Bible-fundamentalists, Catholics say they don't worship Mary, so what made you think they do?

Question

is it possible that you just misinterpret the actions of the Catholics because of your limited perspective?

have you ever pondered that other people might have other ways of understanding things from the way you understand things?

seriously, you really got me wondering. you want people like me to meddle since you want to convert non-believers, well, these types of questions popped up in my head since you keep on saying you are speaking of the truth. are you honestly telling the truth concerning the Catholics?

if Catholics say they don't worship Mary, why not just take their word for it? if they don't see what they're doing as worship, then it's not their intention to worship, so what's the big deal anyway?

Answer 1

They most likely got it second hand, third hand, etc.

The angel Gabriel greeted Mary with "Hail holy one." I think angels probably know what they are talking about.

Assuming Jesus wasn't a hypocrite, he must have honored his father and mother. If Jesus honored Mary, I think I will too.

Answer 2

"They bow to a statue of mary"

Exodus 25:18-21, God commands Moses to make two golden sculptures of angels (cherubim) for the Ark of the Covenant. In Numbers 21:8-9, God commands Moses to make a bronze serpent, so that the people who were bitten by snakes could look upon it and be healed. God apparently has no problems with religious artwork.

". . . and say "Hail Mary" holy mary MOTHER OF GOD"

In saying "Hail, Mary," Catholics are repeating the words spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary (see Luke 1:26-28). Is there some problem with quoting the Bible?

"Its a disgusting act to think that God has a mother"

Is it disgusting that God was born as an infant, and that the infant Jesus had a mother? No one should be revolted by the biblical facts.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 3

Bible-fundamentalists,

One thing that seems to upset fundies more than anything else is losing their stranglehold on power. Every time this country tries to acknowledge that there are, in fact, non-Christians here, fundies explode like Roman candles.

Yes, I see how it would bother a prominent fundie historian that once in a while, we acknowledge something other than Christianity in this country. God help us all if we do it again sometime!

Fundies, tell me something. Do you go outside, or do you just stay in all day for fear ?

Maybe it's because you and your fundie friends don't have a monopoly on religion in this country. Maybe it's because there are some people out there who disagree with you.



"God" is mentioned nowhere in the Constitution, but "freedom of religion" is, do you think maybe this imperious attitude you have for Christianity may be a little off base? Or did you just need to come up with some explanation other than "Wah! I want only my Jeebus acknowledged! Wah!"?

Unless you have a time machine stashed away somewhere, I'm not sure how anyone can change the past.

Do you want to pray to other people so they stop being heathens? I know you're not praying to God, because you don't think He's going to stop people from doing things you don't like; you just think He's going to visit some Holy Wrath on us.


Catholic beliefs about Mary :

Mary, as are all who are saved, was saved by the blood of Christ. She is the greatest of Saints and her prayers for us are efficacious. She is a fully human creature and not in any way a goddess.


She is the Immaculate Conception who was filled with grace from her first moments, she is the Ark of the New Covenant and the New Eve


Mary is the "the Mother of God"




Mary remained both sinless and a virgin her entire life


Mary was assumed into Heaven by the power of God, where she was crowned Queen of Heaven




Hail, Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

Answer 4

Tango...you might as well have posted a question saying:

Who is ignorant, closed-minded and prideful?" seeing as how most of the answers have been people proving just that.

I'd like to know where it SAYS in the Bible that prayer is equal to worship? For those of you who keep saying "Catholics pray to her therefore they worship her."

To pray means to ask, to plead, to entreat...it does not mean to worship. It has become the term used for talking to God...but it does not mean worship. Get it right.

Seeing someone do something and knowing what they are doing are two different things. How would you fundamentalists, like to be accused of doing things people "thought" you did? What if you were arrested for doing something in which others watching thought they knew your intent when they did not? What would you say? You'd say...you are wrong, that's not what I was doing and you would explain. Yet these other people kept insisting that you were doing something you were not. It's very frustrating.

Answer 5

Should any protestant manage to live a life even remotely as pleasing to God as Mary's life most certainly was, it's quite likely that Jesus would offer him or her virtually the same heavenly rewards and honors that he has already bestowed on his sainted mother ... and that certainly would not make them worthy of our worship .

And since the words. "Hail Mary" as well as about 80 percent of the rest of the Hail Mary prayer are taken directly from scripture ... the exact words spoken to Mary by the angel Gabriel ... and by Mary's cousin Elizabeth ... most certainly inspired by God ... where's the problem?

Was Gabriel worshiping Mary, too? Does that make him Catholic?

These guys obviously have no idea at all how things actually work in the Kingdom of God.

Just goes to show you ... there's some things you can't learn just by reading about them ... no matter how holy the book.

Separate yourself from the authentic church and you're doomed to wallow in your own self induced confusion ... or worse.

Answer 6

Lots of luck with this one.

