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To: DoughtyOne
I believe you are referring to the deification of Mary, Jesus mother. My religion teaches that Mary was a good woman honored of God.

The Bible teaches that Mary was "full of grace" (the literal meaning of the angel's greeting to her) and she herself, under inspiration, said "all generations to come shall call me blessed".

That's a bit more than just a "good woman honored of God". Sarah was a "good woman honored of God," but nobody ever said anything like that about her.

She's not a goddess, she's a redeemed and glorified human being. She's "deified" in the sense that all the glorified are "deified": they are made partakers of the divine nature, see 2 Pt 1:4. Religions which teach more than that are idolatrous; religions which teach less than that contradict Scripture.

112 posted on 03/25/2002 12:27:39 PM PST by Campion
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To: Campion
As long as you don't impart pefection to Mary, I'm in agreement with you. Mary was and had to be a real human in all senses for Jesus to become a man. Obviously Mary was honored above all other humans in that she would bear the Christ Child. Other than that, I think she was a falible human being who struggled to live a good life much the same as Christians do today. I certainly don't wish my comments to imply that she wasn't a wonderful person. I just think we're making a mistake if we consider her on a status different than some of the disciples. Of course a few of the diciples were less than exemplary, but they were considered to be holy men. All but one that is. Christ was and still is the only perfect human.

Even today we are admonished to honor those who follow God's word. I have the deepest respect for Mary. We are indebted to her for bearing and raising Jesus, but I think her selection to be Jesus mother was the pinicle of her existance. I am certain she would agree.

Let's also consider this. If Jesus received any special treatment above and beyond that of a normal human child, it could be stated that he obtained an unfair advantage making it possible for him to attain pefection. Having a perfect mother would have validated such a claim. Jesus had to deal with human frailties, just as you and I.

In one spot in the Bible I believe Jesus stated that He had no more access to special powers than those available to the common man. The Holy Spirit is there for US. And we have access to Jesus even as He had access to God through prayer. Jesus only had God the Father to pray to, a being that hadn't lived as one of us, or experienced our existance.

This is a very powerful concept that most of us overlook. It also lends itself to the idea that man can and should live near a pefect existance. I do not feel that man will live a perfect existance until Jesus comes to call us up into the clouds with him, but I do believe that our probation will close before Jesus arrives back to collect us unto Himself. Those who are translated without seeing death will have been purjed of sin before that moment. IMO

135 posted on 03/25/2002 1:35:06 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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