Have you ever asked your mother, or some other person, to pray for you? Have you ever prayed for someone else?
Yes?
If so, there is no rational basis for objecting to people asking Mary to pray for them.
Yes, there is because nowhere in Scripture are we ever commanded to pray to anyone but God.
And the prayers to Mary go well beyond simply asking her to pray for us.
Those whose physical bodies have died have gone beyond out ability to contact them. Attempting to do so is condemned by God, but clearly that doesn't stop Catholics from practicing or teaching it as there are many things outright forbidden by God in Scripture that the Catholic church practices and rationalizes away.
And actually, there is no rational basis for praying TO Mary. There's nothing she's going to do for people that God Himself wouldn't do because since God's will is done in heaven, she's not going to be praying against that will.
Luke 11:1-13 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Oh?Rational people do NOT 'pray' to DEAD folks!
James 5:16 KJV
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. And ALSO pray to our Lord's mother. She can get Jesus' attention MUCH better than YOU can.
The only irrational thing is that RCC folks pray to someone who's not omniscient and who can do nothing for them because she can't hear them.
People here, like your example of someone's mother, is actually able to hear you and to pray DIRECTLY TO GOD.
Big difference.
Hoss