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<p>We also do that. There is no sacrifice of direct prayer to God.</p>
<p>Let me put it this way – would you rather pray only to God, pray to God and ask other to do the same, or, are you indifferent?</p>
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<p>That doesn’t answer the question.</p>
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<p>It does completely. My answer would be “pray to God and ask others to do the same” – Mary and the saints inclusive. It really is that simple, at least without going into further theological beliefs on Mary and her proximity to God. But that’s not necessary to answer your question.</p>
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<p>Praying to others for what? To pray to God for us? Why? Her proximity to God? You need to explain.</p>
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<p>I already did. </p>
<p>Here is the process:</p>
<p>1) Pray to God (one can do so by addressing prayers to God, the Father, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit)</p>
<p>2) Ask others who are alive to pray to God for us</p>
<p>3) Ask those in Heaven to pray to God for us, because the belief is that those in Heaven are capable of worshiping God through prayer, although prayer is not necessarily worship</p>
<p>In other words, because those in Heaven are capable of prayer, we ask them to pray for us to God, just as we ask those on Earth to pray to God for us. The difference is that the saints and Mary are closer to God by virtue of being in Heaven.</p>
<p>This is not that hard to understand, and I have made it very clear throughout the discussion. If you’re having this much trouble understanding, it is obvious that you actually don’t know anything about Catholicism.</p>
<p>The praying to dead people in heaven makes no sense. Do you pray to dead relatives in heaven? They are just as close as Mary and the other saints are.</p>
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<p>In a sense, they are all in Heaven, but that’s not specific enough. One could certainly ask anyone to intercede on one’s behalf. </p>
<p>However, </p>
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<p>Mary was the Immaculate Conception, born without original sin, and enjoy a perfect beatific vision of God. The saints similarly enjoy a more perfect vision of God than many others. In that sense, they are particularly poised to request God’s mercy and help on behalf of others.</p>
<p>Please start doing research yourself instead of making me do it for you. The answers are all there. Google is your friend.</p>
<p>Information for you from lay sources, versus Vatican documents which you would likely not want to sift through – </p>
<p>[CATHOLICS-</a> IS PRAYER TO SAINTS / MARY BIBLICAL? - Yahoo! Answers](<a href=“Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos”>Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos)</p>
<p>[Why</a> are people Catholics and just can’t be Christians? - Yahoo! Answers](<a href=“Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos”>Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos)</p>
<p>Note also the irrational behavior of the posters, which is basically what you seem like to me right now.</p>
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<p>Not true. One of many misconceptions about Mary. For Mary to be born without original sin, her mother would also have to have been born the same way. There is no Biblical basis for either.</p>
<p>And your references you posted endorse what I have been stating all along.</p>
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<p>“Well, I believe this, so you should too!” Mary could be born without original sin because God is omnipotent – surely you would not argue that that is not in the Bible. He can literally do whatever he wants. And because I am not relying solely on the Bible, but also the Church of Christ, the “lack of Biblical basis” is a non issue. It’s not even an argument as far as I am concerned.</p>
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<p>Wrong, they endorse what I have been saying, once you read the answers that have what the questions lack – knowledge, intelligence, and a recognition that at some point, we are indeed making assumptions.</p>
<p>I agree God is omnipotent. But there is no Biblical basis for Mary being without sin. The lack of Biblical basis IS the issue.</p>
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<p>Only if the lack of Biblical basis is an issue in general, which for me it is not. I do not view the Bible as the sole basis of wisdom, and therefore I don’t consider the “lack of Biblical basis” as problematic. So unless you have something else to contribute, let’s just stop.</p>
<p>Then we stop since you don’t feel the Bible is the base. Sad.</p>
<p>The Bible is one of two bases. There is our resolution.</p>
<p>For you maybe but not for me. If it isn’t Biblical based then it is something the denomination made up.</p>
<p>I know – you’ve made that very clear. I understand, and I disagree.</p>
<p>And you are wrong.</p>
<p>**There is no greater hubris than professing to know the mind of God **</p>
<p>I am not professing to know the minds of God. I am professing the Bible as the Word of God and the source of truth.</p>
<p>We know. The end, please?</p>