Aisha, wife of Muhammad (PBUH) & The Virgin Mary

[Presto Kensho]

The prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is often criticized for marrying Aisha when she was six years old and consummating the marriage when she was nine years old and the prophet was 53.

According to Christian tradition, however, the Virgin Mary was between 12 and 14 years of age when she married Joseph, who at the time was 90 years old:

A year after his wife's death, as the priests announced through Judea that they wished to find in the tribe of Juda a respectable man to espouse Mary, then twelve to fourteen years of age. Joseph, who was at the time ninety years old, went up to Jerusalem among the candidates...
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm

Why is there this common double standard between Aisha and the Virgin Mary? It would have been normal in a medieval Semitic culture for Aisha's marriage to be consummated, especially if she'd already reached puberty.

While I do not support nor condone hebephilia, pedophilia, child marriage, etc., is it unfair to judge ancient cultures by modern standards? To this day, child marriage is legally practiced in the United States:
http://apps.frontline.org/child-marriag ... e-numbers/

Devotees of Meher Baba regard Muhammad as one of the seven divine avatars from throughout history:
https://www.mehermount.org/story-blog/2 ... heir-times

[DNS]

Why is there this common double standard between Aisha and the Virgin Mary? It would have been normal in a medieval Semitic culture for Aisha's marriage to be consummated, especially if she'd already reached puberty.

Not making a value judgment one way or the other; but Christians probably don't see it as a double-standard because the Virgin Mary was well, a virgin, it was never consummated (at least according to most Christians, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, etc).

[Presto Kensho]

Why is there this common double standard between Aisha and the Virgin Mary? It would have been normal in a medieval Semitic culture for Aisha's marriage to be consummated, especially if she'd already reached puberty.

Not making a value judgment one way or the other; but Christians probably don't see it as a double-standard because the Virgin Mary was well, a virgin, it was never consummated (at least according to most Christians, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, etc).

Even if the marriage were never consummated, it at least suggests what was considered normal at the time.

[Presto Kensho]

Please also keep in mind that, at the time of marriage, Meher Baba's father was 39 and his mother was 14. They were both of Persian descent. I am not saying this was morally right or wrong, but it was likely normal at that time and in their particular culture.