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Lerxstcat · 04-23-2008, 07:16 PM

People who pray to the Pope don't understand catholicism, but then not everybody understands the religion they follow. I don't pretend to understand everything about Catholicism myself, nor do I believe in every dogma the Church promulgates.

I think that's a misconception on your part that because someone is a Catholic, that they believe everything the Church says, hook, line and sinker.

But what I DO know, and have said before in this thread, is that Catholicism does not pray to the Pope, or Mary or the saints as dieties.

We do believe that those who have died still exist as immortal souls who have passed on and are to varying degrees in communion with God, more so than those of us still alive on the Earthly plane.

They word "pray" really means "please". so when Catholics pray to Mary or to saints they aren't praying as to a worshipped diety, but to a departed soul who has God's favor and his ear. It's basically a prayer saying "please put in a good word to God for me. Intercede with Him on my behalf.
My plea may not mean anything to Him, but if His Moth"er Mary asks Him to help me, that will carry more weight than Lerxst asking God directly.

This makes sense to me, and I don't see Mary or the saints or departed Popes as dieties. But I do believe that they are departed souls who can receive our communications, particularly Mary. I don't really pray to saints myself, but I do pray to Mary for intercession. If the Mother of Christ can't get me a break, then I'm out of luck. She is not a diety but she is an especially holy woman and unique as the mother of God's incarnation as man.

You may not want to recognize this distinction between reverence and worshgip, but it still exists. But again, many Catholics are not experts in their religion. You're raised in it and you go every week, but not every member of any religion is a theologian. Some people are questioners and some don't feel the need to question.

I agree with you that probably no religion is 100% correct in its teachings; with humans that is impossible. But it doesn't negate the good that religion does either. I find it surprising that anyone who went through Katrina and its aftermath would question that, since Christian volunteers of all denominations have been crucial in our recovery.

04-23-2008, 07:16 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lerxstcat Band Whore Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 400 Rep Power: 23	People who pray to the Pope don't understand catholicism, but then not everybody understands the religion they follow. I don't pretend to understand everything about Catholicism myself, nor do I believe in every dogma the Church promulgates. I think that's a misconception on your part that because someone is a Catholic, that they believe everything the Church says, hook, line and sinker. But what I DO know, and have said before in this thread, is that Catholicism does not pray to the Pope, or Mary or the saints as dieties. We do believe that those who have died still exist as immortal souls who have passed on and are to varying degrees in communion with God, more so than those of us still alive on the Earthly plane. They word "pray" really means "please". so when Catholics pray to Mary or to saints they aren't praying as to a worshipped diety, but to a departed soul who has God's favor and his ear. It's basically a prayer saying "please put in a good word to God for me. Intercede with Him on my behalf. My plea may not mean anything to Him, but if His Moth"er Mary asks Him to help me, that will carry more weight than Lerxst asking God directly. This makes sense to me, and I don't see Mary or the saints or departed Popes as dieties. But I do believe that they are departed souls who can receive our communications, particularly Mary. I don't really pray to saints myself, but I do pray to Mary for intercession. If the Mother of Christ can't get me a break, then I'm out of luck. She is not a diety but she is an especially holy woman and unique as the mother of God's incarnation as man. You may not want to recognize this distinction between reverence and worshgip, but it still exists. But again, many Catholics are not experts in their religion. You're raised in it and you go every week, but not every member of any religion is a theologian. Some people are questioners and some don't feel the need to question. I agree with you that probably no religion is 100% correct in its teachings; with humans that is impossible. But it doesn't negate the good that religion does either. I find it surprising that anyone who went through Katrina and its aftermath would question that, since Christian volunteers of all denominations have been crucial in our recovery. Last edited by Lerxstcat; 04-23-2008 at 07:18 PM.