and they told me they are just asking her to pray for them...
Leviticus 19:31
‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 20:6
‘And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
‘A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’”
Deuteronomy 18:11
or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
dont these verses say calling upon the dead is wrong?
is there a reason catholics dont pray for themselves, they need mary to do it for them?
2007-02-09 04:50:50 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
you and CJ have a start on it. Don't forget that when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated the Holiest of Holies, where the priest made prayers for all, was ripped in two from the top to the bottom. It states that the "middle wall of partition" was taken down so we can "come BOLDLY before the throne of grace" we don't need anyone to pray for us or to confess to. Jesus is our mediator! We can go directly to the Father through Jesus. The Catholics still use a priest to confess to. NOT NEEDED since Jesus died!
2007-02-09 05:01:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
You are right. Let me explain the origin of praying to Mary. Back right after Jesus ascended to heaven, many Christians went to Mary to have her pray for them. You can understand their logic since she was Jesus' earthly mom, and you would think she would have a little bit of rapport with her own son and she would know how to ask him for things. Apparently it worked well, because after she died, and heretic teachings started entering the church, people started to think that maybe a dead person could hear their prayers. So they began the tradition of praying to Mary instead of Jesus. You can see how this seems like an easy and slight change in thought process, however it is really a big one. This is where Catholicism needs to re-evaluate its tradition. Since it puts traditions on a higher level than scripture, there is no amount of scripture to inform them that the dead do not hear anything nor can help anyone, and that praying to a dead person is like praying to a stone statue. Both are futile and both are idolatry.
2007-02-09 05:14:59 · answer #2 · answered by The GMC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you would use Leviticus and Deuteronomy as religious guidelines, you will get stuck in a traditional web. Deuteronomy also says that women who disobey their husbands should be stoned to death.
Now about mediums and familiar spirits, I don't think you are talking about Mary there...are you?
You need to ask Catholics just why they pray to Mary before condemning them.
I am not religious; but I have seen some wonders in my time concerning Mary that I just can't comprehend.
2007-02-09 05:09:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Devotion to Mary is not necessary for Salvation. Salvation is a free gift of Christ alone.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by Me."
No where in the Bible does it tell us to pray to Mary or any other Saint. We are to pray to the Father God in Jesus' name. We are to baptize in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost - Mary didn't even make baptism. God blessed her to be the mother of Jesus.
Matthew 1:23 'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Isaiah 7:14 also)
When God said "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 10:3 God meant just that. Saints and Mary are dead people and they are not to be prayed to or worshiped. God gives His glory to no man. He is a jealous God.
2007-02-09 05:37:01 · answer #4 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's a HUGE difference between calling up and calling upon. Trying to bring the dead back to life is an attempt at violating God's Soverignity. Asking someone to pray for you is very Scriptural. Remember, Jesus said that our God is a God of the LIVING, not of the dead.
2007-02-09 05:02:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics are taught from a young age that Mary and the Saints intercede for us when they pray to them. Mary and the Saints become a mediator for us, so that our petitions are heard by God.
It is an unscriptural practice because prayer is an act of worship, and Jesus has already tolds us in the Bible that there is only one mediator between man and God, and that's the man, Jesus Christ. .
2007-02-09 05:05:30 · answer #6 · answered by Bobby Jim 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I haven't figured out why anybody would pray to someone other than God. Jesus came so that we could have direct contact, and a direct relationship with God. Mary can't save you, nor can any other of the saints. Frankly, I don't think they would want you to pray to them. Jesus saves, not Mary. Mary may be the earthly mother of Jesus, but I will not call her the "mother of God". That is taking it alittle too far and making her an idol. She was a good woman, but she was just that.....a woman.
With this said, I am not saying nor do I think that Catholics aren't Christians. That would be ignorant.
2007-02-09 04:56:20 · answer #7 · answered by to be announced 2 · 3⤊ 3⤋
The dead in Sheol (or Abraham's bosom) before Christ's death and resurrection are different from the saints in heaven after.
Before Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven there were no saints in heaven. Therefore there are no Old Testament writings that would mention them.
Very few of the new Christians died before most of the New Testament was written. Therefore there is little in the Bible about asking saints to pray for us.
However the last book of the Bible does talk about the saints in heaven praying.
Revelation 5:8: Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.
Revelation 8:3-4: He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.
The Holy Spirit guided the early Church in many things not explained in the Bible including how does the Body of Christ (believers) living on Earth relate to the Body of Christ (saints) living in heaven. We are still one Body.
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.
2007-02-09 17:12:58 · answer #8 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Have you never asked a friend or someone to pray for or with you? It is the same thing, We even implore a loved one who has died to pray for us. That act is not praying, rather asking someone to pray with, or for you.
2007-02-09 05:36:20 · answer #9 · answered by June smiles 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they do point out that it is wrong
also it will do no good for when we pray we are asking of God and Jesus said
Jn.14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. )
therefore praying to anyone else be it Mary or the saints is a waste of your time!
2007-02-09 04:58:04 · answer #10 · answered by revdauphinee 4 · 5⤊ 3⤋