[Reo]

"And I wonder also how he can go from not worshipping Mary to now praying to her and bowing before her statues. How can he just give over his understanding of Scripture to the authority of Rome? "

Actually, for me it's not worshipping Mary so much as asking for prayer....much as I would ask my own mother for intercessory prayer, or pray for my children and grandchildren. As for scriptural authenticity, the first part of the "Hail Mary" is pure scripture (Luke 1:42) and the rest is a request for intercession. It's a family thing, Ghost; a great, big, wonderful family thing.....

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

No you are not going to get away with that explanation just because most non-Catholics only know about "Hail Mary." I've read the other prayers. I have looked at the theology and history behind it. It is worship. At minimum you are saying Mary is omniscient and omnipresent in that she can hear everyone's prayers, even if the only Mary prayer you pray is your Hail Mary.

I am not going to discuss this more on this thread. I was just making a point about how I cannot understand how a person goes from one thing to the other.