Im a baptists and ive always wondered why catholics focus their prayers around the virgin mary and why not Jesus? Jesus is the son of God! God asked us to pray to him through Jesus NOT mary, so why is mary idolised soo much in catholic culture? Also what is up with the vatican? it seems like the devil has a throne there! why would gay priests be allowed or even considered?...it seems to me they are trying to re-write the bible to suit their own preferences.
I dont want to offend anyone, i just want some answers!
2007-08-11 09:56:38 · 12 answers · asked by The Chosen One 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
btw i said why do catholics FOCUS their prayers around Mary NOT worship her!
2007-08-11 10:09:10 · update #1
You have been misinformed.
The large majority of Catholic prayers are said directly to God.
Only a few prayers ask the Blessed Virgin Mary and the other saints to pray for us.
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, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.
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.
Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946
With love in Christ.
2007-08-12 18:42:23 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Catholics Don't Worship Mary, But They Do Ask That Mary Pray For Them Sometime. Thus, The Hail Mary Prayer. I Do Believe, Though I'm Not Sure, That Catholics Believe That Mary is Enthroned In Heaven. The Cross Thing is Symbolic Of The Father, Son, And Holy Ghost.
2016-05-19 23:43:16 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
roman catholics do not pray to statues,saints or mary.
statues serve as a reminder of certain people and events, the same as having a picture or portrait of a friend or family member.
we ask the saints and the blessed mothers intercession. we know they don't answer our prayers but they offer our requests to our lord. much the same as prayer chains or asking your family/pastor etc to pray for you. the vatican is the head of the christian church founded by jesus christ and has nothing to do with the devil. as jesus promised his church the guidance and protection of the holy spirit and that not even the gates of hell would prevail upon it, 2000 years plus attest to this. the catholic church protected the word of god and made it possible for christians of today to have his word. why would the catholic church provide the word of god and include scriptures that protestants use to exploit the catholic church as of satan? really does that make sense? if you want answers try the links i have provided.
for the truth and not the misconceptions or intentional anti catholic lies try these websites that show from scripture our catholic practices and what we actually believe.
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/...
http://www.catholic.com/
http://www.salvationhistory.com/...
www.fisheaters.com
www.catholiceducation.org
ofcourse the bible and the writings of the early church fathers.
the catholic clergy are not gay, some members possibly but that is true of protestant clergy aswell, especially if your commnent is in relation to the latest molestation scandals,which is a problem in every sector of the world, both religious and non religious. as for re writing the bible, the catholic church has had the same scripture for 2000 years,the catholic church compiled the scriptures and has taught the same truths ever since. protestant denominations have splintered over 28000 times each teaching different things and some with different bible translations that suit their beliefs.
the holy spirit is not the author of this confusion, just who is?
2007-08-11 10:15:08 · answer #3 · answered by fenian1916 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You are still focusing on Mary and saints and others praying for you to God. That is fine but NOT ANY one of them can save you Jesus does that. You focus on Mary too much and NOT Jesus. I even read from one post on another site that Mary never sinned but Romans says "all men (and women) have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
2015-05-13 21:26:37 · answer #4 · answered by Alton 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics don't worship Mary but they do believe that they can communicate with Mary and other saints and that the saints will sometimes intercede for people.
2007-08-11 10:07:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They'll say that they're "getting Mary to pray for them". Of course the biblical facts that Mary can't hear them, and has nothing to do with salvation, don't cross their minds.
Mary is, for catholics, assuming the identity of the false Babylonian "goddess", and that's where that came from.
2007-08-11 10:05:20 · answer #6 · answered by CJ 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
we dont only focus around mary
but mary was an example of a good christian in my opinion
2007-08-11 10:09:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trying to find a place where the odds are more in favor of the desired results.
2007-08-11 10:03:59 · answer #8 · answered by Jack P 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Mary is the mother of christ who died for your sins, they aren't rewriting anything just interpreting it differently.
2007-08-11 10:05:07 · answer #9 · answered by Greg 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
They don't. I think you need to do more resreach before spouted out random nonsense
2007-08-11 10:03:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