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I understand you to say that it is remarkable that communications to Mary would be assisted by the Lord. I'm saying EVERY communication at all times is assisted by the Lord, and no communication would ever happen without him.

If that is not scriptural, then I am not scriptural. But you sound like a deist here - God wound up the communication mechanism and turned it loose? - and I know that's not true, that you're not a Deist.

So then you make the equivalence that if we say God enables communication with Mary then we are making God Mary's secretary.

And rather than dispute that, I run with it. (Would it be better if I said volunteer secretary, or if you had?)

I took the equivalence that you made So, you pray to Mary and Jesus is her secretary relaying the message to her?, that is,if God helps, He must be in a servant role, and ran it out. You added the element of compulsion to what we were saying. It seems to me that if you reject what I say then you have to reject the argument that we are making Jesus Mary's secretary.

Then you say, Pardon me if that conjures up images of Jesus looking to Mary "Hey, Mom. Mad Dawg is talking to you."

Would it be okay or at least pardonable if I characterized the Calvinist view as God as a puppet master controlling everything for his amusement, saving some puppets but throwing others into fire, like a spoiled emperor pulling the wings off of flies, or a Spartan killing a Helot just for the, uh, Helot of it? It wouldn't be okay with ME if I did that.

And again, you all think that God is in time and changeable. We don't. He serves. He has always served. That's what Sovereigns do. Tyrants dominate. That's why people hate tyrants and love their good kings. They don't serve out of compulsion, but out of wisdom and love.

As to the rest, we take seriously the saying:

Αγαπητοι, νυν τεκνα θεου εσμεν, και ουπω εφανερωθη τι εσομεθα. οιδαμεν οτι εαν φανερωυη ομοιοι αθτω εσομεθα, οτι οψομεθα καθωσ εστιν.
we shall be like Him (I John 3:2)

And, come to think of it, "..greater things than these ..."

We take the promises very seriously indeed, and rejoice in them.

I'm not saying, when I say God is your secretary, that He is your inferior. I'm saying that you couldn't communicate at all or with anyone whatsoever without His sustaining the act at every level, physical and metaphysical and psychological, and in every other way that it needs support.
Mad Dawg. This argument is silly. I can fully believe in God's sovereign sustainment of humanity without labeling him a "Secretary." And, you know that I do believe in these things so the line of questioning here is fruitless.

I thought it was the Calvinists who were all about the Sovereignty of God, but now you seem to be in position of saying that communication can happen without God's help.
Uh, where did I say this? Nowhere. I live and breathe and have my being in God Almighty. I am saved by His Sovereign will. Do not be mistaken. I am fully aware that I am NOTHING without the direct and sovereign agency of God.

I understand you to say that it is remarkable that communications to Mary would be assisted by the Lord. I'm saying EVERY communication at all times is assisted by the Lord, and no communication would ever happen without him.
No, MadDawg, you are switching the subject is what you are doing. You are trying to take it from a "Communication with the dead [including Mary] is unbiblical" to "God makes communication with Mary possible." You haven't proven the middle step. First, it has to be biblical, which it is not. Second, it has to show up in Scripture as something that we are supposed to do. Considering that Paul was writing to an audience physically living on earth when he said Intercede, I don't believe you have a case that the Saints who have gone to heaven intercede. Third, God has to make it possible that all of those saints can hear, discern, understand all the people that are speaking to them - which is something that you have theorized but have not proven.

If that is not scriptural, then I am not scriptural. But you sound like a deist here - God wound up the communication mechanism and turned it loose? - and I know that's not true, that you're not a Deist.
Yes, you know that is not true. I dont' see anything that I said that would lead you to believe that I have any deistic thoughts either.

So then you make the equivalence that if we say God enables communication with Mary then we are making God Mary's secretary.

And rather than dispute that, I run with it. (Would it be better if I said volunteer secretary, or if you had?)
No, because it still creates a rather odd scenario. We communicate with Mary. Mary can't hear it so Jesus takes the message. Mary gets the message and then tells Jesus what it was. Now, if you had said that God gave Mary omniscience, then he is no longer her secretary. You have other issues, but he isnt' a secretary. Would it be okay or at least pardonable if I characterized the Calvinist view as God as a puppet master controlling everything for his amusement, saving some puppets but throwing others into fire, like a spoiled emperor pulling the wings off of flies, or a Spartan killing a Helot just for the, uh, Helot of it? It wouldn't be okay with ME if I did that.
You can characterize God's Sovereignty as you wish. But be aware, Paul already dealt with the objections in Romans 9 and God Himself did so at the end of the book of Job.

And again, you all think that God is in time and changeable. We don't. He serves. He has always served. That's what Sovereigns do. Tyrants dominate. That's why people hate tyrants and love their good kings. They don't serve out of compulsion, but out of wisdom and love.
Earthly kings are given their authority by the people. They do not necessarily serve either. They do as they wish, sometimes to the benefit of the people sometimes to the detriment. God always works things for the good of His people. This does not mean that He is the people's servant. His actions are that of a benefactor. But it is 100% His will and plan, not ours.

As to the rest, we take seriously the saying: Áãáðçôïé, íõí ôåêíá èåïõ åóìåí, êáé ïõðù åöáíåñùèç ôé åóïìåèá. ïéäáìåí ïôé åáí öáíåñùõç ïìïéïé áèôù åóïìåèá, ïôé ïøïìåèá êáèùó åóôéí. we shall be like Him (I John 3:2) And, come to think of it, "..greater things than these ..." We take the promises very seriously indeed, and rejoice in them.
And, we take seriously the first part of the verse as well...it doth not yet appear what we shall be. We don't know what form our Christ-likeness will be. We don't know that we will be omniscient as He is omniscient. We shouldn't presume what Scripture doesn't tell us.