Thank you.

As the semester comes to an end, I wanted to take the time to say thank you for reading all of my blog posts! I can't believe that our class is almost over! I gained a whole new perspective on religions that I didn't really know about (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam) and I started to question the ideas of Jesus and Christianity.  My eyes were opened to aspects of my religion that I had never noticed before. With the Jesus unit, I was particularly fascinated with the idea that Jesus did not necessarily know that he was starting a new religion; he was just a normal man whose his main teaching was to show quality and respect for people. In this way, I think Jesus and the prophet Muhammad are connected with their similar mentalities. Besides this, I was very intrigued by the point that the Bible’s stories are meant to be just that- stories. They should not be taken too seriously.  The Historical Jesus adds more to the Jesus that I thought I knew and makes him all the more intriguing and interesting.  

The reason I chose this class was because I wanted to become more enriched with the culture of the world; I wanted to stray away from my focus on my life in America. I think that as a college student, I am trapped in a bubble in which I don't really know what is going on in the world around me unless I experience it firsthand. I don't want that to be my mentality. I think learning about other religions and other cultures provides such an enriching experience to a person’s mind. Studying abroad last semester was my inspiration to take this class in the first place. I will never forget my amazing journey to the Middle East when I met new people, experienced new religion, and heard new languages. The glorious adventures and captivating sunsets will be vivid in my mind forever. 

Response to "Where have all the prophets gone?"

In response to Adam Tobin's post, "Where have all the prophets gone?" I think there seems to be a lot of struggle in people's lives today with finding a balance between knowing when to speak out and when to stay silent. Adam mentioned a quote about jihiliyaa: "Jihiliyaa spirit is the poisonous venom spewing from our leaders mouths and their tribe is the white male, their vehicle the dollar bill. Where is the 2012 prophet when you need one?" Like Professor Silliman said, we need people who are "not afraid to try something radical, someone who is willing to take risks." Sometimes I think some people may go a little too far with their ideas, while others hold back. I think people may attempt to be prophets but fail. I found an internet article entitled How to Identify False Prophets:


"So, what does this mean in detecting "false prophets"? This means that you and I need no Pope. We need no men as Priests. We need no Ministers. We need no Evangelists. We need no Faith Healers that you or I must seek out for healings or other blessings. We need no Prophets nor do we need any person whatever! But almost all the False Prophets are in the business of saying something like: "You have to come to me for blessings." Or, some may say: "You have to go to that man or to that woman for anything from God."  


I think this goes against the point Professor Silliman and Adam are trying to prove. Do we really need a prophet? Or should we fend for ourselves?




http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p970401.htm

Bedouin Culture

Alex did a wonderful job on her presentation on Muslim women last Thursday. (Thanks Alex!) I enjoyed the wrapping of the hijab and gained a newfound awareness of women ninjas!

It didn't occur to me that after all our talk about women wearing headscarves,  men still wear them too! I did some research on Bedouin Culture and found out that in Arabic, Bed'u means "one who lives out in the open, in the desert."

Many Bedouin communities still exist, including in Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Israel, and North Africa, like Alex mentioned. The Bedouin community are excellent animal farmers and know the "secrets of the desert," which include finding water and surviving in the hot terrain. 

For headwear, the men wear a smagg (red white draped head cover) or aymemma (white head cover). For an outfit, the men wear the tunic, which is called a djellabaya. 

Bedouins are known as "ideal Arabs" because of their herding lifestyle and tradition of oral poetry.  Surprisingly, 5% of Bedouins still live like the older Bedouin generation, and continue the activities of raiding, hunting, and living in camel and goat-haired tents. 

Some Bedouins do graduate from high school and college. Of course, the rates are extremely low, but I'm still surprised at this fact because I thought achieving an education was not part of their lifestyle. 

The lifestyle has become unpopular, which I certainly understand. Personally, I wouldn't want to be a nomad traveling around the Sahara Desert, for the lifestyle can be very dangerous and comes with a strong emphasis on survival skills. However, I do admire the Bedouin's for their interest in their surroundings and their their open mindset. I didn't realize that Bedouins still exist today; I only thought of them as present during Muhammad's time. 

