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To: Abigail Adams
I don't think that Protestants "attack" Mary. I think we hold her in high regard. We just don't believe that she is divine in nature, and therefore don't pray to her or sing her praises. We only pray to and praise God.

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Not divine, but the Mother of God. What more do we need to revere her?

34 posted on 12/08/2005 11:40:36 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham

To clarify a few things, from a Protestant perspective.

We don't think of Mary as the Mother of God. We think of her as the human vessel who gave birth to God's Son in human form. So, I guess she could be viewed as the mother of God since Jesus was God incarnate, but to call her the Mother of God sounds like she gave birth to God who is eternal, and therefore preexisted God. It's confusing.

We don't pray to the saints. In fact, we consider all Christians to be saints. I don't think of Moses as a "saint" as in someone more special than anyone else who believed in God and obeyed him. Certainly, he was chosen by God to carry out some exceptional plans. But I wouldn't pray to him, or ask him to pray for me. I do ask friends to pray for me, but maybe that's different because they're here on earth right now and are visible to me.

When Mary said all would call her blessed, sure we think she's blessed. But aren't we all blessed by God, some in big ways and some in more ordinary ways? I consider myself blessed. I have been chosen by God for his purposes, to do his will. Although my life probably isn't worth writing about, any small thing I do for God is still helping to glorify Him.

So, I think of Mary more as a "sister in Christ" just as I would think of a friend, or Paul, or John Wesley as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Just some thoughts. Hope you find this interesting. :-)


41 posted on 12/08/2005 12:05:07 PM PST by Abigail Adams
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