Why aren't more Christians devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

[BCRanger10]

Why aren't more Christians devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary? It makes perfect sense and is in absolutely no way blasphemous or idolatrous. Mary knew and loved Jesus more perfectly and completely than any other person who has ever lived. And the Hail Mary prayer is literally just repeating the words of the Archangel Gabriel and Elizabeth in Luke 1.28 and 42.

I also wrote an entire MyTake on this a couple of years ago.

So what's the problem with Marian devotion? Why don't more Christians appreciate Mary?

[SixFootSexy]

The problem with it is that there isn't a single verse in scripture to pray to or with or for Mary. The Bible nowhere indicates that Mary can hear our prayers or that she can mediate for us with God. Jesus is our only advocate and mediator in heaven (1 Timothy 2:5)

In fact, Jesus contradicted the woman that said Mary should be blessed: “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed” (Luke 11:27). There was never a better opportunity for Jesus to declare that Mary was indeed worthy of praise and adoration. What was Jesus’ response? “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28). According to Jesus, obedience to God’s Word was more important than being the woman who gave birth to the Savior.

https://www.gotquestions.org/virgin-Mary.html

[BCRanger10]

The first question I'd ask in response is this: Is the commandment to honor father and mother still in effect today? Jesus himself reaffirmed that exact commandment, so the answer would have to be "yes". And keep in mind, if you believe that Jesus is God (John 1.1-14), then you'd also have to concede that Mary truly is the mother of God. And if you believe in and love Jesus, then it would in fact be good, holy, and just to honor and revere Mary as well. Would it not?

The follow-up to that is did Mary herself hear, observe, and keep the word of God or did she not? Remember, she also said "all generations will call me blessed" in the exact same Gospel you cite. So either a) Mary is to be blessed, but Jesus is dishonoring his mother and teaching us to do so as well (and therefore sinning, which is an absurd contention), b) the Bible contradicts itself and is therefore false, or c) there is a deeper truth being communicated. I'm going with option "C".

Here's a great article by a man named Tim Staples, who was himself raised Baptist (I think), but later converted to the Catholic Church. His brother did as well and is now a priest... www.catholic.com/.../that-time-jesus-dissed-his-mom

[SixFootSexy]

Jesus is in fact, not dishonoring his mother. Even in other instances: "On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

Imagine a president. His mother was NOT elected president. Does the president's mom get executive authority? Did she get the vote of the people? Do people have to respect her with the same honor as the President? Absolutely not, she simply raised a boy who grew up to become the president.

That is what is happening here with Jesus who is the Savior and God, and Mary, who is not either of those things. He respected her and even blessed her, however he did not encourage any of his followers to do so.

So many things about Mary the Catholics try to sneak in with traditions of men that are simply not anywhere to be found in the bible. Mary was not an eternal virgin, she had other children after Jesus. Mary cannot hear our prayers or mediate for us. The virgin Mary did not have an “immaculate conception.”

Lev. 26:1, “You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.” All across the world, in Catholic and Orthodox churches, images of Mary are elevated in Feasts and Churches. In those churches, people very often bow down to statues of Mary. This is a clear violation of scripture.
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry,” (1 Cor. 10:14).

[BCRanger10]

The president analogy doesn't work or hold up because it's a mischaracterization of not only the relationship between Jesus and Mary, but also of the role of what was called the "queen-mother" in the Davidic Kingdom of the Old Testament. That was an actual, formal office; the queen then was not the king's wife, but his mother. You see this in no less than 1 Kings (or 3, depending on the translation), when Bathsheba goes to meet King Solomon and he rose and bowed to her when she entered the room, and then had her sit down beside him. According to the book of Jeremiah, in order for a dynasty to end, both the king AND queen-mother had to be dethroned (Jeremiah 13.18).

The structure of Christianity is very much intended to follow that of the Davidic Kingdom, as confirmed when Gabriel told Mary that her son, Jesus Christ, will receive the throne of his father David (Luke 1.32). And as a side note, this also punches a huge hole in the "Mary had other children" argument. Quite simply, how many other Jews of that day would have been able to claim David as their father (also worth noting: David had been dead for at least 1,000 years by then; it takes 1st century Jewish thinking to understand)?

So to honor the king's mother is also to honor the king himself.

Plus, even if your analogy did hold (which again, it does not), would the president not rightly feel insulted if someone told him "hey prezzo, you're a good guy and great leader, but you mom was nothing special"?

[Ask105]

Because that’s idolatry all we worship is god and the son look everyone one of them have a place but its not are focus we can learn from them all tho

[BCRanger10]

How is it idolatry?