Check out some Bedouin Links:

http://www.bedawi.com/Bedouin_Culture_EN.html

http://www.thefellowship.info/Missions/Global-Missions/People-Groups/Bedouin

Prayer Bump

           While researching about the "72 Virgins concept," I came across another raisin idea:  a prayer bump. A prayer bump is a mark that appears on a Muslim's forehead. The bump or scar, also known as zabiba, zebiba, or zebibah ("raisin" in Arabic) can appear because Muslims pray five times a day and kneel/ touch the ground and prayer mat repeatedly during their prayer sessions. (I experienced this ritual when I went to a mosque recently.) Muslims believe the bump to be a sign of religious dedication, and some also believe that a white light will appear on their forehead when Judgement Day comes.

          This little piece of prayer trivia is very interesting and intriguing! This comes to show just how much more there is to all the religions and cultures that I knew nothing about. When you stop and think about it, our world truly is a fascinating place filled with so much more than the day to day doings of our college life in North Adams.

Speaking of my time in the mosque, I found an article about the prayer bump and the controversy that follows it in Egypt:

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21700/a-prayer-bump-causes-division-amongst-muslims-in-egypt


While abroad, I did not notice any prayer bumps, but I will now be on the lookout. The fact that a Muslim's forehead touches the ground at least 34 times a day for prayer boggles me. I wonder if the bump really is an act of God or just coincidence? 

A "Raisined" Idea

Trying to solve the Raisin vs Virgin Debacle, I found some information on the subject that could help us decide the correct answer! 

http://wikiislam.net/wiki/72_Virgins#Virgins_or_Raisins.3F

"The false myth of "white raisins" originated from Christoph Luxenberg, a modern author writing under a pseudonym. His anti-Islamic claim, which has been accused of having a "Christian apologetic agenda", is that the Qur'an was drawn and that the Aramaic word 'hur' (white raisin) had been mistranslated by later Arab commentators into the Arabic word 'houri' (virgin)."

"Raisins, which are dried grapes, cannot have large eyes, big breasts, cannot restrain their glances, cannot be described as chaste, or have any of the characteristics listed above. The Qur'an further states that men will be wed to these houri. Men cannot be married to raisins or white grapes. Additionally, for someone to accept this "72 raisins" theory, they would also have to accept that the Qur'an was not written by Allah or revealed to Muhammad in Arabic during the 7^th century, but was in fact written by Christian evangelists in Syro-Aramaic during the 8^th century."


So according to Wikipedia, the raisins theory is a myth. What do you think? 


'Hur' vs 'Houri'- They both look and sound similar!

Protected Love

      Our discussion in class about women and their protectors in Ancient Arabia intrigued me. Why does it always seem to be that women appear vulnerable and lost without a man? I recently watched a movie called Sabha: A Love Story, which is about an unhappy Muslim woman, Sabha, who still lives with her family. Her brother is the head of the house, and he basically controls her life. The family is always telling her that she needs to find a husband. Sabha feels suffocated and trapped under the "power" of her brother and her family's ways. In Muhammad's time, marriage was a tool used for power and protection. Why can't marriage just be about love? Is that too much to ask?

      With this in mind, I now realize that Sabha's brother could be seen as her protector. Like discussed in class, Arabian woman needed male protectors to prevent them from being targets of slavery and other possible dangers. In the modern day love story, Sabha's brother didn't need to protect her from slavery. However, his strict ways that appeared too harsh in Sabha's eyes were really just an act of love. He wanted what was best for his sister, even if she didn't see it as that way. In this case, and in the cases of the Arabian women in Muhammad's time, do you think it was better to have "protected love" or allow women to live without protectors?

Need a Study Break?

Need a study break from our crazy college lives and our book analysis project? Bask in the glorified sounds of these beautiful Hinduism songs:




Jaya Shiva Shankara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw8iSESXI1I






Shiv Shambho: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N3ve090p2o


I came across these two songs while browsing youtube and instantly fell in love. The songs are so peaceful and calming. Even though they are Hindu songs, they reminded me of Muhammad because Muhammad was a peaceful man who wanted to upkeep peace in the world.  If Muhammad had a music playlist, I wonder if he'd have listened to songs like this!       


The artist Shivali has a whole collection of songs in her repertoire entitled The Bhajan Project. In Shiv Shambho, the meaning of the phrase Jaya Jaya Shiva Shambho, Mahadeva Shambho means "Hail to the supreme Lord, the auspicious one who brings happiness and joy, who dwells in the hearts of all!" In Jaya Shiva Shankara Shiva, Jaya means victory, Shiva means "who promises you bliss" and Shankara is the Dispeller of Doubts. In Hinduism, Shiva also means the Destroyer of Evil. 

