[Mr Rogers]

And it seems to me that is ample honor for anyone - all the justification needed to call her “blessed”!

But when a woman tried to focus attention on Mary as special, Jesus replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

That is the point the Protestants are trying to make. If you wish to believe in the Assumption - well, it neither says yea or nay in Scripture, and I have no personal knowledge, so believe as you wish. I would say the same to the Orthodox - where scripture is silent, believe as you wish and let God teach us on His schedule.

Unfortunately, your church claims I MUST believe in something not mentioned in scripture, nor by anyone during the first 4-500 years, or risk damnation.

Mary was chosen to be the vessel of birth for God - what more honor does anyone need? But OUR focus should be on God, and obeying Him. As we draw close to God, we will draw closer together.

[Petronski]

This insistence on deprecating the Mother of God as some kind of mere life-support system for a Savior is bizarre.

[netmilsmom]

>>Unfortunately, your church claims I MUST believe in something not mentioned in scripture, nor by anyone during the first 4-500 years, or risk damnation.<<

I’m so sorry you are uninformed about the Catholic church’s teaching on your damnation. Start here.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Here’s something to look at

“Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there are “numerous elements of sanctification and of truth” which are found outside her structure, but which “as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic Unity”.[11]

“It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation”

Come into the light my FRiend. The Catholic Church doesn’t say you must believe in anything, to make it to heaven.
That’s up to God.

[Kolokotronis]

“If you wish to believe in the Assumption - well, it neither says yea or nay in Scripture, and I have no personal knowledge, so believe as you wish. I would say the same to the Orthodox - where scripture is silent, believe as you wish and let God teach us on His schedule.”

Sounds fair to me, Mr. R! :)