No one said they were lying. It is the misinterpreting of actions that is the problem. I have no doubt that Catholics in normal and in foreign locales have parades with statues, etc.
The assumption that this is worship and that this means that Mary is regarded as a god is the problem.
Has there ever been a reliable survey taken among all the members of the RCC to ask them if they worship Mary? If not then we both are just speculating.
Has there been one among your denomination?
SD
Nope, but then again we do not engage in practices that could be construed as worshipping Mary.
-ksen
Bingo! This is what I am speaking about. In Romans somewhere (I'm too lazy and short on time to find out exactly where)Paul was telling people to be careful (I think he was talking about eating meatscrafice to idols) if that bothered someone not to do it. But it wasn't wrong to do if you were just eating to be eating. Practical application tells me that we should be careful of how people view the things we do. We are to call Mary blessed, that is all the bible says, to do more to the detriment of someone else is wrong. God never says we are to have parades, crown her in May, etc. etc. so not to do it would not be a sin. But if you do it and someone misintreprets it as worship and so begins to worship Mary themselves in their heart (as what I believe is the case in my family from the actions and things said by them) then you are leading peopleto sin against God.
Becky