[Ask105]

The bible says holy bible most catholics dont read it they have someone read bits in pieces for them it says do not worship graven images or nothing else above me we can look up to them but anything else is kind of like nah plain and simple

[Ask105]

Devotion you almost worshipping her we don’t worship saints angels etc my take is you’re not supposed to and pointless but i threw that out there do what you want and maybe do a little research with some verses i think six foot person made good comment on it

[BCRanger10]

Idolatry is the worship of an idol. Mary is not an idol and we do not worship her or the Saints (or at least not in the sense of that which we owe only to God).

Yes, he did make a comment on it. Several in fact, but they were FAR from good. He accuses Catholics of "hiding behind tradition" or something or other, but without the slightest bit of irony. I could point to 2 Thessalonians 2.15, which says we are to hold to our traditions. Or I could point to Jesus teaching us the Our Father prayed, or when he says "do this in memory of me" at the Last Supper, which indicates that this action is to be repeated by all generations hence, that they are to participate in them and hand them down to their children.

I could just as easily accuse him and others of hiding behind the Bible, despite the fact that it says nowhere - NO. WHERE. - that the Bible is to be the sole or even primary authority in matters of faith and morals. The argument always comes down, in one way or another, to "it's not in the Bible" and always lacks understanding of why Catholics do, say, and think as we do.

[Ask105]

Ask Jesus and wait for an answer brother

[BCRanger10]

On what?

[Ask105]

You’re questions im out the convo have a good day we all have different points so i would just pray and ask what you think is right

[strateguy632]

Because that DISTRACTED from christ. Christian is by name a focus on christ. And popes sin by praying to mary when jesus said how to pray. but preists* lead followers to disobey the way to pray (with repeated rosary and not to the father saying "Hail Mary, full of grace.")

[qwerty2469]

Because Christians follow the words and works of Jesus christ not his mother.

[BCRanger10]

Should we not? And if so, why not?

[qwerty2469]

No we should not. She was a vessel amd not Devine. The religion is called Christianity and not Maryanity.

[BCRanger10]

Whoever said Mary is divine? I don't know of any Catholic who thinks so.

[qwerty2469]

Then you dont know any Catholics or Christians. Why are you even here? You are completely ignorant.

[BCRanger10]

No, I'm just a faithful and knowledgeable Catholic and also a certified Catechist.

[qwerty2469]

Oh. A Satanist half Hebrew idolater thats never read the Bible. Gotcha. Have you tried reading the Bible?

[BCRanger10]

Yes, in fact. I've read through all four Gospels and handful of times and am currently about halfway through the Old Testament, getting to the end of the book of Job. What of it?

[qwerty2469]

So you read it amd you still dont understand it and worship Satan. Good for you, I guess.

[docster]

Luke 4

[BCRanger10]

What of it?

[docster]

I just spent 20 minutes typing in three quotes from the Bible and this app cut it all off. I'll have to just put in the locations:
Luke 4:8
Matthew 6:7-8
Romans 3:23

When will gag fix this app?

[BCRanger10]

Regarding Luke 4.8, what does that have to do with Mary?

Regarding Matthew 6.7-8, yes and he says that right before he teaches us the Our Father prayer, which can also be said with vanity, complacency, and emptiness. What's your point?

Regarding Roman's 3.23, you do realize who "all have sinned" includes, right?

[docster]

Luke 4:8. Worship the Triune God, not Mary or "saints".

Matt. 6:7-8. Forbids repetitive prayer such as the rosary.

Romans 3:23-24. All have sinned. This includes Mary and "saints". Only Jesus is sinless. We become righteous through the gift of His love by the ransom Christ Jesus paid to free us. Not by any good works on our part (penance).

Mary is barely mentioned in the Bible because she was just a humble Jewish girl who was chosen to give birth to the Messiah. Our salvation is through Jesus alone. Christians know this. Romans Catholicism is not Christian. The RCC adds many things which are forbidden in the Bible and also changed the Ten Commandments in an attempt to justify idolatry. For more information, I direct you to Mike Gendron's website. He's much better at pointing out the falsehoods of the RCC than me. proclaiming thegospel. net

[BCRanger10]

Luke 4.8 - Where are you getting this idea that Catholics "worship" Mary and the saints?

Matthew - In what way does it forbid repetitive prayer? All it says is "do not babble like the pagans do". Jesus himself grew up reciting the Psalms and participating in ritualistic worship. As I said before, the very next set of verses, he teaches us the Our Father prayer. And then, during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prays three times "if it is possible, let this cup pass from me". So did he contradict himself? And sorry, but you're not going to convince me that all the "mamaya, mamaya, papaya, papaya, shamalama-ding-dong" so-called "speaking in tongues" that you see at some churches is actual prayer.

Romans - What do you make of the phrase "full of grace", which is how Gabriel addressed Mary in Luke 1? Do you know what that phrase means?