Al Patrick wrote:

Some people who claim to "know" things know nothing at all. I have
nothing against "Catholics" I just think their religion stinks!

The point is they worship Mary when God says to worship Him.

I would think you need to look at this deeper. They don't worship Mary or ANY of
the Saints. Respect, admiration, love, etc are all most likely quite
permissible. God Himself can be the ONLY object of worship. The statues,
pictures and icons in all those churches serve only as an aid towards focusing
one's thoughts and are never used as idolatrous objects. That would be against
everything they teach.

Some people may pray to Mary as means of trying to get an inside track to the
Almighty with a petition for individual favours or something. I can safely write
that attempt off as human arrogance.




mike

"m II" wrote in message
news:J4F9e.40240$yV3.28691@clgrps12...

Some people may pray to Mary as means of trying to get an inside track to
the
Almighty with a petition for individual favours or something. I can safely
write
that attempt off as human arrogance.

Are you familiar with the Catholic tradition of the novena? For those not
familiar with Catholic traditions, it's nine-day prayerful plea, done in
front of a statute of Mary, in order to gain some
favor/cure/blessing/whatever from God. Is this idolatry? The New Catholic
Encyclopedia defines idolatry as, " Idolatry etymologically denotes Divine
worship given to an image, but its signification has been extended to all
Divine worship given to anyone or anything but the true God." (see
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07636a.htm). Pardon me if I am dense on this
particular matter, but couldn't a statute that one prays in front of be
considered an "image"?

Jackie

"Buzzygirl" wrote:
Are you familiar with the Catholic tradition of the novena? For those not
familiar with Catholic traditions, it's nine-day prayerful plea, done in
front of a statute of Mary, in order to gain some
favor/cure/blessing/whatever from God. Is this idolatry? The New Catholic
Encyclopedia defines idolatry as, " Idolatry etymologically denotes Divine
worship given to an image, but its signification has been extended to all
Divine worship given to anyone or anything but the true God." (see
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07636a.htm). Pardon me if I am dense on
this
particular matter, but couldn't a statute that one prays in front of be
considered an "image"?

Jackie

The key word is "worship." That sort of prayer is not a worshipful act,
it's a request for intercession.

73,

Steve


--
Steve Lawrence
Burnsville, Minnesota

Every moment of a human life is an act of worship.

Coincidence is God's way of being anonymous.

"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

Your denseness is pardoned. If we are to focus on one group for their
alleged practices of Worshipping this or that, and turn the other way for
everything else that everyone worships, isn't that hypocritical?

People worship SUVs, Cars, Sex, Money, Athletes, Movie Stars, drugs,
alcohol, you name it. Many of the above worshippers have "Graven Images"
of their desire posted all over their house. Yet the world continues to
focus on a group (Catholics) that, at the very least, dearly aspire to
follow the Word of God, whether or not their ways of doing it are
approved of by others in the same sect of religion, namely Christianity.


For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of
thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then
shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Matt 7:1-6




Look at your inward flaws and resolve them between you and God, worry
less about the flaws of others.

Dr. Artaud





Pardon me if I am dense on this particular matter, but couldn't a
statute that one prays in front of be considered an "image"?

Jackie

"§ Dr. Artaud §" wrote in message
...
"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

Your denseness is pardoned. If we are to focus on one group for their
alleged practices of Worshipping this or that, and turn the other way for
everything else that everyone worships, isn't that hypocritical?

Whatever. I'm not Christian and I don't really care who worships what.

Jackie

"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

The dismissive "whatever", so stereotypical of many moderns.

Then why do you post expressing incredulity at how someone allegedly
worships?

Nihilism then? Are your a Nihilist?

Not being Christian (but perhaps not a nihilist), yet willing to engage in
a thread discussing religion, your response does not necessarily mean that
you are not religious. What religion are you currently or according to what
faith were you raised?

Regards,

Dr. Artaud

Whatever. I'm not Christian and I don't really care who worships what.

Jackie

"§ Dr. Artaud §" wrote in message
...
"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

Nihilism then? Are your a Nihilist?

Hardly.

I'm officially agnostic, if you must know. I don't care to debate religion
with you... frankly, your posts have an air of self-smugness about them that
turns me off. Bye now.

Jackie

"Buzzygirl" wrote in message
...

"§ Dr. Artaud §" wrote in message
...
"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

Nihilism then? Are your a Nihilist?

Hardly.

I'm officially agnostic, if you must know. I don't care to debate religion
with you... frankly, your posts have an air of self-smugness about them
that
turns me off. Bye now.

Ha! And here I thought it was just me. ;)

"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

I am not familiar with your posts, I don't remember seeing your name
before. Not that I haven't, just that I don't remember.

Your critique of my posts is most welcome, but I "care about it" about as
much as you profess to care about Religion. Somehow I think that you
probably miss the irony in that.

You do indeed spend a lot of time telling people that you don't care. In
the future, try skipping posts that contain subjects that don't interest
you.

Concerning agnosticism, there is nothing like committing to non-
committal. Have some fortitude other than dismissive statements and
agnosticism. You can't even commit to not believing in God.


Regards,

Dr. Artaud


"§ Dr. Artaud §" wrote in message
...
"Buzzygirl" wrote in
:

Nihilism then? Are your a Nihilist?

Hardly.

I'm officially agnostic, if you must know. I don't care to debate
religion with you... frankly, your posts have an air of self-smugness
about them that turns me off. Bye now.

Jackie