How many lifetimes do you have?
And what's "in my mind" is not what matters. What matters is what's in Scripture.
And Scripture tells us that to pray to anyone but the Triune God for strength, comfort, joy, trust, faith, protection, guidance, good health, happiness, patience, redemption and salvation is outright, clear and certain pagan idolatry.
Most of us Protestants did not know the depth of the deception the Roman Catholic church practices and teaches until we came to this forum and read what Roman Catholics say about Mary and her position in this world and the next.
Protestants believe that what RCs teach about Mary is no less than shameful. It offends our sense of what a Christian is. If Roman Catholics were not referred to under the umbrella of "Christian" no one would much care. But when the secular world, or even a seeker, looks for what Christianity means and is then met with this intense and repugnant idolatry which is somehow called "Christian," we Protestants can only shake our heads and say, "No, that's not what "Christian" means.
Here's another first-up on google. I can't even make it past the first line without disgust...
"O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church!, who from this place reveal your clemency and your pity to all those who ask for your protection, hear the prayer that we address to you...
Not only does JPII admit he is praying to Mary, but he is astoundingly, preposterously, blasphemously ASKING FOR HER "CLEMENCY!"
Wake up, people! You don't have all the time in the world to get this right!
Really? Where? And how do you know to Whom John Paul is praying? When I say Hail Mary I am praying to God.
The scripure does tell you though that the Apostolic Church, -- not you -- gets to decide what forms prayer takes.
It also tells you that the basis of your faith, -- salvation by faith alone, -- is a heresy. Worry about that, please.
As this heresy grows they will evolve right out of being a Christian assembly and into a Marian assembly.
Luke 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'...
They don't claim Abraham, instead they claim Mary.