Koran By Heart

        Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the showing of Koran By Heart at Mass MoCa this past week.  I have been to Cairo, Egypt, and was curious to see filmmaker Greg Barker's portrayal of Egypt through his eyes. When Professor Silliman first brought up the showing in class, I thought it was going to be more of an educational video about Muslim children growing up in the Middle East. While researching on the documentary's website, I found that the documentary is about the journeys of three Muslim children as they compete in Egypt's prestigious International Holy Koran Competition.

       I was wondering if anyone went to the showing and could tell me your thoughts about the documentary. Would you have liked growing up as a Muslim? When I was in Egypt, my lifestyle was incorporated into the Muslim lifestyle. For example, I went to a mosque with an Egyptian family and experienced the specific rituals in the holy place. Before entering the mosque, I had to take off my shoes and had to be fully covered from head to toe in a long shirt and pants. I also had to cover my hair with a Hijab. (A headscarf commonly used by Muslim women.) The mosque had pillars, rugs, and a bath area where people washed their hands and feet for cleansing purposes. My favorite part of the mosque was the opened skylit area. The purpose of this area is for the followers to have a close connection with Allah. With no ceiling in the way, there is no barrier for a person's thoughts and prayers to be heard by Allah. I thought this was a very beautiful concept.

      Besides this, it was interesting to witness the extreme Muslims vs the laid-back Muslims. The family I stayed with was religious, but not extremely religious. The mother would take her children to the mosque, but the children would not go by their free will if they weren't forced to. This reminds me of my Catholic adventures when my mother would make me go to Sunday mass. Besides the laid-back Muslims, I also witnessed conservative Muslims. These Muslims included women who would not be seen in public at any time without their Hijab and proper clothing. I once commented on a picture of one of my Muslim friend's beautiful long, flowing hair. She had taken the photograph of herself inside her home. When I commented on it, she became embarrassed because she was not used to showing off her hair in public (even though she was only showing me a picture of her hair and was currently wearing a hijab at the time she showed me the picture.)

      I wonder if the Koran By Heart documentary covered any of the experiences I witnessed during my time in Egypt....

Official Koran By Heart Website:

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/koran-by-heart/index.html

One with Everything

In response to Professor Silliman's post Mecca Today, I think it is so unique for a religion to have a pilgrimage where thousands of people preach their faith (similar and different versions) together. I actually have a friend who is going on a pilgrimage similar to this over the summer, and she is very excited. I'm envious- does the Catholic faith even do something like this?  


An idea of what the Hajj is all about:


"Setting out in their own national dress, speaking different languages, and espousing widely varying versions of Islam, by the time they arrive at Mecca these Indonesians, Afghans, and Nigerians will, in important ways, have become one. While in the sanctified area of Mecca and its neighborhood, wearing identical garb (the men at any rate, in lengths of seamless white fabric), they will speak the same Arabic prayers, perform the same rituals, and abstain from the same chores and pleasures. For many, including large numbers of women, these five days of spiritual and social togetherness will be the most important time of their lives."


Even though Islam is different from Buddhism, the idea that these different people will become one reminded me of a fun youtube clip. In the clip,  a Buddhist monk is trying to decipher a joke from a British news reporter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXGi0RGRj-0


Even though they are different religions, Islam and Buddhism still have the same goal: to become one with everything.

In the Supreme Shrine Article:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/apr/26/supreme-shrine/

"The thing about Christians"

In The North Adams Transcript, there was an article written by John Seven about Christianity entitled "The Thing about Christians." Even though our class is covering more ground than just Christianity (Thank you Buddha), I can't seem to get the Christianity topic out of my head. Through my search into media and our conversations in Blogger, I  think that Christianity and its flaws(?) are up there for big conversation starters.

Hence, in my new blog post, Seven's article talks about his view on Catholicism. Check out the link to his Blog:

http://johnsevencollection.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/the-thing-about-christians/

Quotes from the article that I found interesting:

• "I, and many others, would love to see a movement of non-extremist Christians, as organized and prominent in the culture as any of the conservative evangelicals, who see the core values of their faith as something really worth fighting for. I keep hearing about all the liberal Christians, but I’ve not noticed any major actions from them."
•  If the love, tolerance and charity of Christ is in your heart, then you’d best do something about the political pirates who have hijacked your spirituality for the purposes of control, because they are the ones defining doctrine these days.
• One thing I can say is that I am not the one who put his religious beliefs at the center of political rhetoric, and so I reserve the right to treat that religion as a central issue in my political dialogue so long as other people insist on doing the same. Christians do not get to have it both ways — they can’t push their belief as motivation for laws and then whine that anyone who touches it is out of line.

