I think part of the answer is that, no, we don’t know exactly what each individual non-Catholic means when he says the saints are dead.
Also just as the argument seems to take very seriously their death, so much so that they are placed beyond the reach of legitimate communication from those who have not shuffled off the mortal coil — OUR side takes their being alive, members of the body which is Christ and whose union and communion is made possible by the Holy Spirit, more seriously than their having ‘died.’
And there’s no particular reason why what, for shorthand, I;ll call your side, should be granted the right to dominate the terminology NOR for our side to assume that we know in detail the opinion of each individual disagreeing with us about the communion of the saints.
There is a certain kabuki quality to the exchange, but when we think the currently being alive of the saints is, so to speak, operative,while some who disagree with us think that their death is more important AND when these differences also touch on the highest sort of theology (God and time) and on eschatology, it is probably good to go through the “set piece” early exchanges in case something new is being brought to the table.
At least, that’s why ->I<- respond to someone saying, say, “Dominic is dead,” by saying he’s alive. Mary is, surprise surprise, a special case.
The accessibility and the “vitality” of the saints is, for us, a doctrinal matter (duh), and for some people a very real experience (however the ‘objective’ observer might consider that.) I know people who strike me as eminently sane and not the least bit flighty who claim strong and vital relationships, “Friendships” with one or more saints.
For them, I ask you to imagine that it’s like somebody saying “Joe is dead,” and responding, “How can that be? I was just talking with him.”
Sigh.
I think I understand your reasoned perspective.
I guess that leaves it to us Prottys to use some term like
“Graduated Believer(s).”
For some reason, they fail to do so . . . and the —to me— inane exchanges perpetuate for the umpteen thousandth time.
It would set my teeth on edge sometimes, if I had any.