[wagglebee]

If this thread were hijacked by traditional Protestants (Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.) it could turn into a very interesting and informative exchange of ideas. However, having spent the last three days arguing with anti-Catholic BIGOTS about Mary (The Mother of the Son: The Case for Marian Devotion), I have an idea that that is what will be here. I for one have "lost the stomach" for arguing with people who have no true understanding of what they even believe, much less a real understanding of what Catholicism is.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

That's why it's useful to ignore people who are trying to hijack the topic in a thread. Don't even start a conversation with them, and go on to the next person who has something reasonable to say.

[Kolokotronis]

Aw, come on WB, you gave as good as you got on that thread. Frankly, we Orthodox were rather proud of the reasoned restraint with which the overwhelming number of our Latin cousins, yourself included, dealt with the heterodox there! :)

Truth be told, there really isn't any point in going far into a discussion with "proof texters". They simply do not believe or live the same Faith that Rome and Orthodoxy do. Even their idea of "sinlessness" is different from ours and that goes a long way to understanding why they have such a problem with the Most Holy Theotokos. Certainly there are great differences between Orthodoxy and the Holy Roman Church, but they are nothing compared to the gulf between Reformed Protestantism and its spin offs and The Church. Don't let it bother you.