http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/ Books, Magazines, and Audio, and Video Resources for Catholics Sat, 26 May 2012 07:53:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/comment-page-1/#comment-50482 Ex Head Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:36:05 +0000 http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/#comment-50482 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me ...." Or any ............" Graven image   paraphrased for simplicity "Thou shalt have no other gods before me …." Or any …………" Graven image
  paraphrased for simplicity

]]> http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/comment-page-1/#comment-50483 Sldgman Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:36:05 +0000 http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/#comment-50483 In Jesus, the Pharisees out acts of justice, but had no love of God in his heart. They performed acts of worship so that others would have a favorable impression of them. For them, what mattered was what they did, not what was in their hearts.   These days, many non-Catholics will see in what Catholics are doing and assume what is in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church. For them, what Catholics are doing is more important than what may be in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church. In Jesus, the Pharisees out acts of justice, but had no love of God in his heart. They performed acts of worship so that others would have a favorable impression of them. For them, what mattered was what they did, not what was in their hearts.
  These days, many non-Catholics will see in what Catholics are doing and assume what is in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church. For them, what Catholics are doing is more important than what may be in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church.

]]> http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/comment-page-1/#comment-50484 greywill Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:36:05 +0000 http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/#comment-50484 My dear ... you're confused. Even a layman can tell what pagan is idolatry, and even a pagan secular people can tell when something that is not worship the Christian God. My dear … you're confused. Even a layman can tell what pagan is idolatry, and even a pagan secular people can tell when something that is not worship the Christian God.

]]> http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/comment-page-1/#comment-50485 rose-dan Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:36:05 +0000 http://www.romancatholicresources.com/2009/09/what-is-your-opinion-about-the-expression-of-devotion-mariam/#comment-50485 Yes, I know, people easily get confused: there is a difference b / t "worshiping the golden calf", kind of idolatry, and the statues that have or images of Jesus and / or saints to decorate a church or at home . Most intelligent people realize that a statue or image is a physical representation, or a reminder of someone. If you are praying before a statue or image, not necessarily "religious" that the statue or image, often, help you focus on objects that are trying to connect through prayer.   Another very important point: there is a difference b / t "prayer" and "cult." The only entity that receives worship in Christianity (well, that God, at least in Catholocism). However, you can "pray" or "talk to" Mary, or any of the Saints. "Prayer is communication with someone, usually someone beyond this plane of existence. The Merriam-Webster offers this site of the etymology of the word "pray":   "precarious of America, prec-Prex request, prayer, similar to Old High German fraga question, fragen ask questions prcchati Sanskrit"   Thus, it is often a request or a question, asking for something.   WORSHIP, however, is more of what people really mean when they are upset by the Catholics to "pray" to Mary, sure, you can "talk" with her, but certainly not supposed to "worship" at all! Nor ever want to "worship" it, which would be appalled by the idea of this type. Merriam-Webster's etymology of "cult":   "Middle English worship dignity, respect, reverence attention to a divine being, the old English weorthscipe dignity, respect, of weorth worthy, worth + scip-ship"   Yes, this is what one should or offered to the divine entity or God. And this "cult", at least in Catholocism, only turns to God.   And btw, I know of ZERO "statues" of God the Father, in fact, I can only remember one or two cases back to see a box with an artistic representation of God the Father (the Sistine Chapel, where the arm of God reaches to creation of Adam, and a photo I once saw trying to represent the Trinity)   So the reason many people are upset about Mary's B / C confuse "prayer" with "cult" (and yes, some people say they are "praying" to God, and may do so, but there are also WORSHIP participate when he "prays" to God). And the reason people get annoyed by statues and images they do not understand the difference b / t "pray in the presence of a statue" and "pray to a statue." It really is not anyone's fault, just confusing word choice and the limitations of language.   So long as you understand in your heart and soul that you can see a statue, while "praying" to the entity, then all is well. And as long as you understand the difference b / t "praying" to Mary or a saint, and "worship" to God, then again, all is well.   Peace. Yes, I know, people easily get confused: there is a difference b / t "worshiping the golden calf", kind of idolatry, and the statues that have or images of Jesus and / or saints to decorate a church or at home . Most intelligent people realize that a statue or image is a physical representation, or a reminder of someone. If you are praying before a statue or image, not necessarily "religious" that the statue or image, often, help you focus on objects that are trying to connect through prayer.
  Another very important point: there is a difference b / t "prayer" and "cult." The only entity that receives worship in Christianity (well, that God, at least in Catholocism). However, you can "pray" or "talk to" Mary, or any of the Saints. "Prayer is communication with someone, usually someone beyond this plane of existence. The Merriam-Webster offers this site of the etymology of the word "pray":
  "precarious of America, prec-Prex request, prayer, similar to Old High German fraga question, fragen ask questions prcchati Sanskrit"
  Thus, it is often a request or a question, asking for something.
  WORSHIP, however, is more of what people really mean when they are upset by the Catholics to "pray" to Mary, sure, you can "talk" with her, but certainly not supposed to "worship" at all! Nor ever want to "worship" it, which would be appalled by the idea of this type. Merriam-Webster's etymology of "cult":
  "Middle English worship dignity, respect, reverence attention to a divine being, the old English weorthscipe dignity, respect, of weorth worthy, worth + scip-ship"
  Yes, this is what one should or offered to the divine entity or God. And this "cult", at least in Catholocism, only turns to God.
  And btw, I know of ZERO "statues" of God the Father, in fact, I can only remember one or two cases back to see a box with an artistic representation of God the Father (the Sistine Chapel, where the arm of God reaches to creation of Adam, and a photo I once saw trying to represent the Trinity)
  So the reason many people are upset about Mary's B / C confuse "prayer" with "cult" (and yes, some people say they are "praying" to God, and may do so, but there are also WORSHIP participate when he "prays" to God). And the reason people get annoyed by statues and images they do not understand the difference b / t "pray in the presence of a statue" and "pray to a statue." It really is not anyone's fault, just confusing word choice and the limitations of language.
  So long as you understand in your heart and soul that you can see a statue, while "praying" to the entity, then all is well. And as long as you understand the difference b / t "praying" to Mary or a saint, and "worship" to God, then again, all is well.
  Peace.

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