Ask Me Help Desk - I have a question about christian stuff

I have a question about christian stuff

Like my friend is christian she says its not OK to have idols of virgin mary cause they can start demonic stuff.

She said you have to believe in god and jesus plus the holy spirit

That's their own personal interpretation, although slightly misguided.

This looks like a 2 point question to me.

While we are not under the Law of the Old Testament, many of the principles embodied in the 10 Commandments are still valid under the New Testament.

One prohibition was against making an idol of anything and worshipping it.

I know that Catholics say they do not worship the statue of Mary, but I think that some DO pray in front of it.

Non-Catholics believe that all images used in worship forms is wrong.

Your second point is about the Godhead, i.e. The Father, The Son (Jesus), and The Holy Ghost.

Keep in mind that "belief" in this Godhead must be much more than a mere intellectual assent that God does exist.

The Devil believes that God exists, but it will not save him from the Lake of Fire.

I probably gave you more information than you asked for.

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Originally Posted by alternap18

like my friend is christian she says its not ok to have idols of virgin mary cause they can start demonic stuff.

she said you have to believe in god and jesus plus the holy spirit

It is important to keep your focus on Jesus. He didn't tell us to focus on Mary

Hi, alternap18!

What do you believe concerning Christianity, please? It would be helpful to know about that.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Clough

Hi, alternap18!

What do you believe concerning Christianity, please? It would be helpful to know about that.

Thanks!

What's the use of asking someone who is seeking what they feel? Such a person seeks confirmation and the confirmation I give is believe in Jesus and forget religion

It is wrong to have idols of anything that you worship.

Now Christians do have icons and statues of Mary and many other Saints that they use in their worship of God.
Those Christians who use these icons also believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So it sounds like your friend is merely uneducated about the various types of Christians.

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Originally Posted by Clough
Hi, alternap18!

What do you believe concerning Christianity, please? It would be helpful to know about that.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by paraclete

What's the use of asking someone who is seeking what they feel? Such a person seeks confirmation and the confirmation I give is believe in Jesus and forget religion

There hasn't been any clarification as to how or why the original poster thinks or feels. I would rather not answer assuming that they feel or think a certain way without knowing more information.

What works for one person might not be what works for the majority in a belief system according to that which a person might be seeking. Don't really know what alternap18 seeking yet.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by paraclete

It is important to keep your focus on Jesus. He didn't tell us to focus on Mary

Actually, we believe that He did that by example. He is the only man who ever had the ability to choose His mom. And He chose Mary. And He submitted to her and was obedient to her.

Therefore, yes, He did tell us to focus on Mary.

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Originally Posted by De Maria

Actually, we believe that He did that by example. He is the only man who ever had the ability to choose His mom. And He chose Mary. And He submitted to her and was obedient to her.

Therefore, yes, He did tell us to focus on Mary.

Now that's a stretch!

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Maria

Actually, we believe that He did that by example. He is the only man who ever had the ability to choose His mom. And He chose Mary. And He submitted to her and was obedient to her.

Therefore, yes, He did tell us to focus on Mary.

Now that's a stretch!:D

What part of it is a "stretch ?

Did God not choose Mary from all women in all time

Was Mary not his mother

Was he not submitted to her and obedient as a child ?

I can not see a "stretch" in any of it, except to not understand why anyone would not believe it

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

What part of it is a "stretch ?

Did God not choose Mary from all women in all time

Was Mary not his mother

Was he not submitted to her and obedient as a child ?

I can not see a "stretch" in any of it, except to not understand why anyone would not believe it

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.

Yes, God did choose Mary, and yes Jesus submitted Himself to her.

The stretch is to go from these facts to saying that we should focus on Mary.

Let's apply the same reasoning to Joseph.
God chose Joseph to be Jesus' guardian, without whom Jesus could not have survived childhood.
Jesus was subject to Joseph.
Therefore, we should focus on Joseph.

Jesus is the focus not only of the NT but of the OT as well. He is the central and pre-eminent figure of time and eternity, as is the Father.

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Originally Posted by galveston

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.

Yes, God did choose Mary, and yes Jesus submitted Himself to her.

The stretch is to go from these facts to saying that we should focus on Mary.

Let's apply the exact same reasoning to Joseph.
God chose Joseph to be Jesus' guardian, without whom Jesus could not have survived childhood.
Jesus was subject to Joseph.
Therefore, we should focus on Joseph.

Jesus is the focus not only of the NT but of the OT as well. He is the central and pre-eminent figure of time and eternity, as is the Father.

I apologize for my error as well. I did not mean to imply that we should focus on Mary to the exclusion of Jesus. It is because Jesus is our focus that we also focus on Mary and Joseph.

