Originally Posted by via_dolorosa
Strawman arguments deal ineffective blows in any rhetorical exchange. Mary is neither worshipped nor endowed with supernatural powers. To say Catholics ought to be criticized for holding these beliefs when we don't is to posit a strawman.

I'm sorry via_dolorosa but if I went to the zoo; it wouldn't matter how long I stood and pointed at an elephant and called it a tiger, even after hours, no one would still believe me.

Point here is, It's ridiculous for Catholics to make this claim. Mary is worshiped in my Catholic circles by many Catholics. To deny that is to deny plain and obvious truth.

Now I do affirm that many Catholics do not have any focus on Mary.... just like they don't have any focus on anything else either.

Mary is also looked upon to be a mediator of grace and therefore to have as you put it "supernatural powers."

While the Rosary is largely about Christ, one is still doing it for Mary and to receive saving grace through her.

The whole Catholic theology on Mary is that she is a mediator of grace. From the false interpretation of the Vulgate of Genesis 3:15 to the wrong focus on the Marian types in the Old Testament to the focus on the Wedding Feast at Cana; in where Jesus obey's His mother's request - thereby proving her to be a mediator. To the wrong interpretation of John 19:26 - trying to establish the command made by the Lord establishing Mary as the Mother of the Church and then of course onto Revelation 12....

Here is my point.

On one hand, I do like putting focus on Mary. Mary is a wonderful example to Christian women. I encourage my daughters to think and meditate on Mary's life and her faithfulness.

I also have to admit that I liked doing the Rosary when I was thinking about becoming Catholic. I also liked Mariology.

But.....

Scripture is very clear, there is only one Mediator. Period; and that hasn't changed. There is no knew revelation, God doesn't change His mind. It doesn't make any sense that none of the Apostles ever said anything about the importance of Mary, but rather put all of the importance on Christ alone.

Also.... in the Marian Catholic view, Jesus hates us because we're sinners and Mary loves us as a loving forgiving mother. So that is why she has to mediate between us and Christ. She has to "smooth things over with him" and she does this by our worship to her through our own works righteousness. i.e.; Rosary, novenas, feast days etc.... etc...

The Bible is very clear; the gospel of Jesus Christ is Justification by faith alone, anything else is empty religion.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. - Galatians 2:16