Why do some Protestants think that Catholics "pray to" Mary or the Saints?

Question

When the Catholic Church has clearly stated that only God is worshipped, and that we are merely asking for their prayers, just as you would ask a friend?

For those of you who say that we do...

You need to do your research and stop listening to anti-Catholic rhetoric. If you look in any Catholic reference book (particularly the Catechism) you will see that we ask for intercession. We do not believe that they perform miracles or answer prayers...only God does that. Just because you say "they pray to them" doesn't make it so. Just because your preacher, or parents, or friends say it, doesn't make it true. Look for yourself!

Cloudcity...

The Rosary is a meditation on the life of Jesus. Each decade begines with Scripture, most of which do NOT include Mary! When we say the Hail Mary, it ends with "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death. Amen." We ask for her prayers, nothing more.

Answer 1

Peace.....I agree that many are not understanding our "praying to the Saints" - we pray to them for intercession and we like to have statues as reminder of their heroic life of virtue and endurance on earth - why does anyone have a picture of a loved one on their night table - deceased or living? The same reason - they are not worshiping this person, but want their memory and spirit nearby for devotion and encouragement. In some cases we see a particular Saint was involved in one thing or another - example teaching religion to children, caring for the sick, or they had a very hard life with suffering and tragedy, or better yet had to defend the faith in difficult circumstances even to the point of losing their life - when someone left on earth reads about this Saint and is undergoing the same trials now, they turn to this Saint for intercession to help with prayer.....why does anyone ask friends for help and prayers? It is the same thing.....accept it! God Bless, "orthros"

Answer 2

Well I can give you one reason. I am a protestant. At church last night a lady in my church was talking about her upcoming family Christmas celebration. Her one aunt (I believe she said aunt, may have been cousin) told her that she would leave the party if any Christmas music was played. She asked her why? She said because she is Catholic and does not worship our God she prays to Mary. This type of Catholic, of which there are too many, brand all Catholics as Mary worshipers.

Answer 3

Why ask a dead person to pray for you? The Bible says to pray to God in Jesus name. Jesus is our great HIGH PRIEST or our confession. Our intercessor. Read it in the Bible.
Mary was a "tool" for the birth of the Savior. She had other children after Jesus. She was not divine and she had to choose whether to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord just like everybody else. She was in the upper room and got baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost just like the others.

Catholics have made her into an idol.

Answer 4

You contradict yourself and you should speak for yourself because there are many Catholics who do pray to Mary and the Saints. I work with people who are Catholics and they have told me many times how they pray to Mary or Saint so and so. They also do what you are talking about, ask for their prayers. They refer to Mary as their blessed holy mother. This is all a form of idolatry. Where in the bible does God ever say pray to Mary or any other dead person, or ask for their prayers? In order for you to ask dead people anything means you are attempting to contact them and that is sin in itself. We can ask those Saints who are living to pray for us, which is scriptural and we can pray ourselves. If you are a true child of God, then God the Holy Spirit is our intercessor. The pope and the Catholic church is guilty of idol worship because he bows down to statues and talks to them. That is an abomination before God.

Answer 5

Because of things like this :

http://www.catholic.org/clife/prayers/prayer.php?s=31

It actually includes "A child's Prayer to Mary"

Call me crazy, but that sounds like praying to Mary.

Also, if you believe God hears your prayers, why is there need to pray to a dead Saint to get his attention? I think it would be a better use of time to say the prayer yourself to God, instead of asking Mary to talk to him for you.

Answer 6

Catholics kneel, bow their heads, close their eyes, and ask Mary for favors. Unless you think they're communicating with dissembodied spirits, you might conclude that they are praying. But, I guess you should believe it, when a catholic says, "I'm not actually praying, it just looks that way, and sounds that way..."

I used to have to say thousands of 'Hail Marys', over and over and over. That to me, qualified as prayer...

Answer 7

because they do pray to Mary and the Saints
I should know I used to be Catholic and they also teach that you cant go to heaven without the church "the church saves" and the rosery is full of prayers to Mary

Answer 8

I know first hand that they do pray to Mary for guidance, but they also pray to Jesus.

Protestants go straight to Jesus with prayer. There's no middle man or woman.

Answer 9

There is no god before Me.

There is only one True God of the Bible. His name is Jehovah. In any Bible you will find the name of God at Psalms 83:18.

One must pray to Jehovah and thank, praise,request,give honor to, Him in the name of His son, Jesus.

No saints, no Mary, no idols, just you Jehovah and Jesus.

End of story.

The Woodster

Answer 10

What do you think the Rosary is ? (which includes the prayer of Hail Mary)...

Catholics do pray to Mary...

You worship God; you pray to Mary... (praying is not the same as worshipping)

Edit: I hate to tell you, but even God doesn't answer prayers.