You see, we are so sensitive to every detail on Jesus' life, that all who are His family and friends are our family and friends as well. All whom He loves we love.

Therefore, yes, we also have a very special place in our hearts for St. Joseph. But a far more special place for the woman who bore Jesus Christ in her womb, fed Him at her breast and gave Him to the world.

It is because we focus on Jesus that we love Mary as He did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Maria

Actually, we believe that He did that by example. He is the only man who ever had the ability to choose His mom. And He chose Mary. And He submitted to her and was obedient to her.

Therefore, yes, He did tell us to focus on Mary.

What exactly is meant by "he submitted to her and was obedient to her"? Are we talking about his childhood? I don't see how that is any different from any other childhood. As a child I submitted to my parents, but like Jesus, when I became an adult I went my own way and was no longer under their authority. I don't see anything special about the child Jesus doing the same thing. And after he grew up he became his own person; if anything, he seems to have taken a sort of guardian role with Mary, because on the cross he entrusted her to John's care. Do you have any other examples of times when he "submitted" to her?

Quote:

Originally Posted by galveston

Now that's a stretch!

Yes Gal like so much of RCC doctrine it's a stretch, why they just can't stick to the simple truth I do not know

Let me see at the marriage feast, She asked him about running out of wine, and he went ahead turned the water into wine.

I would say his first public miricle had to do with honoring the wishes of his mother

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Originally Posted by dwashbur

What exactly is meant by "he submitted to her and was obedient to her"?

That He permitted her to run His life.

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Are we talking about his childhood?

All the way up to the wedding at Cana. I believe He was an adult by then. It is very possible that He began His ministry at her insistence on that occasion.

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I don't see how that is any different from any other childhood.

Then you haven't been around many children.

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As a child I submitted to my parents, but like Jesus, when I became an adult I went my own way and was no longer under their authority.

Show me where Scripture says that Jesus did not honor Mary and you will show me where Jesus sinned and contradicted the will of the Father. Is that what you want to prove?

Quote:

I don't see anything special about the child Jesus doing the same thing. And after he grew up he became his own person; if anything, he seems to have taken a sort of guardian role with Mary, because on the cross he entrusted her to John's care. Do you have any other examples of times when he "submitted" to her?

I only need one. If you can provide the proof that Jesus at any time disowned Mary, then I will also submit to Mary until that time that Jesus did so. But I don't believe that Jesus EVER disowned Mary.
Therefore I will always accept her as my mother as I believe He did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paraclete

Yes Gal like so much of RCC doctrine it's a stretch, why they just can't stick to the simple truth I do not know

Give me an example of simple truth. That sounds very much like Islamic doctrine which says that the truth is always simple. But the fact is that there is much truth which is simple and much truth which is complex and much truth which is sublime.

I believe the truth in any of its appearances. Whether it be complex or simple. But I don't believe everything that I am told by Protestants because as Scripture says, I can test everything and keep what is good. Much of what Protestants teach is not good. One of those things which they teach which is not good is this idea that the truth must be simple.

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Originally Posted by De Maria

That He permitted her to run His life.

Run that by me again? We know virtually nothing about his childhood except for when he wandered off from the homeward-bound caravan. That hardly constitutes letting her "run his life." And between Cana and the cross, she vanishes from sight. How is she running his life?

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Maria

All the way up to the wedding at Cana. I believe He was an adult by then. It is very possible that He began His ministry at her insistence on that occasion.

Are you joking? She didn't insist on anything, she merely mentioned that they were out of wine. And his reply is hardly an example of submission. Sure, he made wine from water, but it had virtually nothing to do with her comment. And there was most definitely no "insistence" on her part. For all we know, she was suggesting he run over to the local liquor store and buy more, or merely telling him about the situation. Anything else is reading into the text what isn't there.

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Originally Posted by De Maria

Then you haven't been around many children.

Yeah, all I've done is raise three of them. Is this for real?

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Maria

Show me where Scripture says that Jesus did not honor Mary and you will show me where Jesus sinned and contradicted the will of the Father. Is that what you want to prove?

"Honor" does not equal total or blind obedience. "Honor" simply means giving proper respect. You're redefining a word to suit your theology, and that's not a valid approach to the Scriptures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Maria

I only need one. If you can provide the proof that Jesus at any time disowned Mary, then I will also submit to Mary until that time that Jesus did so. But I don't believe that Jesus EVER disowned Mary.
Therefore I will always accept her as my mother as I believe He did.

So the only options are either blind, total submission throughout his life, or disownment? Are you joking? I honored and respected both my parents right up to the days of their deaths, but once I reached adulthood I followed my own path and they, like good parents, encouraged me to do so. If Mary actually gave Jesus the kind of ultimatum you're suggesting, then she was the worst mother in history. You're not doing your case any good with this kind of either/or mentality.