Maybe, but that's not really the point. If I went up to my friend (or even a priest) and said, "Hey bro, can you pray for me? You are my life and my hope, bro. I offer you my heart and my whole being without reserve, bro. I dedicate all my prayers and deeds to you, bro. My only desire is to do all things through you and for you, bro. So please pray for me."
... well, that would be pretty unusual, wouldn't it?
I'm not trying to hate on my frens here, I'm really not (and frens you guys certainly are). We've all been through a lot together, and I'm very grateful for it. I just think the Protestants have a rock-solid point here.
You don't think a little old timey ritualized speech is warranted there?
Nevermind that the vast, vast majority of the nonsense people quote here in their claims is not at all part of say, the Rosary, or any Catholic act of prayer or intercession. Half of it is deliberate mistranslation and the rest is lies. Par for the course when dealing with anyone quoting the King James (heavily revised)Bible.
But you're asking a favor of the Holy Mother for crying out loud. It's not out of line to show a little respect.
As for the saints, which is what I was talking about to begin with, are you seriously about to tell me that saying "Saint Stephen, pray for us sinners" or any variation thereof is out of line?
I think the terms "Mother of Christ" or "Mother of God" are misleading, for one. Sure, you can make the case that they are technically accurate, but they definitely imply that Mary was somehow before God, or literally brought Him into being. I realize that they are not supposed to imply that, but they do.
At any rate, it would be one thing (if unnecessary) to say, "Blessed Mary, please pray for me. I need the help of Jesus." I think it's entirely another to say, "I dedicate my heart and deeds to you."
Is there? You just derided the concept.
Can the dead pray for the living or not? That's the simplest way I can put this without just outright calling you an idiot.
Maybe, but that's not really the point. If I went up to my friend (or even a priest) and said, "Hey bro, can you pray for me? You are my life and my hope, bro. I offer you my heart and my whole being without reserve, bro. I dedicate all my prayers and deeds to you, bro. My only desire is to do all things through you and for you, bro. So please pray for me."
... well, that would be pretty unusual, wouldn't it?
I'm not trying to hate on my frens here, I'm really not (and frens you guys certainly are). We've all been through a lot together, and I'm very grateful for it. I just think the Protestants have a rock-solid point here.
As opposed to the Mother of Christ?
You don't think a little old timey ritualized speech is warranted there?
Nevermind that the vast, vast majority of the nonsense people quote here in their claims is not at all part of say, the Rosary, or any Catholic act of prayer or intercession. Half of it is deliberate mistranslation and the rest is lies. Par for the course when dealing with anyone quoting the King James (heavily revised)Bible.
But you're asking a favor of the Holy Mother for crying out loud. It's not out of line to show a little respect.
As for the saints, which is what I was talking about to begin with, are you seriously about to tell me that saying "Saint Stephen, pray for us sinners" or any variation thereof is out of line?
I think the terms "Mother of Christ" or "Mother of God" are misleading, for one. Sure, you can make the case that they are technically accurate, but they definitely imply that Mary was somehow before God, or literally brought Him into being. I realize that they are not supposed to imply that, but they do.
At any rate, it would be one thing (if unnecessary) to say, "Blessed Mary, please pray for me. I need the help of Jesus." I think it's entirely another to say, "I dedicate my heart and deeds to you."
They imply no such thing. You might infer that, but that would be ignorance of the theology we're talking about in the first place.
I've been a practicing Catholic for four decades and I have literally never heard that spoken aloud in my lifetime.