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And so to this thread I reply as follows for you approval- or disapproval...

So while you admit that there is no Scriptural proof for much of the teaching about the Catholic version of Mary, the Catholic religion goes ahead and teaches it as if it were fact/truth anyways, when they cannot guarantee it If it cannot be explicitly demonstrated to be true using Scripture, they have no business passing opinion or preference off as truth.

Guarantee it? C’mon… remember were the guys who don’t believe in “assurances” to begin with ! Guarantees- shmarantees !
But seriously- yes you are correct- the Church teaches it as if it was fact- though with- the emphasis on “as if it was”.
The Church never says it is explicit in nature – rather that we develop Christology though assertion. But yes, Catholics must submit to the teaching authority of the Church- or be in a false relationship with the Church.
Outside the Church- the Church has no authority to establish Dogma for the - Christian, Jew, Muslim, agnostic-Atheist- or otherwise.
Catholics who looked for a “forced” Christianity- as was many centuries ago- do not understand the nature of Grace- and Faith.

But still keep in mind -that is why it is very important to realize that to claim something as “fact” must always be explicitly just fact- and that we cannot just claim or say this or that is a fact –on all sides.
But MORE importantly, and this happens too often – that we need to realize that the absence (or silence) of a fact we are looking at - does not then “contrarily” assume another fact
in it’s place.

Just because there is NO explicit scriptural proof for The Blessed Virgin’s Perpetual Virginity-
does not in the same way then make it a fact, or a must, – that She did not remain a Virgin either.
We both must realize that we hold beliefs or opinion on this matter –
outside of a conclusive proof given to us in Scripture.

I would make (and have made) the same claim about Sola Scriptura.
There is NO explicit Scripture that I can go AGAINST the claim that the sola is NOT a dogmatic truth - but in EQUAL manner there isn’t any exact scripture for that claim- conclusively for it TO BE ttruth either - as you hold to.
Now you will “assert” from scripture 2 Tim gets you there… but you can’t state it as fact.
(And there is sufficient rebuttal as well, primarily since that the same Jewish authority that deemed OT writings as scripture in Tim 2 – would never agree to – and don’t- agree that the NT writings as scripture on the same OT level as well. So there’s always going to be the authority thing.)

But we all believe and put Faith in what St. Paul asserted- with Christians of all stripes extrapolating from his writing what they need to-
which is not always fact- NOR does it always need to be. So there is a process of asserting from scripture what needs our beliefs may want or desire. Faith can be funny that way.

If you all want to idolize her by putting her on a pedestal, which makes you respecters of persons (see James on that sin) that’s your business, but to pass off something as Truth which is not verifiable is wrong
If they simply claim that is their opinion, or preference, that’s one thing. But a religion which claims it has the truth needs to be circumspect about what it definitively declares as true when it’s based on nothing more than wishful thinking and rationalization.

Repecters of persons?
Can’t we assume though that Mary is not just an ordinary Jewish girl?
And would honoring and respecting thy Father and Mother run afoul with that as well?
Pedestal? Catholics Love and Honor Mary for what God has done for her- not anything she has done or merited – or anything we “need” her to be.,
We are told in Scripture - that from the Cross gave his His Mother to ALL of us to “Behold” her,
and that she can intercede for Us on behalf of her Son (if we desire)?
(As most “good Jewish” mother’s will do.. lol) .
We are simply assenting to God’s Will – not initiating idol “worship” for our own benefit- which you clearly believe there is no benefit.
So without benefit - we are more really just wasting our time saying our “Hail Mary’s” – than practicing “idol worship”.

And that is where the heart of much Christian misunderstanding occurs.
We see things as what God wants for US- not what we need from God. On the basis of our Faith beliefs- which include asserting things from Scripture-
I cannot see validity of your sola scriptura position – anymore than you can see Catholic Marian dogma.
But does any of that change God?
The point I think your missing is that they are taught as something we can hold as true- even if they are not explicit commandments. Developed truths for us-
that enrich and deepen our faith in Christ. - and yes dogmatic ones Catholics must believe- for one to abide in the rule of Faith for our Christian belief.
Now we can debate on what is “closer” to an ultimate truth for sure… but at the end of day we have to hold true to Faith in what we have been taught and believe- seen or unseen. If not- the Catholic Faith would be like a puzzle with missing pieces that can never be put together.

You may call it wishful thinking- but what is a Catholic supposed to do?

Right off the bat - in Genesis we learn how God tells the serpent he will “put enmity between him (the serpent) and the Woman - AND her seed”.
God is doing this.
Now we are taught the Woman is Mary- and her seed is Jesus.
Though it is not stated explicitly- we assert this- as part of our Faith. So how do we ignore – that The WOMAN (Mary) was already in play there, form the beginning, in Genesis?
Now I don’t know exactly what God did there for Mary and her seed- but whatever he did – he did the same with BOTH – Woman and her seed- so they already share something special.
Would you not agree on this point? That the woman to bear the seed is already a most special woman?
Who God is telling the Serpent- “you will not touch her “
Could it be sinlessness? Maybe.
Whatever it is - we cannot dismiss or ignore Mary as the Mother of Jesus so easily as you may be able to- because from the very outset God’s plan included protecting the Woman form the serpent- plays such a fundamental role in the greatest salvific Birth on this planet.
(And Joseph’s earthly role may have been such the same- as protector of this seed bearer.)

Then we learn that Christ tells his Mother at Cana- who probably lost Joseph at some point- “Woman- my Hour has not yet come”
Obviously- Mary was not in agreement-
and however she knew- she knew it was time to bring the New Wine- the New Life… and she tells us “Do whatever HE tells you… not knowing maybe how her Son would bring this about- only that SHE knew it was time. And then at the end of the Bible – we learn of a Woman- A pregnant Woman- clothed in the Sun- about to give Birth- to a Male child – whom the dragon was waiting to devour- this Male Child- “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”
And then God snatched up HER Child – and took him to his throne-
But !...The Dragon STILL pursued the Woman !...
The Woman was given Eagles wings- so that she could flee from the dragon - to a place that was prepared for Her by God – so that she would be safe from the dragon.

Now from Genesis to Revelation- how is a Catholic supposed to interpret this in the course of salvation history?
Although it’s a brief synopsis of the story – all four Catholic Marian Dogma’s find their basis in these passages.

What is a Catholic supposed to do with this? Ignore it? Pretend the Woman and Her seed are not Mary and Jesus?
Even if we can’t make it fit into our Faith- it has to mean something to a Christian understanding.
Ignoring scripture just because it does not fit- is not a solution.
We have to make sense of all of it the best we can- or we cannot defend it.

Mary having normal sexual relations with her lawful husband does not diminish in my eyes in the least. On the contrary, she is being a good Jewish wife by not defrauding her husband. This is all Ok to say- but does not offer proof against her Perpetual virginity- only opinion of what could be.
By stating “she is being a good Jewish wife” does NOT mean she did not remain Virginal.
I’m sure they’re are Jewish men with E.D. who are not disqualified from being good husbands

I am not saying as much that you must believe in the Perpetual dogma not explicit in scripture- only that -
if you are going to find un-believability for God’s plan for Mary – you as well will not have scriptural proof (for or) against it.
All that’s left is Faith.