"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and pleasing to God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth"
Now, as a non-Catholic I have a problem theologically with this in the manner they choose (especially asking for intercession from the Saints and Mary who have already passed), however, I will not bear false witness and falsely proclaim that Catholics are describing this mediation as any sort of replacement or equality to Christ or His role.
Biblically speaking, that is definitely an equality to Christ role on earth. Based upon Colossians:
Colossians 1:18 And he [CHRIST] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Thank you. It is nice to read a reasoned disagreement every now and again.
One of the problems is the difference between popular-Roman Catholicism, or how doctrines are commonly understood or practiced, verses, what the official teaching is—and understood by more educated and sophisticated Roman Catholics.
For example, Rome NEVER officially taught that Purgatory was suffered to pay for guilt for sin, as Jesus did that on the cross, rather, Purgatory was to pay for the duty of penance not completed on earth.... BUT to the common medieval person, Purgatory was UNDERSTOOD to be a long hellish torment to pay for ones sins (before Heaven). So the question is what difference does it make—if most people misunderstand the subtleties of a doctrine, and the Church doesn’t correct that? (This is not to mention the fact that not the slightest notion of Purgatory is found in the bible).
Mary and the Saints are not officially understood to be mediators in the same way Jesus is—but how many Roman Catholics, even devout ones, know that, and practice that? If you always go to a person first, asking them to pray for you...without praying directly yourself—aren’t you IN PRACTICE making that person your mediator instead of Christ?
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and smells like a duck, its a duck. Veneration may not technically be worship—but, in practice, it sure looks that way...
Well, many of us were raised Catholic and know what we were taught, even if it was contrary to official church doctrine, and we remember the prayers we were taught and heard.
Yeah, they do pray to her for salvation.
There may be examples of that downthread. I just haven’t gotten that far yet.