To Protestants--do you ever pray the Rosary?

[whatevergirl]

I appreciate your concern but I’m very happy just being devoted to worship and prayer toward Christ Himself. I pray the Our Father frequently and the Creeds and the Glory Be which is on the rosary. I worship the Son of God and put all my attention on Him. What you’re saying is that that isn’t enough and I need to do more. I just disagree. But thanks!

*There seems to be a subtle inference here that those of us who pray the Rosary, don’t think going to Christ with our prayers is ‘enough.’ That’s totally not true. Asking Mary to pray for us doesn’t mean that we think it’s necessary for Christ to hear our prayers. It is a beautiful way of asking Mary to pray for us, the Rosary. Nothing more than that. We don’t worship Mary, either…we only worship Christ, also. *

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

*There seems to be a subtle inference here that those of us who pray the Rosary, don’t think going to Christ with our prayers is ‘enough.’ That’s totally not true. Asking Mary to pray for us doesn’t mean that we think it’s necessary for Christ to hear our prayers. It is a beautiful way of asking Mary to pray for us, the Rosary. Nothing more than that. We don’t worship Mary, either…we only worship Christ, also. *

Hi whatever,

Well if you drew an inference from my statements I’m sorry to hear that because I put no such implication in my post. Your inference is that someone who doesn’t pray to Mary is somehow not totally praying to Christ in the right manner by also going through His Mother. Notice I capitalize “Mother” because I respect and love Mary. I just choose to pray directly to Christ. Perhaps you’re a little too sensitive about your own devotions and easily feel someone who prays differently is attacking you when he isn’t. Also, where did I say that I think Catholics “worship Mary?” That’s absurd. I’ve been a Catholic too long and I know too much to think something so ignorant. I never implied that you don’t think going to Christ for prayers is “enough.” I just personally don’t see a need to go pray to saints when I can go straight to Christ. In my opinion, Christ is enough and my sole focus. I don’t pretend to know your heart or its desires and spirituality. I have prayed the rosary many many many times and know it inside and out. I personally have never felt the graces and feelings that many people in CAF report. I think it’s wonderful that they have had great experiences with the rosary. It’s super! I just haven’t and prefer to pray to Christ alone the way I am right now. No judgments on you or anyone. Just a preference. God bless…

 

[youngsaint]

I asked my Protestant friend about it, she said “What’s a Rosary?” It was kinda sad actually. I ask Mary for things everyday.
“What kinda guy wouldn’t want a girl that smells like roses? … When she appears, people fall on their knees and cry, that the kind of women I want in my life!” - Fr. Calloway (And I can’t help but agree )

 

[Magnus1981]

I do not believe that dead people interceed for us - only the omnipotent, omnipresent second person of the Trinity.

I read this and it made my ears prick up (or eyes widen, whatever the reading equivalent is), and I felt I needed to comment.

I think we can both agree that He, God, is God of the living, not of the dead (Luke 20:38), right? And for to Him, all are alive, right? And I think we can both agree that at death, the body dies but the soul/spirit lives on, right? So there is life after death, albeit in a different manner (“It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it” ).

In the Old Testament (this is relevant since we’re talking about “praying to the dead”) necromancy is forbidden, i.e. conjuring the dead to commune or attempt dialogue with the deceased. The Lord, in 1 Samuel 28:3-25, abandons King Saul (in disguise) because he has consulted the witch of Endor to commune with the prophet Samuel. God was angry at at King Saul because he failed to wait upon the Lord as God told him to. Now, when Catholics pray to the saints, we’re not actually attempting dialogue with them or expecting them to speak back; we’re simply asking them to pray for us because they are close to God; they intercede for us; all supplications are put to God.

In light of that: in Mark 15:34-36, as Jesus is hanging on the crucifix, he cries out to God, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated to, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” but the bystanders mishear what Jesus uttered and believed he was crying out to Elijah:

“One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.’” (v36)

Don’t you think it’s strange, based on what they [mistakenly] heard, that instead of condemning Jesus for attempting to “commune with the dead” by calling out to Elijah, they waited to see if Elijah would actually come and take him down from the cross? Yes, Jesus calls out to his Father, but the bystanders don’t hear it that way.

Why didn’t the bystanders rebuke Jesus for the sin of necromancy if he was calling out to a “dead guy”?

 

[Zooey]

Yes, I pray the rosary.

And for those who object to “praying to dead people”: I’ve got news for you; there are no dead people in Heaven.
I believe that’s why the Bible calls it “eternal life”.

 

[AwGusTeen]

I see the Elders in Revelations, surely Saints by the RCC definition, continually falling down and saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty.” If they, the 24 most honored people are doing this non-stop, how much more the rest of the saints?

