Praying only to God

[motoeric]

Hi,

Excuse my ignorance, but are there any specific quotes in the Bible that forbid people to pray to anyone but God, or is that merely poor eisigesis by those that want to condemn prayers to Mary and such?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[Christy_Beth]

I think it goes back to the ten commandments. “Thou shall not have any other god.” Stuff like that. I don’t think that there is any straight out item saying that we have to pray to God alone, and not asking someone else to pray with/and for us.

 

[HannahLisa]

There’s a difference between praying to someone and asking someone to pray for you. I personally think that some of the “prayers” to Mary cross the line. I also think you shouldn’t spend more time asking someone to pray for you than you do actually praying to God, which is what I’ve seen happen in books like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The book is supposed to explain some of the more difficult parts of Catholicism…and the mother never actually prays to God, only to Mary.

In general, I think the confusion comes from the use of “prayer” in reference to saints as well as God. They are two different things, or should be - but because the same word is used, those who are not familiar with Catholicism (or Orthodoxy, for that matter) tend to think that saints are being worshiped. I didn’t fully understand the concept until I went to an Orthodox church and they explained it as asking someone to pray for you.