[Antoninus]

Not "from the beginning." Not until much later when pagan sects and practices had creeped into some churches unaware.

Oh, but it was from the beginning. Certainly much, much closer to the beginning than the birth of the protestant heresy which some how revealed the "truth" a mere 1500 years after the death and resurrection of our Savior. How many poor souls were sent to hell for their "superstitious" petitions to the saints before Luther and Calvin enlightened the world and let a million sects proliferate in their unbearable hubris?

Can you not see the utter absurdity of this claim? Your argument is self-contradictory and risible.

That's why so many Christians here find all this attention and adoration slavishly and fawningly showered on Mary to be more than a bit creepy.

My guess is that you probably find a lot of true and traditional Christian practices creepy. That's why you guys went off and founded your own sects apart from the rest of us--so you could embrace only those parts of Christianity you found comfortable and not have to worry about the "creepy" stuff.

I truly feel no anger toward you. Only pity. You are trying to breathe with only one lung and then telling us that we are sinning by breathing with two. It's sad, really.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

How many poor souls were sent to hell for their "superstitious" petitions to the saints before Luther and Calvin enlightened the world and let a million sects proliferate in their unbearable hubris?

Who knows? Thank God for His mercy. All men are fallen and suffer from a variety of lapses from God's instructions. Before Christ God winked at a lot of superstitious rigmarole. After Christ, the word of God made flesh, no man is without excuse because Christ has risen, and the Bible is not chained to the alters of Rome anymore nor exclusively written in Latin to be kept from the people's own eyes and ears.

My guess is that you probably find a lot of true and traditional Christian practices creepy.

lol. I find all traditions of men "creepy." The doctrines of Jesus Christ as outlined in Scripture are gifts to His children and I try to follow them as closely as I can.

Sadly, when confronted by the obvious idolatry their Mariology entrails, Roman Catholic apologists can only lash out and criticize others for some ill-defined lack of false "tradition."

God save me from a "tradition" that looks to the creature for redemption and not to the Creator alone.

" Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church? Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge - knowledge not of God merely, but of the divine will. We do not obtain salvation either because we are prepared to embrace every dictate of the Church as true, or leave to the Church the province of inquiring and determining; but when we recognize God as a propitious Father through the reconciliation made by Christ, and Christ as given to us for righteousness, sanctification, and life..." -- John Calvin, INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH - Book 3, Chapter 2.