**I do not see any support for departed people in heaven having any interaction with us. **They are with God, we see that anyone who sees the Glory of God is overcome with a need to worship Him. I believe that we will be overflowing with joy for eternity wanting nothing more than to praise God.

At the transfiguration, Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah. All things are possible with God.

 

[AwGusTeen]

No. I don’t as I do not think praying to anyone or through anyone other than God or Jesus A) Does any good; and B) is not needed. The intercession of the saints is one of the FEW real issues I have with Catholicism. At the same time, because of some of the classes I teach I know the words to the hail Mary. The other issue I have with some scripted prayers is that they can easily become a rote habit that have little real meaning to the person saying them. At the same time, it’s nice to have a few prayers that everyone knows so people can pray together.

Clearly, you fail to understand the meditative nature of such prayers.

 

[Auriel]

I’ve never prayed a rosary, but I have said a Novena to St Jude for my mom. She went back to the Catholic religion right before she died. I was still a kid back then but I figured, it couldn’t hurt to say it. I suppose death can be a healer too since it releases the soul.

Most I know do pray “Our father”.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi whatever,

Well if you drew an inference from my statements I’m sorry to hear that because I put no such implication in my post. Your inference is that someone who doesn’t pray to Mary is somehow not totally praying to Christ in the right manner by also going through His Mother. Notice I capitalize “Mother” because I respect and love Mary. I just choose to pray directly to Christ. Perhaps you’re a little too sensitive about your own devotions and easily feel someone who prays differently is attacking you when he isn’t. Also, where did I say that I think Catholics “worship Mary?” That’s absurd. I’ve been a Catholic too long and I know too much to think something so ignorant. I never implied that you don’t think going to Christ for prayers is “enough.” I just personally don’t see a need to go pray to saints when I can go straight to Christ. In my opinion, Christ is enough and my sole focus. I don’t pretend to know your heart or its desires and spirituality. I have prayed the rosary many many many times and know it inside and out. I personally have never felt the graces and feelings that many people in CAF report. I think it’s wonderful that they have had great experiences with the rosary. It’s super! I just haven’t and prefer to pray to Christ alone the way I am right now. No judgments on you or anyone. Just a preference. God bless…

Hello

*No, not sensitive…you posted above ‘I worship the Son and God, and put all of my attention on Him.’ But, so do I. I don’t divert my attention away from the Son, and place it on Mary…nor do I worship Mary. So, you might not have meant it that way, which you’re saying you didn’t mean to imply anything…but then not sure why that sentence was even necessary, except to infer that people who pray the Rosary somehow are not doing the things you do. (worship and keep the focus on Christ) Not the first time, I might have read into something that isn’t there! :tiphat: Apologies, if that was the case, but hopefully, you can see where I was drawing that from.

That said…this morning as I prayed ‘with’ Mary, I thought about that. Sometimes, she is praying WITH me, not for me. She is our mother in heaven, and sits with us in prayer. It is hard to explain, I didn’t always pray the Rosary, as I didn’t see ‘the point,’ years ago, but once you develop a habit in praying it daily, it is life changing, in a positive way. Just another two cents. *

 

[whatevergirl]

Yes, I pray the rosary.

And for those who object to “praying to dead people”: I’ve got news for you; there are no dead people in Heaven.
I believe that’s why the Bible calls it “eternal life”.

 

[ChosenAndCalled]

Rev 8
3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

Here we just disagree on the source of those prayers; I believe that the prayers of the saints are the prayers of the elect who have been called and regenerated and are living in Christ on earth. I do not see the prayers of the saints as being those in Heaven.

 

[whatevergirl]

I read this and it made my ears prick up (or eyes widen, whatever the reading equivalent is), and I felt I needed to comment.

I think we can both agree that He, God, is God of the living, not of the dead (Luke 20:38), right? And for to Him, all are alive, right? And I think we can both agree that at death, the body dies but the soul/spirit lives on, right? So there is life after death, albeit in a different manner (“It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it” ).

In the Old Testament (this is relevant since we’re talking about “praying to the dead”) necromancy is forbidden, i.e. conjuring the dead to commune or attempt dialogue with the deceased. The Lord, in 1 Samuel 28:3-25, abandons King Saul (in disguise) because he has consulted the witch of Endor to commune with the prophet Samuel. God was angry at at King Saul because he failed to wait upon the Lord as God told him to. Now, when Catholics pray to the saints, we’re not actually attempting dialogue with them or expecting them to speak back; we’re simply asking them to pray for us because they are close to God; they intercede for us; all supplications are put to God.

