[Dr. Eckleburg]

The Scriptures will solve nothing in this disparate understanding of things because they are replete with verses that point to each of our views.

Ah, sadly spoken like a Romanist.

For me, the Scriptures answer most every important question worth asking to an end that is both satisfying and defensible. I believe God intended it that way.

As for justification and predestination, I read both concepts on nearly every page of Scripture with eyes and ears given to me by God.

Insofar as Mary is concerned. I was named after her. When I was 13 or 14 years old my mother walked into my bedroom when I was getting dressed and looked at my naked form and said to me, 'sei come la madonna.' How I could I not love myself after that? And I did, and I do.

Does the Bible tell us to be like Mary? Here all along I thought we were supposed to become more Christ-like, even us women.

"Vanity, definitely my favorite sin." -- Al Pacino as Satan in "The Devil's Advocate."

[adiaireton8]

For me, the Scriptures answer most every important question worth asking

Here's an important question worth asking: Whose interpretation is authoritative?

-A8

[Campion]

For me, the Scriptures answer most every important question worth asking to an end that is both satisfying and defensible.

And the Arminians say the same thing, and you and they reject each others' doctrine and quarrel endlessly, when you aren't picking fights with Catholics.

So much for an "end that is both satisfying and defensible".

1 Corinthians 1:10.

[AlbionGirl]

Ah, sadly spoken like a Romanist.

Ah, gladly I am Roman. Really Roman. I digg it.

You are not God's counselor, Dr. E. You have your view, good and well. We will have to agree to disagree here, because St. Paul warns us against excessive debate.

You jumped from what I said about Our Lord's Blessed Mother to asking me the following:

Does the Bible tell us to be like Mary? Here all along I thought we were supposed to become more Christ-like, even us women.

We are, but as women and in the communion of saints, Maria is blessed among women, so yes, in a manner of speaking it tells us to imitate her humility, as she is called blessed among us women. There is nothing in that realization that is opposed to conforming ourselves to Christ.

I want to live my faith according to what I believe to be true, and I believe your understanding of the faith, -which I'm not even sure is really Reformed insofar as the Reformers would have advised -is limited by the congenital aversion you have for Rome and the disease of blindness that causes.

I may have disagreements with Rome, but I still love her, there is still truth in her, the gospel is still advanced in her, if in a way that suffers from bloat. To deny that Roman Catholicism is part of the true church of Christ is to be whistling past the graveyard.