You said: You are incorrect. I am a born-again Christian. When Jesus entered my heart, he did not say ... “head three miles South to the Catholic Church so you can worship Mary....”
Now I know why you started this thread. Must be time to start some Catholic bashing.
You know or should know that Jesus the Christ, is the reason for the Catholic Church.
We do not now nor have we ever worshipped Mary.
Watch and learn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUdYeYy3NQA
Wait, seriously.
Stating that “Catholics worship Mary” is not Catholic bashing, it’s ignorance. I’ve had tons of people in the non-Catholic part of my family say that. Not to be mean, but rather because they didn’t know.
They see us on our knees before statues, they say we are idol worshipers because they don’t know that we use statues like they use photographs.
They see us “counting rosary beads” and think we “pray repetitive prayers” not knowing that we concentrate on the life of Christ while doing it.
They see us saying “Hail Mary” and think we worship her as a Goddess, when actually we beg her to ask her Son to grant us His favor.
It’s misunderstanding, not bashing. If it’s said again after the explaination, THEN it’s intentional.