Originally Posted by
downknowsleyroad
We live in different times, I can't make comments on the practices of the past, only to say that they were widespread and accepted. Every area of society has things that went on in the past that modern life has changed, brought into question or broadly abolished. You have to understand that in one way or another, the society of the past has been looking for many answers in religion that we find in science or history - those things were not available to these people, so it's reasonable that they take the only 'evidence' (if you will permit me to call it that for this purpose) they had.
Honestly? I don't know. The 'first Jews' argument holds water but as you say is in contradiction to generations of accepted teaching. The 'first people' would seem that it would have to be another of his brothers or sisters, his own parents or children, or by extension other clans/tribes/nations on the earth, either already existing or created after Adam and Eve or the fall of man. Put simply, the Bible doesn't say (at least to my knowledge).
It's no great mystery that there cannot have only been Adam, Eve and Cain on earth full stop - after all, with no more people, humanity would have died out there and then.
Maybe someone else on here can offer a better explaination.
The Bible states Mary was a virgin at the time of Jesus' birth. There is no Biblical reason to consider she had no sexual relationships and children after this. She is known as the Virgin Mary as reference to her at the time of the birth of Christ.
Correct. An inspired piece of marketing by the early church.
Haven't got time to answer any of the rest at the moment... I'm off to church lol