'Consent is never mentioned': Feminist says she 'struggles' to teach her daughters the Christmas nativity story - because the Virgin Mary was 'raped' by God
By Molly Rose Pike: A feminist mother has sparked outrage by arguing that the Virgin Mary was 'raped' by God when she conceived the baby Jesus.
Mumsnet user Huppopapa says she is trying to teach her daughters about consent but 'struggles' to understand the Christmas story because of Mary's immaculate conception.
She asked if someone could give her 'an explanation of how God's treatment of the Virgin was in any way acceptable.'
Other users on the forum were shocked by her thoughts, with one questioning her sanity.
Huppopapa explained that her daughters' father is religious and so they will be taught the story of Christmas.
The mother said Mary's experience was 'utterly and clearly rape' and questioned how she would teach it to her girls.
She posted: 'The Virgin Mary was made pregnant by a man/God/spirit she had never met and without a single word of consent being spoken or even discussed. To my mind that is utterly and clearly rape.