Why do some Protestants treat Mary like she is nothing

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I am related to Protestants (I’m obviously a catholic lol) but seriously they treat Mary like she isn’t even important. Then they go on to say we worship her… where does this stem from? I’ve heard it from multiple people
 
Irreverence for Mary is a sad thing among some “Protestants.” In my opinion, it stems from one of two things:
  1. An under-developed Christology. They do not understand that calling Mary theotokos (meaning “God-bearer”) is really less of a descriptor for her, as it is for her Son. If she did not bear God, then Jesus was not God.
  2. Reasonable theological differences exacerbated by Romophobia. They may simply have a conscientious, reasonable objection about praying through Saints, and are scandalized when they learn of Roman Catholics praying “to” Mary. Distinctions between dulia and hyperdulia can be difficult to understand, (sometimes understandably so, given how much preference is given Mary in some cultures). Even when this distinction is understood, it may be seen as a distinction-without-difference. And so a minority of “Protestants” might then over-correct by going on to bash the Mother of God. 😦
 
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Let me add a third possible consideration: many Protestants don’t see the point in venerating Mary because they are so focused on salvation.

Here’s a thought experiment: Suppose Mary had died in childbirth. How would God’s plan of salvation be any different? Christ would still have been a perfect sacrifice for sin, and his Church would still have been founded. So whatever benefit there may be in looking to Mary as either Paragon or Intercessor, as far as salvation is concerned she became largely irrelevant the moment she gave birth. And if that is your overarching focus, well, Mary does not matter much more than Abraham, or Job, any other Biblical figure of faith.
 
Mainly because they reject the intercession of saints, and Mary is first among saints.
 
Good point.

Filed under “conscientious, reasonable objection about praying through Saints,” but with a differing response.
 
I respectfully disagree with you. No interest in arguing with you. Suffice it to say that your position was not held by Christians for the first 1400 or so years after Christ.
 
Hey, buddy. Do you know where that prayer comes from? Read Luke 1:28.

Look, I don’t pray to the Saints because I’m Lutheran. I believe they’re already praying for us in heaven, and I have no need to seek their further prayers when I can pray directly to Christ (presuming they could or would want to be bothered with cares about sin when they’re at rest).

That doesn’t mean, however, that we should reduce her wonderful witness to her Son to “There’s not much more to her other than she was at the cross when Jesus was crucified.”

She brought so much more. And if you miss that, you’re missing her Son.
 
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Luke 1:28

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

God blessed her with being chosen as the virgin to fulfill prophecy. Tell me what she did to deserve this honor. The answer is nothing. God honored her to fulfill the prophecy so that God would be glorified, not Mary.

It’s no different than why the Jews today live once again in Israel. The Jews have done nothing to deserve that honor. It’s simply God fulfilling his promise for His glory not theirs.
 
She was CHOSEN by god to give birth to Christ…

Also, the prayer is asking Mary to pray for us to GOD when are about to die. “Blessed is the fruit of her womb= Jesus”

As Catholics we are not worshiping Mary, we are asking her to pray for us to God/Jesus.

But if that’s how you feel I understand from what you said, but you have misinterpreted the Hail Mary prayer.

It’s also insulting that you say she has been dead for 2000 years. She visits people by the grace of God. I know someone very close to me who actually has been visited by her. She’s more than just a person in the Bible.
 
I don’t think he realizes that we are only asking them to pray for us, like you just stated lol
 
If you wish to discuss confession, please start another topic on it. Otherwise, this thread is not about it.
 
It’s not hard to understand.

Again, 1 Timothy 2:5 - “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Jesus is the only way to the Father. You can pray to Mary or anyone else you want to believe can be the mediator between you and God but it doesn’t make it happen.

That is why Mary isn’t held to some higher power like the Catholics do. She was a woman who was honored by God and that’s where her story ends.

You’re free to believe she comes down to earth and does any number of things. That’s you’re free choice.

The question was asked why do Protestants not hold Mary in this high esteem and I’ve answered.
 
Even in the Bible itself there’s Mary here:
‘And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery.’ Rev 12:1 ‘she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne’ Rev 12:5
 
ReadTheBible said:
Mary is only a Saint in the eyes of the Papacy. She was honored by God to give birth to Jesus. There’s not much more to her other than she was at the cross when Jesus was crucified.
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Only by the Papacy? You do realize that the Orthodox exist, right?
 
ReadTheBible said:
1 Timothy 2:5 - “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Jesus is the only way to the Father. You can pray to Mary or anyone else you want to believe can be the mediator between you and God but it doesn’t make it happen.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but you’re misinterpreting this verse. Catholics, too, believe there’s only one mediator between God and man, and that this is Jesus. This verse is not about prayer. If it was, it would be a sin for us to pray for each other–to entreat God on another’s behalf. This verse is about Jesus’ death on the cross and him mediating before God on behalf of mankind–in other words, He is our sacrifice which takes our sins away. In this vein is he the Only Mediator. Mary did not die for our sins—it was Jesus. Jesus mediated for us–he took our sin upon himself and appeared before God on our behalf.
 
I like your moniker, Read the Bible, because now that you have read it you can come to a place that will help you interpret and understand the Bible.

For many non-Catholics, singing about and praying to Mary is seen as worship. Catholics do not follow that way of thinking. Mary is honored because of her role in our salvation. And because sin could not contain the Word it goes that Mary was born without sin.

I think about the Wedding at Cana where Christ manifested himself.

The people at the wedding came to Mary to ask for help. They did not initially approach Jesus. She interceded on their behalf and then told the party “Do as he says.”

So Mary has been interceding for us for centuries and helping us do as Jesus says.

None of this is as threatening or as damning as you may like to think.
 
As a former Protestant, I think the reaction of protestants to Catholics on this issue has to do with the perception that Catholics make more mention of Mary in their faith conversations than they do of Jesus, such as in the Rosary.

Though the Rosary’s focus is on the life of Jesus, through a protestant lens, it appears to be solely focused on Mary because of the wording.
 
ReadTheBible said:
Again, 1 Timothy 2:5 - “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Click to expand...
I’ll go even further than Autumn-Smoke here. The sense of “mediator” in this verse (μεσίτης) is someone who reconciles two adverse parties – and Christ alone did that through his atoning sacrifice. All Catholics agree with that. The relevant difference between Catholic and Protestant doctrine that pertains to Marian intercession has to do with something else: relations between the baptized believer and God. And 1 Tim. 2:5 has nothing to do with this doctrinal difference.
 
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