Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 This perplexed me when I was still a christian and begining to question - and I couldn't find any answers at all. There are lots of 'ifs and buts' in this query because I suppose it depends on various understandings of what was meant by Jesus being both man and divine. I'd welcome answers from christians or ex christians who found any kind of answer to this question when they still 'believed', not wanting to counter any arguments really just wanting to hear how people explain or explained this to themselves. What did Jesus' DNA look like? What was it composed of? If Jesus was born to the virgin Mary ... then half his DNA came from Mary did it ? and half from ... the Holy Spirit? As it seems from the Bible that the Jesus bit of God was around before his conception as an embryo in Mary's womb - does this mean God has DNA and provided a sample of 'Jesus DNA' for the Holy Spirit to artificially inseminate Mary with? But if God is spirit and has no material body - then there wouldn't have been any DNA would there? ... so was Jesus - the walking talking on the earth one - half Mary's DNA and half divine GAP filling DNA (where the other DNA would have been if Joseph had been his Daddy?) Did God save back a strand of DNA when he first created mankind for future use? Did he create a special new strand for the occasion? Did god the Father discuss the attributes of the DNA with god the son ("No I see myself much more of a this type - let's broaden the shoulder's and lift those cheek bones - please dad") Was there none of Mary's DNA involved at all - was she just a surrogate? If there are any web sites out there discussing the options I'd welcome a link. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotter Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 What a deep question. If you are into the Shroud of Turin, there may be some clue. However the Shroud of Turin itself is controversial, some scientists decide that it was a fake that came from the Middle Ages. Some other scholars challenge this and still hold on to the Shroud is really from Jesus. http://www.shroudstory.com/topic-sturp.htm If the Shroud is for real, the bloodstain DNA is the answer to your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdall Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 His DNA is exactly like that of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy! - Heimdall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 What a deep question. If you are into the Shroud of Turin, there may be some clue. However the Shroud of Turin itself is controversial, some scientists decide that it was a fake that came from the Middle Ages. Some other scholars challenge this and still hold on to the Shroud is really from Jesus. http://www.shroudstory.com/topic-sturp.htm If the Shroud is for real, the bloodstain DNA is the answer to your question. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I guess the bloodstain on the shroud would only show the DNA of the person whose blood is on the cloth - so linking this in with Jesus would only hold for those who think the shroud was wrapped around him. I'm really hoping to find some discussion of this somewhere - I find it fascinating that other christians aren't asking themselves about this - or debating it. When I raised it at my last church my pastor just rolled his eyes and said he hoped I wasn't loosing sleep over such a silly question ... so thank you for thinking that it is a deep one (although I don't loose sleep over it anymore!) His DNA is exactly like that of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy! - Heimdall <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Whilst I am not looking to refute any explanations put forward by christians (I'm just interested in what you think) there must be some christians who want to refute Heimdall's suggestion here! ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixentrox Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Maybe that's why Jesus never had much to do with women? He was perhaps a mutant that couldn't get it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 The only links I've been able to find are to do with what what people think Jesus may have looked like. I still haven't found any christians answers to where they think the DNA came from (or if Jesus would have needed two lots like everyone else) This is all I've found so far ... Click here and here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 I found some christian answers ... Blimey I wish I'd never asked .... Click here if you're interested ... I was struck by the way this guy feels able to say ... 'this is exactly how it happened'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 I'd say that there is a 90 billion to 1 chance that Jesus' DNA is an exact match with Hercules'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Neil Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 What did Jesus' DNA look like? What was it composed of?I honestly don't know why more people don't think about this. I used to think about it all the time. Maybe my brain is just wired different from most other people. To me, this is one of the details of the gospel that most directly points to the fact that we're dealing with a story written by people who knew nothing about genetics. At most, they knew that men secreted some slimey substance into a woman's vagina and that this somehow activated reproduction. They would have literally had no idea how crucial the sperm was to determining the gender, and thus, unbeknownst to them, they made an error that cannot be harmonized with modern genetics. Unless, of course, they just want to say that God did it. God can do anything, such as creating spiritual sperm with which he can spiritually impregnate a virgin woman. I guess when your mode of thinking is centered around a being who can break the laws of physics at leisure, no explanation is too ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 I had never thought about this. Since Jesus was half human and half god, wouldn't half of him be born into original sin? (in accordance with the "all have sinned and fallen short, bla bla bla) How could Jesus have been the sinless sacrifice of god, if he was half human, and half of him inherited the Adamic sin? Of course, the catholics got the answer to this. The immaculate conception. (our holy mother mary was also born without sin) Or, perhaps Jesus was conceived in a big petri dish where god supplied the egg and the sperm. Mary was then implanted with a fertilized god-egg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 More stupidity. From Craig the Bible Answer Man (Craig apologist) Then He used pinpoint accuracy and timing to insure the sperm-egg fission took place at the very instant Mary’s ovary released the fertile ovum, making contact with it at the exact second it traveled down her fallopian tube. That’s exactly how it happened Grant. How the heck does he know that is EXACTLY how it happened, being that he wasn't there and this was a supposedly unique event. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have to admit that 'That's exactly how it happened Grant' .. did bring a smile to my face, I think I will now use this as a phrase to identify ridiculous assertions. It reminds me of one of Kipling's Just so stories. (but not as good of course - sorry Rud.) I don't understand his keeness to pinpoint the timing - not as if there should have been any other contenders racing towards that egg in the virgin's fallopians ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 That's funny. Was the dude an eyewitness who just happened to be hanging out in Mary's womb or what? Rudyard Kipling. How the elephant got his trunk. What a great story. I used to read it to my kids every night. "Down by the banks of the great grey-green limpopo river, all set about with fever trees...