Just a few points to take into consideration when deciding on the rights or wrongs of this.
When the Gentile Cornelius bowed reverently to the apostle Peter, note what happened: As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet and did obeisance to him. But Peter lifted him up, saying: Rise; I myself am also a man. (Acts 10:25, 26) Bowing worshipfully to a human was improper, and Peter would not accept it. Also, after receiving a vision from an angel, the apostle John reports: I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that had been showing me these things. But he tells me: Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who are prophets and of those who are observing the words of this scroll. Worship God. (Revelation 22:8, 9) If not even an angel of God is to be worshiped, how much less humans or images of them.
Good job of exegesis.
You fail to mention passages such as Genesis 19:1 and Joshua 5:14, which appear to corroborate the practice as much as the other passages condemn it, but a good job of exegesis nevertheless.
Keep in mind, however, that the Catholic Church interprets the
written Word of God (Holy Scripture) and the
spoken Word of God (Sacred Tradition) in light of
each other, while Protestants interpret Holy Scripture in light of
itself; ergo, it is not surprising that there will be a variation in the interpetation of Scriptural passages. It also highlights that simply because a Catholic practice or doctrine is not overtly spelled out in Scripture, it does not automatically negate the veracity of the practice or doctrine.
That such devotion to Mary may result in improper worship is acknowledged by The Catholic Encyclopedia. An early edition of this work stated: That popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin was often attended with extravagance and abuses, it is impossible to deny.
Yes, but notice that the quote says nothing against the
proper devotion to Mary----only the
improper devotion to her. What would constitute proper or improper devotion, of course, will again vary between Catholics and Protestants. There is also the matter of the difference between devotion and worship, which many Protestants confuse.
What about praying to Jesus earthly mother Mary or to particular saints for them to intercede with God on ones behalf? The Bibles direct answer is: There is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2:5
If 1 Timothy 2:5 is to be taken in the way that you are putting it forth (that Jesus is the
only one mediating for us with the Father), then passages such as Rom 15:30, Col 4:3, 1 Thes 5:25, 2 Thes 3:1, 1 Tim 2:1,
et al are negated, are they not? If Jesus is the only one praying for us, why are we enjoined to pray for one another?
There are two answers to this: one is that while there is one
Mediator (Jesus), there can be any number of
intercessors. The second part is, what does Jesus' position of "Mediator" mean?
Other verses, such as Hebrews 8:9, 9:15, and 12:24 give you the answer. In these verses, Jesus is described as the "Mediator of the New Covenant". The New Covenant, of course, is God's plan of salvation through Christ, offered to all of us.
Ergo, 1 Timothy 2:5 does not mean that Jesus is the only one taking
our prayers
to God; it is rather that He is the only one bringing
God's new covenant
to us. In short, 1 Timothy 2:5 does not say what it is usually quoted as saying. The overall Scriptural context does not support it.
Praying to Mary ignores what Jesus taught, that no one can come to the Father except through [him].
Mary always points to Jesus---never to herself; and the complete body of Catholic teaching about her bears this out. Mary's entire ministry in the life of the Christian is best summed up in her own words in John 2:5---"Do whatever He tells you."
Thus, the Rosary and Mary are not Gods way to approach Him in prayer.
There are many types of prayer; the Rosary is a
devotional, meditative prayer, which is more for the benefit of the one praying than it is for addressing God in supplication. For a better understanding of what the Rosary is really all about, see Post #7 in this thread:
http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12925.
I appreciate what you say. I was only giving examples of how attempts at worshipful address to others rather than the Father were rejected.
Catholics do not worship saints. When we address a saint, it is always in the form of a request to ask them to pray for us, the same way you'd call up your mother on the phone and ask her to pray for you. We do not ask a saint to save us, or to forgive our sins, or to do any other thing for us that only God can do for us; we only ask them to help us by praying to God for us and with us.
Jesus is the way. The one and only approach to God in prayer is through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself assures his disciples that the Father will give them whatever they ask in Jesus name not Marys or any other . (John 15:16)
We don't pray in Mary's name. We ask Mary to pray
with us in
Jesus' name.
Prayers directed to icons or religious saints or replete with Ave Marias and repetitious chanting
We also don't pray to icons or statues; we pray to the saint whom the icon or statue represents. As for repetitious prayers, notice Jesus' words in Matthew 6:7: "use not vain repetitions". The key word here is
vain, not "repetitions". Jesus pointed out that the prayers of the heathens are vain, because they are directed at idols, not at the one true God. There is no injunction against repetitious prayer; if there was, then Jesus Himself would have been wrong when He prayed the same prayer over and over again in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44).
none of these are heard and accepted by the Father.
You know this for a fact? God has told you this? You are privy to which prayers God hears and which ones He doesn't?
Further, concerning Jesus, we read at Acts 4:12: There is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.
Agreed. However, as I pointed out, since we do not ask saints to procure our salvation, this quote on the subject at hand is more or less irrelevant.
My statements here are those of a Catholic, from the standpoint of the Catholic Church. You are under no compulsion to agree with them and are free to dismiss them as you like.
I realize there are varying viewpoints, and only offer my explanations as a clarification of the Catholic viewpoint. Your mileage may vary.