Director Claims Virgin Mary Was Raped

Man who directed "Basic Instinct" and "RoboCop" claims has written a book that suggests Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.

By: Jamie Burch | WKRG-TV
Published: April 24, 2008

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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Film director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts the Bible by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.

An Amsterdam publishing house says it will publish the book titled "Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait" in September.
Verhoeven is best known as the director of films including "Basic Instinct" and "RoboCop," but he is also a member of the "Jesus Seminar," a group that questions church teachings about Jesus.

John Dominic Crossan, a Jesus Seminar founder, says that while Verhoeven is a member in good standing, there is little evidence for the view that Jesus was illegitimate.

Crossan says the claim was first reported in a polemic written in the second century to refute the Christian belief that Jesus was born of a virgin.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)