[TomSmedley]

Functionally, and traditionally, the BVM fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions. A divine entity, an alternate mediator between God and man, an alternate method of salvation, a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering deity who also grants mystical experiences of Herself. The weird vibes surrounding, for example, the "Blue Army of our Lady of Fatima" have the same flavor as those surrounding the deity of Mormonism, another para-Christian cult with an alternate deity. A nice one, mind you.

[kosta50]

Functionally, and traditionally, the BVM fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions

Huh? Could you back that up with something? "Functionally and traditionally...fills the space of a goddess?" What does that really mean?

[adiaireton8]

Functionally, and traditionally, the BVM fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions.

And what is wrong with that? Wouldn't we expect the truth to be pre-figured in the pagan religions, but fully actualized in the true religion? Mary is what Aphrodite, Artemis, Isis, etc. only pre-figured, just as Jesus is what Baal and Ra and Zeus only pre-figured in a natural and often distorted way. If you think a religious belief should be dismissed because it meets a psychological need, then out goes Christianity. (Just read Dennett's Breaking the Spell).

-A8

[bornacatholic]

Functionally, and traditionally, the BVM fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions.;';

*LMAO

[JCEccles]

The weird vibes surrounding, for example, the "Blue Army of our Lady of Fatima" have the same flavor as those surrounding the deity of Mormonism, another para-Christian cult with an alternate deity. A nice one, mind you.

The Catholic belief that Mary gave birth without suffering the physical changes or pain of childbirth certainly doesn't bother me. Neither does transubstantiation. Neither does the fundamentalist belief in a literal six day creation period. Neither does the Calvinists' fevered belief in predestination. I myself find these beliefs unconvincing and unpersuasive to a greater or lesser degree.

No matter. Every man believes thoroughly improbable and odd things, Mr. Calvinist.

The one improbable and odd thing believed by Catholics, Mormons, and Calvinists alike is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, actually and truly lived and ministered on this blue planet about 2000 years ago, was scourged and put to death on the cross as a common criminal, after three days was actually and truly raised up to everlasting life to take his place on the right hand of God, that by his sacrifice and atonement all mankind will be resurrected, and those that believed on his name, the only name given under heaven whereby man man may be saved, shall have eternal life and live as joint heirs with him forever.

I understand these things. I was born Catholic, raised Protestant, and am now LDS. I know these things personally and directly.

One must be an atheist and materialist to believe a truly impossible thing: that this astonishingly complex and meaningful miracle called life coalesced out of mindless and directionless chaos in a few billion years and will gone in a few billion more, just a pointless and absurd joke conjured up without planning or intention by a blind, deaf, dumb, unreasoning cosmic comedian.

[annalex]

the [Blessed Virgin Mary] fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions

Rather, the psychic and psychological space had been formed in all men to anticipate the Incarnation through a human mother.

[hosepipe]

[.. Functionally, and traditionally, the BVM fills the psychic and psychological space occupied by goddesses in pagan religions. A divine entity, an alternate mediator between God and man, an alternate method of salvation, a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering deity who also grants mystical experiences of Herself. The weird vibes surrounding, for example, the "Blue Army of our Lady of Fatima" have the same flavor as those surrounding the deity of Mormonism, another para-Christian cult with an alternate deity. ...]

Nice work.. but you're posting into to a long dark culvert..
The disconnect to pagan Queens of Heaven.. is great..
i.e. Isis and Horus(perpetual infant), Ashteroth(wife of Baal,Molech), Buddist, Hindu, Gnostic, and other mystery religions..

You did put it quite well I think.. short, sweet , to the point..