2007-04-07 13:18:45 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
NO. Catholics do not believe that Mary was divine in any way. She is highly regarded as an example of a good Christian.
She is NOT worshiped as a divine being in any way shape or form!
This is a huge misconception about the Catholic church, as anyone who is truly educated in the catechism/beliefs of the Catholic church can tell you!
2007-04-07 13:35:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Only Christ Jesus was and is sinless. He is our Savior, He is our Redeemer, He alone is worthy of our Praise.
Because God Almighty chose Mary to give birth to our Savior, I believe she was a morally good person. Better than most. This does not make her divine or sinless, she needs a Savior just like the rest of us do. Worship Christ Jesus and glorify His name, this is pleasing to God.
Praise The Holy Lamb Of God !!!!
2007-04-07 20:35:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Fathers of the Church taught that Mary received a number of distinctive blessings in order to make her a more fitting mother for Christ and the prototypical Christian (follower of Christ). These blessings included her role as the New Eve (corresponding to Christ’s role as the New Adam), her Immaculate Conception, her spiritual motherhood of all Christians, and her Assumption into heaven. These gifts were given to her by God’s grace. She did not earn them, but she possessed them nonetheless.
The key to understanding all these graces is Mary’s role as the New Eve, which the Fathers proclaimed so forcefully. Because she is the New Eve, she, like the New Adam, was born immaculate, just as the First Adam and Eve were created immaculate. Because she is the New Eve, she is mother of the New Humanity (Christians), just as the first Eve was the mother of humanity. And, because she is the New Eve, she shares the fate of the New Adam. Whereas the First Adam and Eve died and went to dust, the New Adam and Eve were lifted up physically into heaven.
Of particular interest in the following quotations from the Fathers are those that speak of Mary’s immaculate nature. We will all one day be rendered immaculate (sinless), but Mary, as the prototypical Christian, received this grace early. God granted her freedom from sin to make her a fitting mother for his Son.
Even before the terms "original sin" and "immaculate conception" had been defined, early passages imply the doctrines. Many works mention that Mary gave birth to Jesus without pain. But pain in childbearing is part of the penalty of original sin (Gen. 3:16). Thus, Mary could not have been under that penalty. By God’s grace, she was immaculate in anticipation of her Son’s redemptive death on the cross. The Church therefore describes Mary as "the most excellent fruit of redemption" (CCC 508).
The Ascension of Isaiah
"[T]he report concerning the child was noised abroad in Bethlehem. Some said, ‘The Virgin Mary has given birth before she was married two months.’ And many said, ‘She has not given birth; the midwife has not gone up to her, and we heard no cries of pain’" (Ascension of Isaiah 11 [A.D. 70]).
The Odes of Solomon
"So the Virgin became a mother with great mercies. And she labored and bore the Son, but without pain, because it did not occur without purpose. And she did not seek a midwife, because he caused her to give life. She bore as a strong man, with will . . . " (Odes of Solomon 19 [A.D. 80]).
Peace and every blessing!
2007-04-07 20:54:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, no where in Catholic Doctrine is the belief that Mary is divine (God diety). Just the perfect and first Christian, believing and living Christs message before he was even born.
She is blessed among all women, blessed among all nations, blessed among all persons as the foretold Theokotos (god bearer).
2007-04-07 20:30:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No.
Jesus is God the Son, part of the Holy Trinity.
Mary is a saint.
+ Saints +
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 here on earth to pray for you. Or you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to saints is communication, not worship.
+ The Blessed Virgin Mary +
In Luke 1:48, Mary prophesied: "From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."
A question for Christians who take the Bible literally: Do you call Mary "blessed"? If no, why?
The Hail Mary prayer simply recites Bible passages (the Word of God) and asks Mary to pray for us:
Hail Mary Full of grace, the Lord is with you. (These are the words the angel Gabriel said to Mary, a Bible quote.)
Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. (This is Mary's cousin Elizabeth's greeting, another bible quote.)
Holy Mary, (The angel Gabriel said she was full of grace and Elizabeth said she was blessed.)
Mother of God, (the Bible says Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son)
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. (A simple request to pray for us.)
Amen.
+ With love in Christ.
2007-04-08 03:05:57 · answer #5 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
according to there false believe mary is divine as JESUS CHRIST. The should read the HOLY BIBLE and study it and they will know that they are wrong. MARY IS JUST LIKE US.
2007-04-07 20:24:11 · answer #6 · answered by Sun Valley 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
The adoration of Mary as the Mother of God (against Luke 1:46-49; John 2: l-5)
The esteeming of Mary as being a perpetual virgin - proclaimed by Pope Pius IX - (against Matthew 12:46, Matthew 13:55)
The esteeming of Mary as being sinless (The Essential Catholic Catechism, 129) - (against Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, 1 John 1:10)
Mary is our spiritual mother (misapplying John 19:25-27 via Ad Caeli Reginam)
Salvation dispensed through Mary - (against 1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Mary's claim via vision to St. Alphonsus that she is "the door" in opposition to John 14:6 "I am the Queen of heaven and the Mother of Mercy. I am the joy of the just and the door through which sinners come to God." (Dictionary of Mary, 298)
"her manifold intercession [she] continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation." (The Essential Catholic Catechism, 172)
Mary as a intermediate to Christ (against 1 Timothy 2:5)
"Nobody can approach the Supreme Father except through the Son, similarly nobody can approach Christ except through the Mother." (The Essential Catholic Catechism, 214)
Leo XIII, Encyclical, Adiutricem populi, Sept. 5, 1895. *** 28. 130-31.
For thereafter, by the divine plan, she so began to watch over the Church, so to be present to us and to favor us as Mother, that she who had been the minister of accomplishing the mystery of human redemption, would be likewise the minister of the dispensation of that grace, practically limitless power being given to her.
The above quote should answer your question more than anything. Source of the qoute is listed below.
2007-04-07 20:22:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
Hundreds of thousand do but then again thousands dont but the majority do believe that mary was as divine as Jesus.
This is another UNBIBLICAL cathlic belief...
Mary was not the son(or daughter) of God!
2007-04-07 20:23:37 · answer #8 · answered by rockinweazel 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋
No, but as His mother she does have a higher status then the Saints.
2007-04-07 20:24:53 · answer #9 · answered by Pantherempress 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
no.
this can rebut any of these fallacious answers better than i can.
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/statueworship.shtml
2007-04-07 20:26:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