Some people I've talked with believe that you should just only pray to Mary and not worship her, because of the 1st commandment. Others say that you can worship her and won't be in violation of the 1st commandment. What do you say?
2007-01-16 02:57:20 · 11 answers · asked by chris4him 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
many people have seen aparitions of Mary, If you saw one would you worship her?
2007-01-16 03:45:00 · update #1
The only one you are to worship is our Heavenly Father. Mary was a very special human. She was a virgin chosen by God to carry the Lord Jesus Christ. She will be in Heaven with the rest of us. God loves us all the same. She is not God. To worship her is a terrible mislead Catholic religious belief. That is why I stopped going to the Catholic Church. I went twice and it was like a cult. I sat around at all the people filling every seat, everything is so beautiful, the tradition of the candles and all were so appealing but the one thing I wasn't going to do was to worship someone other than God. People perish for lack of knowledge. It is written in the Holy Bible. It is clearly the first commandment. And every word written in the Holy Bible is God breathed. So if you read the commandment and still worship another you know what will happen or you wouldn't be concerned. I am so glad for your soul you did not turn a blind eye to this. You are very smart. You pray to God through Jesus. That is it no exceptions.
2007-01-16 03:13:53 · answer #1 · answered by Melissa M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are going to hold to Catholic teachings, Mary is prayed to but not worshipped. Worship is reserved for God alone. However, prayer is viewed as any communication with those who have won the race and are now members of the Church Triumphant, and as such is permissible to the Saints. The prohibition against communing with the dead does not apply as the Saints are held to be very much Alive in Heaven.
2007-01-16 11:02:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm a convert to Catholicism and asked this question during the conversion process (RCIA). The deacon's answer was that we worship only one deity: God. We may pray to any of those in heaven, including the saints, of whom Mary is considered to be first in honor by Catholics, and they hear us, but they have no power.
Remember, in the early Church (pre-Vatican II in the 1960's), Mass was in Latin, priests were far less approachable, and many Catholics learned more about their faith from their parents and grandparents than their Church.
The Church, therefore, intelligently placed statues of saints in the churches, meant to be examples of how to be a good Catholic. Reflecting on them was encouraged. We also believe they hear us when we pray (used by Catholics as a near-synonym for "talk") to them.
Many non-Catholics interpret this "praying to" to be the same as "worshipping". Totally different. We are not worshipping false idols. Just asking a friend for advice or encouragement, or reflecting on the strength of their faith.
The only One with any power is God, and He is who Catholics pray to by far the most.
2007-01-16 16:53:36 · answer #3 · answered by remnant 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a difference between 'worshipping' Mary and 'honoring' her. Catholics do not worship Mary, they honor her. One can honor Mary, by offering intercessory prayer, without violating the First Commandment.
2007-01-17 08:37:49 · answer #4 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the Romans are right, you need to pray to her but not worship her. If the Prots are right, by praying to her you are sinning.
In any case, it won't make a difference. As Peter O'Toole says in the Ruling Class - "I find when I pray I'm talking to myself." Studies have shown that intercessory prayer has no effect. The most that can be gained by prayer is self-analysis which you can do regardless of the name you put at the beginning of the prayer.
2007-01-16 11:10:41 · answer #5 · answered by Dave P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We should only worship God.
Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.
The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.
Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.
As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.
With love in Christ.
2007-01-17 00:48:40 · answer #6 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say you need to define your terms. Both "pray" and "worship" have multiple meanings in the English language. In Catholicism, we use a Greek term for the form of worship to be given only to God, "latria".
2007-01-16 11:01:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm a catholic. I'm just speaking for myself and not catholics in general. I pray to her sometimes but I believe that you should only worship one.Catholics we call him GOD THE FATHER. In Islam he is ALLAH. I believe that all of us (all religions) whatever we call HIM is the same as long as we believe that there is but ONE POWERFUL CREATOR of all.
2007-01-16 11:07:30 · answer #8 · answered by aleondra_iris 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Prayer is a form of worship.
Worshipping marry is in violation of the first commandment, but I don't really care. You can worship the boogieman if you want. ;)
2007-01-16 11:02:31 · answer #9 · answered by A 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Pray to her and all saints but you cannot worship them.
2007-01-16 11:02:54 · answer #10 · answered by Mr. Lemur 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