisters! James as well as Jude, Simon and Joses are mentioned in Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, and siblings are referred to in Acts 12:17

Then of course there is an independent historical source. According to a passage in Josephus's Jewish Antiquities, "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James"

All these sources pre-date Nycia... this leaves obvious questsions

Some say that brother could have been use din the hebrew context of "cousin".
I don't think that is the case, but it could be argued so.
Personally I would like to think that Mary and Joe got jiggy with it and had a bunch of kids, I mean, why wouldn't they?
As for the diferent traditions, such is the "curse" of interpretation.
Look at infant baptisim, some say it stared with Paul ( and whole households were baptized), some say it was the "equivelent" of the jewish cirumsission, while others are adamant that only adults should be baptized.

Personally I like variety, spice of life and all that, and in my "clan" we have Jews, RC, JW, Muslims, Protestant and Me, the "reform-christian-protestant-islamic-jew with agnostic tendencies".