I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.?

The actual official Catholic position is that it is wrong to pray to Mary and that Catholic's don't do that. In fact if you look up the issue here on YA you'll see many Catholics making that point. I remember Christo actually writing.."just because I pray near to a statue of Mary no more means I'm praying to Mary than it means I'm praying to my bed when I pray at my bedside!"

It's fascinating to read some Catholics here arguing that they do pray to Mary (which is also ironic because Catholics often argue their unity demonstrates they are the only church of Christ). The bible is very clear that we should not pray to Mary that much is clear and is the reason why the more educated Catholics deny they do. They claim they ask Mary to intercede for them and cite verses where we are told to pray for one another.

They also point out that bible doesn't say this command is negated by death which on the surface is true. However, Catholics get into a whole load of difficulty when you ask them a number of questions that reveal the truth of the matter.... 1) If a million people pray for you rather than ten, is it more likely God will grant your petition? 2) If Mary prays for us (assuming she can) does it mean God is more likely to grant our petition?

3) Does asking Mary to pray for us increase or decrease the time we spend with God? 4) Does a relationship with Mary enhance or reduce the glory we can give to God? 5) Does the bible teach that we should speak to anyone who has passed into heaven?

6) What is the point of asking Mary when we can ask directly? To remove any doubt the answers are definitively ... 1) No.. God doesn't change His mind no matter how many pray 2) No. God doesn't change His mind no matter who prays 3) Decrease... any moment thinking or asking Mary is a moment lost that could have been spent with God 4) Reduce.... if a pray through Mary is answered how can you not thank her and that thanks is exclusively Gods 5) No.. on the contrary the bible teaches that Christ alone is the mediator between God and man 6) There is no point asking Mary when we have direct access to God.

Furthermore the bibles instruction to pray for one another does not infer that this influences God in any way and therefore it's not the point. It's clear that the reason we should pray for one another runs with the command to bear with and help one another. It means if I pray for you on a particular issue I am there to support, guide and be with you in the issue that we present to God together not to change His mind but to seek His will.

How is this possible with Mary? Frankly the Catholic church has clearly deviated from the true path in many areas and yet claims to be THE church of Christ. Ironic given the history of immorality, greed, violence and hatred!

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.