I would like to invite any of the myopic fundamentalists who have taken it upon themselves to assert here what "they" do (meaning, I'm assuming, every Catholic on the planet) to PROVE that I "worship" Mary. Or any of the other saints, for that matter. Not some amorphous, faceless "they": Me, personally. A 53-year-old Catholic grandmother, a former Baptist, somewhere in the midwest. Give it your best shot. I have e-mail enabled.

Or .. you could take the sensible suggestion made above to take our word for it, or agree to disagree on this one, and not be so concerned about what other people do. It will all be sorted out on the day of judgment, anyway -- by the One who is qualified to know what is in my heart as well as anyone else's.

Edit: Thumbs-down isn't quite what I had in mind. It constitutes about as much "proof" as the "you Catholics DO worship Mary!" from our Marian prayer historian here. If we're ever going to get past the sandbox with "do NOT!", "do TOO!" being flung back and forth, sooner or later somebody is going to have to acknowledge us as individuals ... and engage in a discussion on that basis. Unless, of course, everyone's too comfortable with their prejudices to actually find out the truth. And by the way, troops, prejudice is a sin.

Edit again: Seven (*now 13) hours later, and my e-mail inbox remains pristine. Interesting.

Answer 7

They have been told over and over ,but is does not sink in .Why, because they will feel defeated if they accept our word. They see someone kneeling before a stature of Mary and to them it is idol worship,no matter how we explain it. They have a deep seated hatred of the Catholic Faith because it was the first one and only universal Church that Christ established on earth ,They would rather read lies about it than accept it.They are so dumb they don't realise they are offending God and Mary deeply ,yet they profess to follow the Bible and put their trust in Jesus. This has been mentioned to them but there is no reaction, because they are right and Mary is wrong .It simply amazes me. I have never criticised any other Religion,although i certainly could, but why fuel the flames?" Mary said at one of her Apparitions (which of course they refuse to believe,and that is ok with me)
Mary always stresses that there is but one God and that people have enforced unnatural separation. One cannot truly believe, be a Christian,if he does not respect other religions as well. You do not really believe in God if you make fun of other religions. These are the words spoken by Mary. I have included this many times in my answers and not once has the questioner remarked about it. I really think they believe that i have made it all up.


EDIT.....GARY R .... You are the blasphemer.God is the only one who knows.

EDIT....Summer Breaze.... You say you used to be a Roman Catholic and you know what you are talking about. You know very well we don't do as you say in your answer.Why are you lying ? Every thing you said is a lie.You must be a very bitter person and you don't care that you are offending God and Mary deeply. You should not be called a "Christian".A blasphemer suits you better.


EDIT.....The Catholic Church began on Pentecost with the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and Mary after Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, NOT 300 years later.

EDIT...To Worthless Recruit.......you say "it's a disgusting act to think that God has a mother"Do you know how much that offends Jesus and Mary? Do they deserve that ?.Why are you so disgusting toward them? .Please tell me Are you a Christian. ?Are you just saying this to upset Catholics?.Jesus is the son of Mary. Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity.Jesus is God. There fore Mary is the Mother of God. He even says it. Too hard to understand ?




You see what i mean,it is useless trying to educate them. They behave like naughty children who won't do as they are told by their parents.

Answer 8

I always think it's strange that Protestants complain that the Hail Mary is blasphemous when it's SCRIPTURE!!!

Luke 1:28: "Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you."

Luke 1:42: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."

How can quoting Scripture be blasphemous?!?! Come on, Gary and all you others, what is your answer?

Answer 9

+PAX
Happy First Sunday of Advent to all!

To the gentleman above....As for bowing to a statue... any statue... I have NEVER bowed to a statue nor will I ever bow to a statue..

I believe that you are misinterpreting what you see. Perhaps you believe that by genuflecting toward the tabernacle we are bowing to a statue... we are genuflecting to the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus residing within the Tabernacle.

Perhaps you mean when we all drop to our knees in silence at the time of Christ's birth during the Creed at Christmas Eve Mass or perhaps when we drop to our knees in tears at 3 pm on Good Friday...oh, but all the statues are covered then.

I have a suggestion for those who believe these tales about Catholics. Come to Mass with us.. just once. I promise, we don't eat babies, we don't worship Satan, we don't do all the horrible things you accuse us of doing.....our doors are open to you. All we have to share with you is Love, the Gospel and friendship. We won't try and convert you... its not our style, the hard sell.

I would be more concerned about churches/cults whose doors are closed to you unless you are a member.

It is the time of our Lord's birth. It is a time of joy and peace in your heart...you only need to ask for it. Make it a good Advent for all....and think twice before writing down false accusations about a neighbor.

Waiting for Him,
j

Answer 10

I am not a Catholic. I don't have issues with Catholics. I'm a Christian who feels that the time spent on inter-denominational squabbles could be better spent.

Answer 11

I think it is just ignorance on their part (the fundies) because it is simply not true that we Catholics worship Mary or anyone other than God for that matter.