“Thank you. This is why, I think, Roman Catholics should have stuck with the term “God-bearer” (Theotokos) rather than the disputed “Mother of God” title given to Mary.”
boatbums, the titles mean the same thing. You do realize that right? Mother of God IS God-bearer. The one who “bears” is the mother. And ONLY Protestants, and not all of them by any means, “dispute” the idea that Mary is the mother of God. It’s YOUR problem and there is NO DISPUTE over it in the historic Churches. NONE.
“I know many RCs understand this point but there are probably just as many, if not more, who do not and this confusion is what has led to Mary-worship.”
That comment makes no sense whatsoever. First, your starting premise over God-bearer vs. Mother of God is wrong. Second, there is NO worship of Mary in the Church. Third, what you cite as a reason for “Mary-worship” would not even make sense as a cause of “Mary-worship” if it did exist. Think about it: Hundreds and hundreds of millions of Catholics believe Mary is the Mother of God and none of them worship Mary as a god. None. If your idea - that the title, or confusion over the title leads to worship of Mary - were correct then we should see examples of this everywhere and instead we see exactly none. On every street corner in every place where there are Catholics, according to your logic, wouldn’t there be people saying, “Yeah, Mary is God ‘cause, you know, she’s the mother of God”? Yet that isn’t happening.
“I just think a lot of that confusion could have been avoided.”
But the confusion is YOURS. Also, do you realize that Lutherans and Anglicans commonly refer to Mary as Mother of God? Where are they worshiping Mary? Oh, right, not happening. Your theory is laughable.
What's "laughable" is the blatant ignoring of the many examples that are given that prove there IS a cult of Mary in Catholicism. A simple reading of the prayers, books, encyclicals, bulls, words supposedly said BY Mary in so-called apparitions, the parades, statues, kneeling, kissing, bowing down to, guilds, groups dedicated to her...I could go on. It's obvious that no matter how many of these references are given, posted, pictures shown, books cited, it will NOT be accepted because there is as much spiritual blindness about Mary as there is about Jesus in Catholicism.
It's there, plain as day, for anyone who hasn't already shut their eyes to it. It's fine and good to say your religion doesn't teach "Mary worship", but actions speak louder than words. Denying it exists won't make it go away.
And you know this how?
You know the heart and soul and mind of all 1.2 billion Catholics?
Bwahahahahahaha! There is none so blind as he who will not see.