And my personal favorite:
"For the sake of argument, let’s say that I am obsessed with Christianity. The real question is why that is, not whether I am."


Huh. Interesting point. So Seven is saying that he might not necessarily be a Catholic, but he is still intrigued with the religion. I think his statement can affect everyone who is reading my post at this very moment. I think that many people are obsessed with the topic of Christianity. Don't you? 

The Monk Hakuin and the Baby

I really liked the Monk and baby story that Alex told us about last class, so I decided to do some research. (Thank you Google!) I found a link that shares the story in more detail. The monk's name was Hakuin. At the end of the story, when the Monk is allowed back into the order, he replies, “Is that so?” Hakuin's three words reflects "acceptance of what the moment brings."  Acceptance. That's what I need more in my life, and I think others would say the same. This story teaches a simple life lesson of accepting events for what they are and for people to be able to own their responsibilities. 

http://workingwithinsight.wordpress.com/2007/04/12/the-monk-hakuin-and-the-baby—just-the-way-it-is/


I just couldn't resist:

MONK BABIES! TOO CUTE!!!

Do Gods make mistakes?

Do gods make mistakes?

After the realization and knowledge of determining that Buddha is not a god- He may look like a God due to his godlike glow and his task to preach Buddhism to followers, he is just a wealthy prince turned into a poor, enlightened man. He is a human being, showcasing his raw emotions and challenges over the course of his life. For example, he showed stubbornness for not allowing women into the monastic order at first, but then he willingly and quickly changed his mind. I think that his initial reaction to females in the order can be categorized as a mistake for Buddha, but then he ultimately decided that his thinking was wrong and allowed his female relatives to be the first nuns in his order!

So since the great Buddha made a mistake and he is a human, do you think actual gods are in the position to make mistakes?

The Song of the Hours

In my Dramatic Literature class, I just finished reading the play Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht. In the play, the character, Chaplain, sings a song about the “Passion of Our Lord and Savior.” In other words, he was singing about Jesus. This reminded me of our Jesus unit. The song is called The Song of the Hours. Chaplain was inspired to sing the song because another character, Swiss Cheese, was being held captive by soldiers in The Thirty Year’s War. Chaplain inferred that such an act was common “in the history of religion.”

The Song of the Hours

In the first hour of the day

Simple Jesus Christ was

Presented as a murderer

To the heathen Pilate

Pilate found no fault in him

No cause to condemn him

So he sent the Lord away.

Let King Herod see him!

Hour the third: the Son of God

Was with scourges beaten

And they set a crown of thorns

On the head of Jesus.

And they dressed him as a king

Joked and jested at him

And the cross to die upon

He himself must carry.

Six: they stripped Lord Jesus bare.

To the cross they nailed him.

When the blood came gushing, he

Prayed and loud lamented.

Each upon the cross, two thieves

Mocked him like the others.

And the bright sun crept away

Not to see such doings.

Nine: Lord Jesus cried aloud

That he was forsaken!

In a sponge upon a ple

Vineagar was fed him.

Then the Lord gave up the ghost

And the earth did tremble.

Temple curtains split in twain.

Cliffs fell in the ocean.

Evening: they broke the bones

Of the malefactors.

Then they took a spear and pierced

The side of gentle Jesus.

And the blood and water ran

And they laughed at Jesus.

Of this simple son of man

Such and more they tell us. 

I thought this was interesting because the song retells the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion in a clear-cut manner.  The song  goes by every hour of Jesus’ steps to the crucifixion. 

Attaining Nirvana

Before Buddha becomes enlightened, he says:

"Come what may-let my body rot, let my bones be reduced to ashes-I will not get up from here until I have found the way beyond decay and death"(p 38).

I admire Buddha for his actions, for Buddha is expressing stubbornness and maturity in order to find the answer to a life without samsara. In my opinion, I think he is tired of people's addiction to samsara, the concept that the world is full of suffering. The world suffers even more because people do not want to accept change.

