Why do Catholics pray to Mary and confess to a priest when we all have direct access to Jesus Christ? Who are we suppose to pray to? What does the Bible say about it? I believe that if you have your own relationship with Jesus Christ that you should pray to him and him only. You should repent to him and him only, not men. What do you all think?
2007-07-31 02:47:38 · 13 answers · asked by Proverbs31 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I fully agree with you. A Priest can't forgive sins. Confess them to Jesus Christ, The ONE who died to save us all from no way to be saved. Mary was the mother of Jesus, and I respect her, but what good can she do when you need prayers answered. Do you really think the Pope is infallible ? Who, in their infinite wisdom decided that ? God is the ONLY ONE who is sinless & infallible. Surely I won't be reported again for giving my opinion, when that's what was asked for ?
2007-07-31 02:58:35 · answer #1 · answered by The Count 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catholic do not pray to Mary That is a myth. Catholic ask Mary and other saints to pray for them. The same way as you may ask a friend to pray for you. There is no reason to think that those who have passed on and now stand in the presence of the Lord are any less capable of praying for us then those on earth
As to confession to a priest Catholics will point out that Jesus said to the apostles "What you forgive on earth is forgiven in heaven and that which you hold bound is held bound" . They then say that this is a 'power' given to the priesthood established by Jesus at the Last Supper.
2007-07-31 09:53:36 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas G 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The Bible encourages us to pray for others and to ask others to pray for us. That is what Catholics do when they pray to those in Heaven. We are asking them to pray for us. Catholics primarily pray to God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer to the saints in Heaven, asking for their prayers, is a small part of a Catholic's prayer life that non-Catholics blow completely ourt of proportion.
We confess our sins to a priest because Jesus gave His disciples the authority and power to forgive and retain sins (John 20: 21-23). Confessing your sins to another person takes a great deal of humility and that is what God wants from us - humility and contrition.
2007-07-31 09:58:57 · answer #3 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We should pray to the father throught his son.
John 14:6& 13 also John 16:23&24
2007-07-31 09:57:40 · answer #4 · answered by pestie58 the spider hunter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are to pray to God through Jesus. Jesus is the mediator between God and man. Thats why the veil of the temple was rent in twain so that we could go directly to the throne of grace and pray for ourselves. I confess my sins to Jesus and him only for he is the only one who forgives.
2007-07-31 09:54:38 · answer #5 · answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We should pray to the same Deity that Jesus prayed to...his Father in heaven, Jehovah God.
(Exodus 6:3) And I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty, but as respects my name Jehovah I did not make myself known to them.
Jesus himself said this;
(John 14:6) Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
"comes" to the Father is praying to or approaching or asking, the Father, Jehovah God for something.
And only Jesus is the channel for prayer.
Not Mary, or anyone else.
(Luke 11:2) Then he said to them: “Whenever YOU pray, say, ‘Father, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come.
Jesus was asking them to pray...TO HIS FATHER...not himself.
(Matthew 6:7) But when praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.
(Micah 3:4) At that time they will call to Jehovah for aid, but he will not answer them. And he will conceal his face from them in that time, according as they committed badness in their dealings.
Again, praying to Jehovah, NOT Jesus.
(James 1:6-7) But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. 7Â In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah;
Jehovah answers prayers.
2007-07-31 10:13:38 · answer #6 · answered by pugjw9896 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HERES SOME REVELATION GOD THE FATHER ,GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY GHOST =THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,THE BIBLE STATES NO ONE CAN GO TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THRU ME,THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONE YOU PRAY TO 3 IN 1 YOU GOT IT ALL COVERED AND I AGREE WITH YOU MEN CAN NOT SAVE YOUR SOUL OR FORGIVE YOUR SINS
2007-07-31 10:01:11 · answer #7 · answered by God Child 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
1 Tim 2:
5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men
2007-07-31 09:51:55 · answer #8 · answered by Jeanmarie 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that sometimes we should all think more about our own prayer life instead of worrying about the prayer habits of others.
I think it's easy to judge another sect of the same religion - Christianity (Catholics ARE Christians) - when you know very little about it.
2007-07-31 09:54:22 · answer #9 · answered by Marvelissa VT 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Jesus told us who to pray to...OUR FATHER.....his and ours...we are not to pray to Jesus..He said he came in behalf of his father to do his will....Jehovah is who we pray to...through Jesus Amen
2007-07-31 09:52:44 · answer #10 · answered by debbie2243 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