Replies

I DO believe it’s horribly more common and more spiritually devastatingly more common than you seem to remotely be close to believing.

Well, I don't know. I first heard the, "Shut up, I'm talking to your mother!" joke from a Catholic.

I think I 'get' the talk about religion and all. So I'll add that some people think they are worshipping God but they SEEM, at least, to put their trust in their devotions. To me, one hint of this is the tendency I see to multiply and, what, ramify things like the Rosary.

For me, there's quite enough going on there already, but many of my co-religionists make saying the rosary all fopped up with little extras here and there. Surely somewhere in there is EXACTLY what IHS was talking about when he said they think God will hear them for the manyness of their words (or whatever He actually said.)

BUT, looking at my own life, I put a lot of faith in "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." And even the occasional Pharisee gets the divine and salvific boot in the trousers. Maybe today extravagent gestures and multiplied prayers are the best they think they can do. But tomorrow, God may smack them up 'side the haid. I've seen it before. I hope to see it again.

So I’ll add that some people think they are worshipping God but they SEEM, at least, to put their trust in their devotions. To me, one hint of this is the tendency I see to multiply and, what, ramify things like the Rosary.
- - - - - - -

Well said. I grew up in Catholic school and had an Easter Orthodox stepfather and know exactly what you are talking about.

I know several Catholics who share your view and have the correct view concerning the cultus of the Saints and place of Mary. While I do know some Catholics who in actuality do worship Mary or some Saints, those who put them or the RC church above Christ, I know just as many (if not more) who do not.

And to be fair, I see similar behavior and ‘idol worship’ (even if the ‘idols’ are different) throughout the Body of Christ - Baptists, Lutherans, Evangelicals - who adore and worship the TRADITIONS rather than the LORD, and that is dangerous no matter what church you attend. KJV worship is a good example.

From what I see in your posts, you have a good grasp on the role of Saints and your relationship to Christ and do not appear to be in the above category. I commend you.