When Buddha becomes enlightened, he says:

"Perhaps, there will be a few who will listen. Dust does cover the eyes of all, but for some it is only a thin film. Everyone desires an end to suffering and sorrow. To those who will listen, I will teach the dharma, and for those who follow it, the dharma itself will set them free" (41).

Is Buddha trying to teach his followers the concept of Nirvana? Does he want his followers to try to achieve this difficult task? Do you think attaining Nirvana is even possible in today's society?

After all, Buddha has been charged with a "transcendent power" (42), a power that can only be  experienced beyond the normal level or capabilities. He has extinguished the demon of selfish desire.
But how difficult would it be for me to extinguish selfish desire? Maybe I should start wearing an orange robe and sit under a banyan tree....

A "Godlike" Buddha

While reading the Introduction to The Dhammapada, I thought it was interesting when Siddhartha was mistaken for a God. On page 37, a beautiful woman with a newborn wanted to give thanks for her son. Her handmaid mistook Buddha for a god and exclaimed, "The radiant god for whom you prayed for a son is sitting under the banyan tree by the side of the river.Why not make your offering for him directly?"

At first I was confused, because I didn't think that Budda was a god. However, during class, Alex explained that the handmaid might have mistaken him for a god because he was giving off a radiant glow.

And it's true. In every picture I can find of Buddha, he has a yellow orb around his head. During his enlightenment, when he finally found nirvana, he was at peace with himself and shined with an inner light. He became "awake." That got me thinking. Why couldn't Buddha be a god? He reminds me of Jesus in a way, for Jesus became enlightened with new teachings and wanted to preach his word to his disciples and beyond as well. And technically speaking, Jesus is God because he is part of the Holy Trinity, which means the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. So why not Buddha?


Buddha's Glow:

A Heaven full of Poor People?

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24)


This is such an interesting expression. I thought that Matthew literally meant that a camel can go through the eye of a sewing needle, not a small door. In my mind, it does make sense, for it would be extremely difficult (um, pretty much impossible) for a man to go through a sewing needle. So what makes the camel capable? In the parable, it is inferred that a rich man must get rid of his baggage until he can enter the door to the Kingdom of God. By baggage, it is meant that a rich man must get rid of his wealth to truly be with God. But why is that so? Is it because wealthy people are stereotyped to have a knack for greed? I don't think all wealthy people are greedy; I think some work very hard for their money and deserve it.  So why does Jesus say that a person must be poor in order to live in heaven?



 Post to check out:
http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/43.htm

Revitalizing Christianity- My Purple Cross

I have a "Jesus necklace." My necklace consists of a cross encrusted with purple gemstones. The necklace was given to me when I made my First Communion, and I have had it ever since. I always feel that my purple cross is appropriate to wear to church because it symbolizes my faith. I have noticed a lot of people wearing a cross necklace around campus too. However, I've been wondering if the ornament is seen as more of a decorative purpose or a symbol of faith. In regards to this topic, Professor Silliman brought up the question, "Has it lost its power to shock?"

I think so. Even for myself, the image of the cross has lost its shock value. When I wear my necklace, I don't think of it as the cross Jesus died on; I just think of it as the necklace associated with my religion. I think that people choose to wear it because it looks "cool." Wearing a cross has become more of a fashion statement than a religious statement. Is this a good thing? Is this revitalizing Christianity or counteracting Christianity?

Why do we say "The Church?"

Have you ever noticed during our blog posts, in response to Catholicism, we regard the religion by saying  "The Church?" The Church has become the subject: "The Church has done this, the Church has done that." However, it is not the Church that has done these specific things; it is the people (the pope, priests, bishops, deacons, etc.) that make it up. The rules of the Church (oops, I mean Catholicism) set the foundation for the doings and the image of the religion. Next time you mention Catholicism, see how often you quote it by saying "The Church." You'll probably be surprised.

Something to Share

In my creative writing class, a North Adams guest poet recited an original piece about religion. The following line struck a chord with me:

"I believe Jesus fell in love- then became a God. We deny this fact for lack of evidence."

After posting an entry about Mary Magdalene and her possible relationship with Jesus a couple of weeks ago, I thought this verse was interesting and true. Since there is such a lack of evidence about whether Mary did have a relationship with Jesus or not, people have to rely on their beliefs to determine the truth. Instead of the power of belief, I  think that many people rely solely on facts and evidence to prove that statements are correct. However, I think that in certain situations, a person's "gut feeling," or beliefs, should override the truth. Why does evidence have to play such an integral and pivotal part in the society's thought process?