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 I honestly don't know why more people don't think about this. I used to think about it all the time. Maybe my brain is just wired different from most other people. To me, this is one of the details of the gospel that most directly points to the fact that we're dealing with a story written by people who knew nothing about genetics. At most, they knew that men secreted some slimey substance into a woman's vagina and that this somehow activated reproduction. They would have literally had no idea how crucial the sperm was to determining the gender, and thus, unbeknownst to them, they made an error that cannot be harmonized with modern genetics. Unless, of course, they just want to say that God did it. God can do anything, such as creating spiritual sperm with which he can spiritually impregnate a virgin woman. I guess when your mode of thinking is centered around a being who can break the laws of physics at leisure, no explanation is too ridiculous. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Its a relief to find that others have spent time thinking about this. I find myself having to reign in my frustration with christians who don't ponder it at all - and I have to remember that I went a decade or two without thinking about it. I've come across some discussions on christian forums about how the DNA would have affected Jesus' appearance, but discussion about the mechanics (as it were) of the virgin birth and the impact this would have on a person's theology seems surprisingly lacking. Mythra - it's like you say - if half the DNA was from Mary - then Jesus would be half born in sin. If God had kept a special bit of DNA just for Jesus - a somehow 'perfect' bit - then Jesus' perfection was just a result of his particular DNA .... (and if it was that easy - why not have given us all the same code?) I wonder if Craig-the-Bible-answer-man gets round to any of this. I think I feel strong enough to delve a little further (only so much I take and still see the funny side!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 The whole Jesus "sinless" issue gets even funnier because most Baptists and such say Jesus broke the Sabbath which is ONE of the numerous reasons they quit adhering to 7th day Sabbath. If Jesus broke Sabbath then he wasn't sinless. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well clearly he inherited his sabbath breaking tendencies from his Mother!! (if in doubt - blame the woman!!) That's funny. Was the dude an eyewitness who just happened to be hanging out in Mary's womb or what? Rudyard Kipling. How the elephant got his trunk. What a great story. I used to read it to my kids every night. "Down by the banks of the great grey-green limpopo river, all set about with fever trees...." <{POST_SNAPBACK}> oh no - I'm sorely tempted to write a Craig the bible answer man, 'How Jesus got his DNA' - Kipling spoof .... but I can't take my blasphemy that far yet! .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Son of Belial Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Interesting question. I wonder, if god provided his DNA in the form of 23 chromosomes, were any of his chromosomes recessive. How could a perfect god not be dominant in all his alleles. I guess in christian thinking, god DNA would have overridden the "sin gene". Even if someone could prove that Jesus lived and provide a sample of blood, what would "perfect DNA" look like. Besides known sequences that produce defects, what does a perfect strand of nucleotides look like? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good point. Did he take after his mother at all, or was she just a recepticle for all of God's DNA? DNA he magically created for himself, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Son of Belial Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 More stupidity. From Craig the Bible Answer Man (Craig apologist) Then He used pinpoint accuracy and timing to insure the sperm-egg fission took place at the very instant Mary’s ovary released the fertile ovum, making contact with it at the exact second it traveled down her fallopian tube. That’s exactly how it happened Grant. How the heck does he know that is EXACTLY how it happened, being that he wasn't there and this was a supposedly unique event. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Divine revelation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Son of Belial Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 The whole Jesus "sinless" issue gets even funnier because most Baptists and such say Jesus broke the Sabbath which is ONE of the numerous reasons they quit adhering to 7th day Sabbath. If Jesus broke Sabbath then he wasn't sinless. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Strangely enough, my wife's family who are Baptists make a big deal about not laboring on the Sabbath(which to them is Sunday, of course!). Somehow they skip all the other stuff though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Tailor Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Jesus H. Christ. H = haploid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 the "sin gene" You mean it's genetic? There's a gene that forces me to do shit that pisses Jesus off, even if I don't want to? Wow! Glory! And all this time I thought it was because Adam and Eve listened to the Talking Snake and ate the forbidden shit from the tree that the Magical Being had warned them not to fuck with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 What did Jesus' DNA look like? What was it composed of? While this is an interesting question, I suppose i've never considered it before because I find the whole idea of a god having a biological "son" as being beyond absurdity. Procreation is a human function which requires both a "he" and a "she". If god is a spirit as the Bible says, then god cannot be a literal "he", god is asexual (that is unless of course god has sex, which is just as absurd because who would "he" have sex with?). When I read the Bible I can see that god definitely is not an asexual "spirit". The God of the Bible is a human male, through and through. Just a reflection of the human males who wrote the Bible, projected onto the unknown.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Son of Belial Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 You mean it's genetic? There's a gene that forces me to do shit that pisses Jesus off, even if I don't want to? Wow! Glory! And all this time I thought it was because Adam and Eve listened to the Talking Snake and ate the forbidden shit from the tree that the Magical Being had warned them not to fuck with... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You misunderstood. Adam swallowed one of the apple seeds which became the gland that produced the sin gene. So yes, it did come from eating the apple, but it's genetic also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spamandham Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 umh, wasn't Adam created from dirt (worm casings). Adam was thus genetically a worm. I see no reason Jesus could not have been half human/half worm as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 umh, wasn't Adam created from dirt (worm casings). Adam was thus genetically a worm. I see no reason Jesus could not have been half human/half worm as well. According to the Bible, Jesus is actually a whole worm! Glory! Job 25:6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? Jesus, the Worm of God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 You misunderstood. Adam swallowed one of the apple seeds which became the gland that produced the sin gene. So yes, it did come from eating the apple, but it's genetic also. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatically_challenged Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 What did Jesus' DNA look like?, Is there a special Divine strand? Maybe Mary Magdelyn had a rough idea? hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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