Was Virgin Birth a Miracle?

 

 

Not Really

While parthenogenesis, a.k.a. “virgin birth”, might seem miraculous, it's actually common as dirt in nature. Indeed, some 2000 species are capable of doing it, including snakes, ants, turkeys, chickens, amphibians, Komodo dragons, and sharks. That's right, even your Christmas lunch can do it.

Oct 14, 2018 Melbourne University

If you are a believer, God created everything, including virgin birth in the creatures listed above. Those who wrote the Bible were, likely, not aware of this. Education, including science class, wasn't available to anyone but a select few. Virgin birth would have been a true miracle to these people. It was beyond anything they could have (pun intended) conceived of.

Immaculate Conception in Nature?

(Immaculate conception actually refers to Mary, mother of Jesus. She was born free of sin.)

What in the world is parthenogenesis? 

"Derived from the Greek words parthenos and genesis, meaning “virgin” and “creation”, parthenogenesis is the naturally-occurring phenomenon by which a female is able to produce offspring independently of a male counterpart. More technically, it refers to the development of an embryo from an unfertilised egg." (Melbourne University)

The article goes on:

Why does parthenogenesis exist in nature?

While some species only reproduce by parthenogenesis, other nifty organisms are capable of switching between regular sexual reproduction and parthenogenesis. In aphids and crustaceans, this switch is triggered by a change in season and favourable growth conditions. Komodo dragons and snakes change tack when male suitors are lacking.

Is this possible in mammals? (Hey guys, should we be worried?)

The egg-laying animals that can partake in solo conception don’t have to worry about genomic imprinting, chemical modifications to genes which cause them to act differently depending on which parent they’ve come from. Without a copy from mum and a copy from dad, mammalian development is out of kilter and doesn’t happen normally.

We're not home free yet!

However, on 11 October 2018, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences chemically induced parthenogenesis in mouse eggs. Haploid stem cells were then collected from the activated, dividing eggs. By deleting problematic imprinted genes, the scientists were able to fuse two haploid stem cells from two different female mice to bring to life 29 live pups. Astoundingly, these pups went onto mate with male mice and have pups of their own.

Good King Wencelsas: Champion of the Poor

The Good King

Tom Manoff filed an interesting story on NPR about The Duke of Bohemia, King Wenceslas. The carol has been one of my favorites for a long time. (even more fun than the wassailing tune). Wenceslas was an early advocate of social justice and an early Christian. The last line of the carol sums up the King's Christian mission. "Ye who now will bless the poor / shall yourselves find blessing." 

Perhaps, a good reminder for the 1%, or at least the politicians who seem to be their champions.
 
Take a moment to listen to Manoff's report on NPR.

The Evil Bother

According to an article in Wikipedia he was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935. His younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel, was complicit in the murder. A group of nobles allied with Boleslaus plotted to kill him. The King was invited to a feast. At the feast three of the nobles attacked him. His brother is said to have Wenceslas through with a lance.

Is it a case of no good deed goes unpunished? Boleslaus and his allies acted to take control at a time of increasing tensions with the German Provinces. Boleslaus may have also been influenced by his pagan mother in a reaction to the growing influence of Christianity. Boleslaus later repented and became a Christian.

There's more about Wenceslas and traditional caroling  at"On Point."