Don't know who yet.

He is still just a man.  There is only one risen savior.

He's as close as one will get in this life.

I disagree...and I have never understood the Catholic religion and why they seem to worship a mortal man and pray to a mortal woman when Jesus is as alive to day as he ever was.  Plus I will probably never meet or speak to the pope.  However, I can talk with Jesus any time!  To each their own I guess.

To each his or her own...

He's only the one human chosen to represent Jesus on earth.  An intermediary, a rep.

That is all.

Mary is just the personification of goodness and sacrifice.

That is all.

If you must get snippy about something so simple and decent, the problem is you.

I also never liked the "I can pray to God / Jesus any time, anywhere" thing.  People who say that while decrying the structures and systems of the church, are only trying to avoid responsibility and be lazy.  You have to actually get off the sofa, go the church, be part of the community, add something, contribute to something larger than yourself....for it all to work.  If everybody laid around the house claiming to have their own personal relationship with God, there would be no church or community.

The big change for me is will there be a change in policy.  Does the church have the courage to come down on priest who break the law or will they continue to bring them to the vatican so they can't be jailed.

The beauty of the Christianianity is we have so many denominations so an individual can land where they are comfortable. My position on the differences is I respect all Christians regardless of their denomination. An example is I have many Catholic friends, but I am Methodist. One reason is I believe priest should be able to marry. While I have great respect for the Catholic church I choose another denomination.

OK in a nice way. I was raised a catholic and practiced as one most of the time until my mid 30's. Then I picked up a bible and read it. I am no longer a catholic and I have since convinced many catholics to do the same, I mean those who believe in JC not the ones who are thugs mon thru sat then ask for forgiveness on Sunday. Nothing the catholics teach is in the Bible they teach from what is called the catholic doctrine which is 100% man made. I went to a catholic school until I was 11 yrs old and never seen a Bible, my son who is very smart about the bible was disciplined so many times in S.S. because he asked questions about the Bible, it's just not allowed.
Read When Catholics Die it is a good start.

Quote from: AndyJackson on March 13, 2013, 12:05:07 PM
He's only the one human chosen to represent Jesus on earth.  An intermediary, a rep.

That is all.

Mary is just the personification of goodness and sacrifice.

That is all.

If you must get snippy about something so simple and decent, the problem is you.

I also never liked the "I can pray to God / Jesus any time, anywhere" thing.  People who say that while decrying the structures and systems of the church, are only trying to avoid responsibility and be lazy.  You have to actually get off the sofa, go the church, be part of the community, add something, contribute to something larger than yourself....for it all to work.  If everybody laid around the house claiming to have their own personal relationship with God, there would be no church or community.

Again, I said I don't understand it.  I simply do not understand why God needs an intermediary.  My bible tells me that, being saved by blood of Jesus,  I "may go boldly" in to the throne room and I need no intermediary.  Why Mary as a symbol of goodness and sacrifice?  Why not Noah, Abraham, Moses and why are some catholic prayers directed to Mary?  She was just a mortal woman.

Be careful what you assume about someone simply because they ask a question too.  You have no idea when or how often I am in church or what I do in the church and church community.  I'd be almost tempted to say for you to get so defensive I may have stirred a little conviction...or struck a nerve.  Either way that was not my intention.

Quote from: Bowhntr on March 13, 2013, 01:27:01 PM
Again, I said I don't understand it.  I simply do not understand why God needs an intermediary.  My bible tells me that, being saved by blood of Jesus,  I "may go boldly" in to the throne room and I need no intermediary.  Why Mary as a symbol of goodness and sacrifice?  Why not Noah, Abraham, Moses and why are some catholic prayers directed to Mary?  She was just a mortal woman.

Be careful what you assume about someone simply because they ask a question too.  You have no idea when or how often I am in church or what I do in the church and church community.  I'd be almost tempted to say for you to get so defensive I may have stirred a little conviction...or struck a nerve.  Either way that was not my intention.

agreed and I only learned this after reading the bible. The catholic  church is ran by greed and money.

The religion section deserves a little activity.

Quote from: Bowhntr on March 13, 2013, 01:27:01 PM
... and why are some catholic prayers directed to Mary?  She was just a mortal woman.

Mary is asleep in the grave awaiting the Resurrection. She's not receiving prayers. "Jesus Christ" (Yeshua) is the FIRST BORN of many brethren. Until He returns, all who have died, sleep in the grave.

Quote from: simpsonofpg on March 13, 2013, 12:13:13 PM
The big change for me is will there be a change in policy.  Does the church have the courage to come down on priest who break the law or will they continue to bring them to the vatican so they can't be jailed.

You mean like they way we treat child molesting teachers who simply get sent to "rubber rooms" where they can keep collecting paychecks due solely to the strength of their unions. You know after awhile you get tired of people displaying their anti Catholic bigotry, by repeating the "media narrative" on the "child molesting scandal". 

I agree. Not to excuse what happened in that church, but it doesn't even begin to compare with the atrocities of our government schools, yet, not a peep from the MSM. Now we find out how common rape and sexual abuse is within our military. Young women (GIRLS really) don't understand the environment they are placing themselves in when they join the military. Sorry, but that environment is NOT for "women."