Hi goldy,What is the definition of "anti-christ"? It means "instead of Christ".So if you go to prayer to anyone else instead of Jesus since He is the only Mediator between us and the Father... how does that not make Mary the "anti-christ"?Going to Letsgofishing and asking him to pray with you is not the same thing as going to Mary to "pray" to her. In other words, when you go to Letsgofishing, you are not "praying" to him... you are asking him to pray with you. So you can't use that anology of going to the living on this planet to pray for you as if that is the same as going in "prayer" to Mary in the spiritual realm to get to God for it is not the same thing. When anyone else pray anywhere in the world, where are their prayers directed to? Their gods. If you want the world to identify you as a believer in Jesus being the Son of God then pray to Jesus. And that title.. Queen of Heaven, has been in the world before Mary. To stand apart from the world, no way would God allow Mary to be dignified in that manner... and no way would God allow Mary to be placed in that position to cause believers to go astray after the "Queen of Heaven" which is of the world to be identified with the world.If you are going to address God in the Heavenly realm, then you have to go through the One God sent: Jesus Christ. If you go to Mary, then by definition of the anti-christ... you are making "her" the anti-christ, because you are going to her "instead of Christ". You want to talk to God? Then you honor His Son by going to Jesus in prayer.You really think Mary would mind it that you "just" go to the Saviour in prayer only? I think not. So why not abstain from all appearances of evil and just go to Jesus in prayer for it is by Him, we can pray to the Father. Why add more run arounds with Mary and the other saints? That is like bearing witness that your relationship with the Saviour is not very personal or close that you do not feel freely to come to Him. You may say otherwise, but by your practise alone, it does beg to differ. For Someone that gave up His life for you, I would think that would warrant far more attention than someone else that did not die for you or prove their love for you.Nowhere has there been any invitation to anyone else except to Jesus. To go to anyone else for anything for which Jesus is for, Mary for prayer or the RCC for the salvation, then you are doing so "instead of Christ".Oh.. and before you deny that the RCC never said salvation can be obtained through them... your catechism is here saying otherwise.... "The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism explains: 'For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.'" Pg. 215, #816 "...all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation..." Pg. 224, #8461From article "Pope Meets with Youth of Various Christian Confessions," Vatican City, 5/7/01 (VIS) reported by the Catholic Information Network, 5/9/01, N. 86 At the Greek-Melkite Cathedral of Damascus on May 7, 2001, Pope John Paul II told 2,000 youth gathered that...
....you cannot be a Christian if you reject the Church founded on Jesus Christ.
Only God can redeem you as His. Nothing else. That is His glory alone.Thus going to the RCC for salvation instead of Christ is the same as going to Mary for prayer instead of Christ, thus making the RCC and Mary the anti-christs by your actions.Jesus said that all those that come before Him are thieves and robbers. So.. not only are the practises of the RCC and Mary are coming before Christ robbing Him of His glory as Saviour and as the only Mediator between God and man, but by doing so... it is "instead of Christ".So.... giving attributes of the Son of God to the RCC for salvation or to Mary for mediation AND going to them instead of Christ would pretty much fulfill the qualification of an "anti-christ". I am sure the real Mary would not feel so "honored".