Does the soldier who kisses a picture of his wife while on the battlefield worship his wife?
Do you worship your friends when you ask them to pray for you? Strawman argument.
A man kneeling is doing a human act of placing himself below a person he holds in esteem. Making her 'worthy' of his love. The translation of "worship" is from the Middle English: worshipe worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being, from Old English weorthscipe worthiness, respect, from weorth worthy, worth + -scipe -ship. In essence, worshiping her. Not worship as in deity.
The soldier on the battlefield does the same as an icon of the person he loves. You may hold the same argument for Mary, but the effect is that of idolization when done to the scope of the Roman Catholic Church.
When you ask friends to pray for you, you are doing what Christ wants. We are to pray for each other. This is not granting a status of deity.
Correct! Since the Catholic Church does not believe Mary to be a divine being or a deity, there's no worship. Glad we agree.
When you ask friends to pray for you, you are doing what Christ wants. We are to pray for each other. This is not granting a status of deity.
Correct! Since the Catholic Church never proclaimed Mary as a deity or anything close for that matter, then we have agreement again. When I ask Mary to pray for me, I am simply doing what Christ commanded. Glad you clarified that for us.
As for this:
The soldier on the battlefield does the same as an icon of the person he loves. You may hold the same argument for Mary, but the effect is that of idolization when done to the scope of the Roman Catholic Church.
LOL. Are you the sole arbiter of when expressions of love and honor rise to the level of idolization? I love my wife to the degree that I would DIE for her. Tell me, do I worship my wife?