A Jesus Discovery

The other day, I came across an online article about a "Jesus Discovery." I thought this article came at a perfect time, for it provides an opportunity for our class to ponder more about the historical Jesus and his existence. 


According to the article, "Jesus was born, lived, and died in the land of Israel. Most scholars agree he was born around
 5 BCE and died around 30 CE."


Authors and archaeologists James D. Tabor and Simcha Jacobovici wrote The Jesus Discovery: The New Archaeological Find That Reveals the Birth of Christianity. 

The archaeologists believed certain tombs they have been investigating in Jerusalem are the tombs of Jesus' family: " We believe a compelling argument can be made that the Garden tomb is that of Jesus of Nazareth and his family. We argue in this book that both tombs are most likely located on the rural estate of Joseph of Arimathea, the wealthy member of the Sanhedrin who according to all four New Testament gospels took official charge of Jesus' burial."


The Garden tomb is supposedly the "Jesus son of Joseph's tomb," which was first discovered in 1980. It's namesake is due to its placement beneath a garden in a condominium complex. 

Another tomb is the Patio tomb, which is located beneath an apartment in the Jerusalem suburb East Talpiot. The tomb was first discovered by construction workers in 1981. 

Some archaeologists are unsure about the tomb's credibility, for they are certain that "nothing of this sort has survived, not a single site, inscription, artifact, drawing, or text mentioning Jesus or his followers, or witnessing to the beliefs of the earliest Jewish Christians either in Jerusalem or in Galilee."

Do you believe these tombs are the tombs of Jesus' family? I was confused about the Garden tomb, for what does the author mean by "Jesus son of Joseph's tomb?" Did he have a son named Joseph?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/jesus-discovery-jerusalem_n_1305355.html#s732486&title=The_Resurrection_Tomb

The book might be worth checking out!
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Discovery-Archaeological-Reveals-Christianity/dp/145165040X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330385122&sr=8-1

A Great Help! Passive Voice, Anyone?

Hello!

To those of you who are still confused with the passive voice (like me), I found a great web page regarding the passive voice from The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill's website. The page has helped me a great deal with my Gita paper! Hope it helps you too!

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/resources/handouts-demos/citation/passive-voice

Mary Magdalene-Wife and Lover?

The life of Mary Magdalene is a mystery to me. Even though I've attended CCD my entire childhood, I've never learned who she was. I've heard her name before, but it never stood of any interest to me. After Professor Matt's musical performance last class (Wohoo! Encore?) about Magdalene, I was intrigued to learn more about her. The lyrics and notes of Richard Shindell's "The Ballad of Mary Magdalene" were so beautiful, and I decided that it was time to do my research.


My research left me with mixed emotions, for I never believed that Jesus might have had a love.


According to the website, The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies, Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' devoted women followers:

"She attended him to Calvary, stood weeping at the foot of the cross, and was the first to see the Christ risen [Jesus' Resurrection]. Extra-biblical and Gnostic traditions about Mary Magdalene holds that she was the wife of Jesus and pregnant with his child at the time of his death, a fact which was omitted by later revisionist editors of the Gospels. Interpreted allegorically, Luke-Acts reveals their marriage, a daughter, and two sons." 

Could this be true? 

Richard Shindell believes so:

"A love like this will come but once 

This I do believe 
And I’ll not see his like again 
As I live and breathe 
And I’m sorry if I might offend 
But I will never see 
How the tenderness I shared with him 
Became a heresy"

To add to this, Mary's sorrow that she expressed as Jesus lay dead on the cross could be the response of a "grieving wife and widow." Also, Jesus might have appeared to Mary first after his Resurrection because Mary "was his beloved and in most need of consolation."

I think that it would actually make sense for Jesus to have a relationship with Mary; after all, he was human! On the other hand, I am unsure because I never viewed Jesus as the type of man who would have a lover. Also, if it is true that Jesus and Mary were married, why are their children not mentioned in the Bible? Or are they? I feel that I am discovering more secrets than answers in regard to the Bible. 

http://www.womeninthebible.net/images/MM_14_Cosimo.jpg

http://www.thenazareneway.com/index.htm