- List of virgin births
Virgin birth (more strictly, virginal conception), in the proper sense, is differentiated from other
miraculous birth s in that it is
# birth from a mother who is a virgin; and
# no male seed in any form is involved.Thus a birth resulting from artificial insemination of a virgin would not be classified as a virgin birth. Similarly, asexual births involving only a father, such as Athena's mythological birth from Zeus's forehead, would similarly not be classified as a virgin birth under this definition.
Many alleged "virgin births" in ancient mythology are probably more accurately described as "miraculous births", since the mother is understood to have been impregnated by a god in either his own form or in an assumed form, as when
Zeus impregnated Leda. For example, the births of Buddha, born from married parents,Krishna , the eighth son of Devaki, andMithras , formed out of solid rock, were miraculous births, but were not the result of virginal conception by a virgin.Christianity
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Jesus : The founder of the Christian faith was conceived, according to theGospel of Matthew and theGospel of Luke , in the virgin Mary without a father through theHoly Spirit (seevirgin birth of Jesus ). This virginal conception is often confused with Mary'sImmaculate Conception from her parents.Egyptian religions
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Mut-em-ua : The virgin Queen of Egypt, supposedly gave birth to Pharaoh Amenkept III through a god holding a cross to her mouth.
*Ra : The Egyptian sun god, was said to be born of a virgin.Hinduism
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Krishna
*Karna Assyrian and Babylonian religions
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Tammuz
*Zoroaster
*Tukulti-Ninurta II
*Ashurbanipal Greco-Roman religions
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Alexander the Great [Plutarch , Life of Alexander,2-3]
*Antiope : Antiope was seduced by Zeus and bore him twin sons,Zethus andAmphion
*Attis : Attis was born to the virginNana who got pregnant after eating a pomegranate.
*Auge
*Dionysus :
*Melanippe
*Mithras : Mithras was born in a cave, to a rock.
*Romulus :Romulus was born to Rea Sivia, a mortalVestal virgin . [Livy , History 1:3-4]Chinese tradition
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Genghis Khan
*Lao-Tzu Buddhism
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Gautama Buddha : Buddha was conceived to Maya without sexual activity.tories sometimes interpreted as of virgin births
Mythology
Perseus : Perseus was the son ofDanaë . She was locked away while a young girl, to prevent her having children, but Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold and impregnated her. The shower of gold has from ancient times been interpreted as a reference to bribery of those in charge of keeping her. TheGreek Anthology has the following: ZEUS, turned to gold, piercing the brazen chamber of Danae, cut the knot of intact virginity. I think the meaning of the story is this, "Gold, the subduer of all things,gets the better of brazen walls and fetters; gold loosens all reins and opens every lock, gold makes the ladies with scornful eyes bend the knee. It was gold that bent the will of Danae. No need for a lover to pray to Aphrodite, if he brings money to offer." [ [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/greek-anthology/0252.html Book V, 217] ; cf. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/1482582 Cathy Santore: "Danaë: The Renaissance Courtesan's Alter Ego] in Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte, 54 Bd., H. 3 (1991), pp. 412-427; and cf.Horace , Odes III, 16:1-11]Popular culture
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Brian : In the Monty Python comedyLife of Brian , Brian's mother was asked by a crowd of Brian's followers if she was a virgin. When she angrily declined to answer, this was taken by the crowd to be confirmation of the idea.
*Owen Meany : The hero fromJohn Irving 's "A Prayer for Owen Meany " was a virgin birth according to his mother. There are links between Owen andJesus Christ in the novel, including Owen playingJesus in a church nativity play.
*Anakin Skywalker : In theStar Wars saga, Anakin is the son ofShmi Skywalker , where it is hinted she was a virgin when giving birth to her son Anakin, a child of the Force.Fact|date=September 2008
* Julie Katz: InJames Morrow 's "Only Begotten Daughter ", Murray Katz has a daughter from his own seed and a holy ovum.ee also
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Reports of unusual religious childbirths
*Virgin birth
*Jesus myth hypothesis References
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