In light of that: in Mark 15:34-36, as Jesus is hanging on the crucifix, he cries out to God, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated to, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” but the bystanders mishear what Jesus uttered and believed he was crying out to Elijah:

“One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.’” (v36)

Don’t you think it’s strange, based on what they [mistakenly] heard, that instead of condemning Jesus for attempting to “commune with the dead” by calling out to Elijah, they waited to see if Elijah would actually come and take him down from the cross? Yes, Jesus calls out to his Father, but the bystanders don’t hear it that way.

Why didn’t the bystanders rebuke Jesus for the sin of necromancy if he was calling out to a “dead guy”?

I don’t think that the Jews/Pharisees though, perceived God as a living/dead ‘being.’ He is eternal, the beginning and the end. I don’t think that their reaction had much to do with that perception, as much as they were seeing what God would do for Christ…as He called out in what seemed to appear to them as despair. They always were testing Jesus to see if the Father would come down to ‘help Him.’ I think it’s very interesting what you say here though…I guess I perceived Christ’s crying out like that a bit differently.

 

[whatevergirl]

Here we just disagree on the source of those prayers; I believe that the prayers of the saints are the prayers of the elect who have been called and regenerated and are living in Christ on earth. I do not see the prayers of the saints as being those in Heaven.

Hi Chosen;
What do you mean ‘regenerated?’

 

[ChosenAndCalled]

Hi Chosen;
What do you mean ‘regenerated?’

Regeneration is one of the steps we see occuring during Justification. We are dead in our sins, unable to even ask God to save us. then, God - in His own time and chosing - gives us a heart of flesh for a heart of stone. This is the regeneration stage - we move from dead in sin to alive. Next, we see our sins, for the first time since we were dead before, and we see we are hopless before a just God. We now hear Christ knocking, before we were dead and could not hear, we call out to Him to save us and God imparts Christ’s righteousness to us. That entire process is called Justification for us.

 

[JanetF]

I’m Catholic, and although I don’t pray the Rosary daily, I do pray it occasionally. I can understand non-catholics getting caught up in the “repetitiveness” of the prayers, but perhaps it’s because it is not understood that when catholics pray the rosary they are meditating on the life and death of Jesus, i.e. the various mysteries.

Personally, I ask for Mary’s guidance in my role as a mother quite often since she’s the gold standard so to speak.

 

[Magnus1981]

I don’t think that the Jews/Pharisees though, perceived God as a living/dead ‘being.’ He is eternal, the beginning and the end. I don’t think that their reaction had much to do with that perception, as much as they were seeing what God would do for Christ…as He called out in what seemed to appear to them as despair. They always were testing Jesus to see if the Father would come down to ‘help Him.’ I think it’s very interesting what you say here though…I guess I perceived Christ’s crying out like that a bit differently.

Read what I wrote again: the bystanders believed (mistakenly heard) Jesus was calling out to Elijah.

 

[Janet1983]

***Just curious. I was praying the Rosary before work today, and thought…this is such a beautiful prayer! (I think this a lot when praying the Rosary) A time to ask Mary for her prayers, as she is close to Jesus. We don’t look to Mary as ‘divine,’ we ask her to pray for us, similiarly to how you might ask a friend to pray for you.

If you don’t, just curious if you have ever considered it? ***

I did pray it daily, but I was not Protestant back then… Today I won’t pray it anymore, because I rather pray to God directly because I know that Jesus Christ is close to my heart and He knows what I need. I will never ask Mary to pray for me again, because I know that I can approach God personally and that’s all I need…
He’s wonderful, awesome and absolutely great!

 

[Scardinoz]

Here we just disagree on the source of those prayers; I believe that the prayers of the saints are the prayers of the elect who have been called and regenerated and are living in Christ on earth. I do not see the prayers of the saints as being those in Heaven.

There is no disagreement. You agree with the Catholic view of the Scripture.

Rev 8
3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

The angel is offering up the prayers of the Christians on Earth.

Saints and angels in heaven, offer up our prayers to the Lord.

 

[Zooey]

There is no disagreement. You agree with the Catholic view of the Scripture.

The angel is offering up the prayers of the Christians on Earth.

Saints and angels in heaven, offer up our prayers to the Lord.

:yup::yup:

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

Here we just disagree on the source of those prayers; I believe that the prayers of the saints are the prayers of the elect who have been called and regenerated and are living in Christ on earth. I do not see the prayers of the saints as being those in Heaven.

I don’t see anything that confirms either interpretation.

However, the key point here is that prayers are being carried by an intercessor in heaven to God.