Quote:
Originally posted by purse junkie
3) Mary Magdalene was a hooker but repented and changed her ways and became a disciple, so she was all set.
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The "Mary Magdalene was a whore" line is a bit of folk theology that has lasted for centuries, but it has very little biblical support. It hinges on whether all the various people named Mary in the Gospels (with the obvious exception of the mother of Jesus) are the same person as the unnamed "sinner" in Luke 7:36-50.
I'm not saying its totally impossible, but I think it's a bit of a stretch, and it's amazing how it's one of the things that really sticks with people. Depending on whom you ask, it's either a very affirming story about forgiveness of every sin, or it's all about the oppression of women. Since nobody believes in sin anymore, the folk tradition has outlasted its usefulness and is now outweighed by its misogyny.
