Originally Posted by Donutz

Well then you'd be really suprised at some of the stuff they'd do. For instance, when subduing a town (or a country) it was the legionaire's DUTY to rape and pillage -- especially rape. This had the effect of muddying the genetic (and therefore cultural) identity of the defeated people. After all, many of your chidren are now part roman. What are you gonna do, kill them?

One theory about the virgin birth myth is that disciples attempted to explain away Mary's pregnancy before she was married (normally a stoning offence) was that her village had been, um, romanized. On this basis there would be too many pregnant unwed girls for the locals to be able to stomach stoning them all.

Guess what that makes Jesus?