Andy-hughes, you explain the concept of Christianity as you see it and say that God didn't want to dishonour Mary so he ensured her virginity remained intact after the birth of Jesus, but I have to ask how anyone can possibly know what God wanted? The church has made that up and sadly, gullible people believe it. If you really want to know how the Christian church as we know it began, check out the Councils of Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon and the second council at Constantinople, and in all that you'll find that men discussed what the rules and the doctrine ought to be, made the rules, and in my opinion, what the church teaches now couldn't be further from the teachings of Jesus. I imagine (and I can only imagine - wouldn't presume to know for sure), that if Jesus knew what had been propounded in his name, he wouldn't be too happy. The churches have done him a great disservice in promoting superstitious hocus pocus and I think it's incredibly sad. He said 'Love One Another' and that's all we need.