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To: Syncro; Mrs. Don-o

Things get really tricky with the word “worship” as it’s used in Catholic writings. One thing though that jumps out at me in this post of yours (Syncro’s) is the source “The Secret History of the Jesuits”. I don’t know that work at all, but it sounds a bit too Lorane Boetttner-ish to me IMO. So if it is such a work, an attack tome against the Church, then the word “worship” there may be an editorialization than actual fact. But it might not be.

As Mrs. Don-o pointed out in her excellent post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3237145/posts?page=3468#3468 , the word “worship” when ascribed to Mary and found in authentic Catholic writings is not understood as we use it today. It’s not too hard to find examples of the phrase “worship of Mary” in authentic Catholic writings but this must be understood with the distinctions Mrs Don-o made in post 3468. This is simply the case, that in such instances (in older times from the 19th century back) the word “worship” did not always mean “adoration” , which is given to God alone. This is always been the Catholic understanding, that only adorstion is given to God. This is what is meant when Catholic apologists today say we “don’t worship Mary”. I’ve never liked that simplistic apologetic because of examples like what you (may have) found here Syncro.

You must understand and accept it this way or else you are telling us Catholics what we believe. Which is simply not acceptable, because the only way error can be proven is to demonstrate it objectively, not subjectively, such as the claim “the word worship can only be applied to God alone”. That is subjective reasoning, an argument really based on semantics.


3,561 posted on 12/29/2014 5:33:43 AM PST by FourtySeven (47)
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To: FourtySeven; Syncro; Mrs. Don-o
It really is immaterial to how catholics have defined the word worship. The key is how does the NT define the word. What are examples of worship in the NT? That is the standard to which this should be applied.

In the New Testament the Greek word for worship is προσκυνέω. It is a verb. Various forms of the word are used 68 times in the NT. From HELPS-Word Studies it means the following:

4352 proskynéō (from 4314 /prós, "towards" and kyneo, "to kiss") – properly, to kiss the ground when prostrating before a superior; to worship, ready "to fall down/prostrate oneself to adore on one's knees" (DNTT); to "do obeisance" (BAGD).; suggests the willingness to make all necessary physical gestures of obeisance.]

Based on this from the greek and the examples we have in the NT....catholics are worshipping Mary.

3,567 posted on 12/29/2014 5:40:52 AM PST by ealgeone
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