Hi goldy,On the topic of honoring Mary. Where in the Bible did it actually say we are to do that? I did not read anything from Jesus or the letters to the early churches that suggest it, but I have read scriptures that says otherwise.Luke 11: 27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Jesus answered "Yea", because He was honoring His mother as He was supposed to, as all children are supposed to honor their mother and their father, but noticed how He redirected that woman's focus from blessing Mary to hearing the Word of God and keeping it. That is significant as in "Yea rather.."Why is that? This is why. This is how we shall be judged in matters pertaining to God.John 5: 22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. So the moment they think they are doing what God wants them to do by honoring Mary when they were not commanded to do so ( as if Mary singing in her magnificat means it was a commandment about how generations will call her blessed ) and yet here we are commanded not to honor Mary, because the moment we stop honoring the Son, we are no longer honoring the Father.Is it really that important? The moment you cease to acknowledge the Son, you deny the Father.1 John 2: 18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.It is said that "anti-christ" means "instead of Christ". Now I know that many Christian churches and believers think that we are to honor Mary, but scriptures plainly says not to. The fact that you believe we are not to worship her, goes to show that you may yet perceive the error that is in the Catholic Church for it is written that they do exalt Mary up there with God and given her the title as the Queen of Heaven. You should have heard the repetitious prayer given to her as it begins with "Hail Mary, full of grace.." which is known as the "rosary" prayer, yes? So I am not sure how you can say they do not worship her at all if you have seen and heard these practises as if Mary can mediate as if she is "god", irregardless if you or your church does not do this.1 Timothy 2: 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Anything that comes between us and Jesus is the thief, be it Mary, or the priest for the forgiveness of sins, or the Church as if we have to go through "her" to Jesus.John 10: 1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep....7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I read an article in the newspaper about a young man in a car accident. It was severe enough that he was calling for a priest as he was in a panic to have his sins forgiven. The priest could not arrive in time, but it was not neccessary as the hospital were able to save him. When the young man relayed his fears to the priest about God not able to hear him to forgive him of his sins, the priest relayed his fears by saying that God did hear and forgave him. That was the gist of it as I can only imagine the young man exploding, "Why have I been coming to you for all my life?!!" But he probably didn't. The point is, by having someone else inbetween himself and Jesus, his peace was stolen by that thief. What if he had died? I'm sure everyone would have felt sorry for him suffering needlessly, but that just doesn't cut it for a practise down here. We should all be free to come to Jesus. He loved us so much, He died for us while we were sinners. No greater love than that has come from Mary, nor the priest, but from Jesus, and yet why would catholics settle for second-best when Mary, the Pope, or the priest are not placed in that position by God to do so in the first place? The only sins they can forgive are the ones committed against them.Anyway, back to Mary. How important is that all should not honor Mary, but honor Jesus for that is the only way to Honor the Father? Not only are we going to be judged by that, but forces are already at work to steal the spotlight off of Jesus to developing followers of Mary. And to believe that the Roman Catholics do not teach this.. is to turn to the catechism for proof that they do in fact teach this."Being obedient she (Mary) became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race." Pg. 125, #494 "Taken up to heaven she (Mary) did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation..." Pg. 252, #969"She (Mary) is inseparably linked with the saving work of her Son." Pg. 303, #1172 "Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix." Pg. 252, #969“From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of `Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs...” Pg. 253, #971 “By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the 'Mother of Mercy,' the All-Holy One... May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise.” Pg. 644, #2677 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things." Pg. 252, #966 Some catholics do not believe that Mary was sinless, but the catechism says she is. What of the Pope? "We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely NECESSARY FOR the SALVATION of every human creature to be SUBJECT TO THE ROMAN PONTIFF (POPE)." --POPE BONIFACE VIII, BULL UNUN SANCTUM, 1302 "[We] hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." --POPE LEO XIIIquoting THE GREAT ENCYCLICAL LETTERS OF POPE LEO XIIIp. 304, Benziger Brothers (1903) VIC'AR, n. [L. vicarius, from vicis] ...a substitute in office. Webster's 1828 DictionaryVicar of Christ. A substitute Christ..."For the Roman pontiff (pope), by reason of his office as VICAR OF CHRIST, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal POWER over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise UNHINDERED." --CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1994, P. 254 #882I know that you mentioned that we are to do good works, but any work that denies Christ as being able, voids faith. To keep good work in perspective:Ephesians 2: 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 1 John 3: 22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.2 Corinthians 11: 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. How can anyone say that receiving the Eucharist is not preaching another Jesus? Doing communion in remembrance of Him was to be done so as to rest in Him that we are His by the grace of God.. that is His glory as Saviour as well as the Good Shepherd as He leads us to love one another in following Him! Any work that is for salvation or to shorten one's stay in purgatory in order to get into Heaven is voiding faith in Him as being able. What's going to happen at the rapture? If you believe catholics get immediately taken up, then what purpose does purgatory serves? Like that young man in a severe car accident calling out for a priest to come for the forgiveness of sins, what would keep a catholic from drawing back from Him when He appears because he or she believes something else is needed in order to come to Him? If we are having that relationship with Christ, we'd be coming to Him now in prayers and in worship so we would not be drawing back because they have been led to believe that elsewhere is needed to relate to Him, but we don't. All invitations points to Jesus. Nowhere else.2 Corinthians 6: 14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 6And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.That Eucharist has become an idol and thus an unclean thing. I can only advise you to take this to the Lord Jesus in prayer and ask for guidance in this matter. He will help you.Hebrews 4: 9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.