Quote:
Originally Posted by pelathais
Sam summed it up pretty well. The RCC is "petitioning" a saint to pray for them... and NOT "worshiping" the saint. At least they're not supposed to.
"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, "
This is how the angel greeted Mary - Luke 1:28 - no worship here.
"and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."
A summation of the words further spoken by the angel - Luke 1:30-35
"Holy Mary, Mother of God,"
This includes the the "Θεοτόκε" statement that many say was added later. "Θεοτόκε" is Greek for "God bearing" or "Mother of God." Technically, this does sum up what the angel was saying when he described the "Son of God" that was to be born from Mary's womb.
"pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen"
This is the petition asking Mary, the mother of Jesus to pray for the one saying these words. Christians commonly as other Christians to pray for them.
Nothing here about "worship" nor even submission like we see in the "Lord's Prayer:"
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
...
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
There. A "defense" of the "Hail Mary." Is this a "FIRST" on backslidden AFF? |
If this is where the Catholic religion left it, maybe I wouldn't be so sure in my view of them as IDOLATERS.
When praying to these "saints" to pray on one's behalf, there is the automatic response of reverence for these human beings-- a reverence that lends itself to rival the reverence deserved only for our GOD and Savior.
Furthermore, praying to these "saints" does very little to foster the Biblical truth of our abilities to "boldly approach the throne."
Instead of "asking our Father", trusting in Our Father, and believing in the ability and willingness of our Father to answer our call, the practice of praying to others to pray for us lends itself to asking, trusting, and believing in the ability and willingness of whoever we are praying to, that they might do something on our behalf.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
-
James 1:17
To call Catholicism a religion of idolatry is not a stretch at all.
While we're at it, there is not much good we should say about the theology of the Mormons and JW's too.
The people may be nice, but their belief system is flawed, faulty, wrong, false.
The belief systems of the Jehovah Witnesses, Catholicism, and Mormonism will not lead anyone to eternal life with Jesus Christ
as these belief systems do not encourage a biblical faith in, "the only wise God our Savior, {to whom be} glory, majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
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Jude 1:25
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