Pondering the Memorare and Consecration to St. Joseph and Mary

"O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thine Immaculate Heart." ~Catholic "Consecration to Mary"

Oh, nothing wrong with that, right?

"Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted. Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection. Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen." ~Catholic "Memorare to St. Joseph"

Oh yeah, it's totally scriptural! Honest!

But wait, there's more!

"O dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your honor and give myself to you, that you may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a greater purity of heart and fervent love of the interior life. After your example may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. O Blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen." ~Catholic "Act of Consecration to St. Joseph"

That is completely in keeping with God's Word... honest! Except a few things:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ~John 14:6

"And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." ~Matthew 23:9

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." ~Galatians 3:22

"I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." ~Matthew 22:32

"He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err." ~Mark 12:27

And, about the whole "Queen of Heaven" title:

"The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger." ~Jeremiah 7:18

An Examination of an Examiner Article

Because it contains a painting of an unclothed child, which Catholic artists, often, strangely and disturbingly depict, I will simply give you the relevant quote from an online article, written in The Examiner, concerning Marian theology, which states that Mary is the "Mother of God":

"You might be wondering how we take the leap into calling her our Mother. When Jesus was on the cross, He told his disciples: 'Behold your mother'. Because they were and we are brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, she too is Our Mother. She is still with Him in heaven, and looks at us as her children."

Oh, well there you go! Nothing more to see here! Don't bother looking it up, 'cuz you heard it here first!

"These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." ~Acts 17:11

Please reread the quote from the article now, and note the use of the plural "disciples".

Now let's search the scriptures to see if that thing is so:

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." ~John 19:26-27 (This was said by Him from the cross.)

Was He speaking to more than one disciple? No, because he wanted that particular disciple to take care of the woman (note that he did not call her "Mother") that birthed him, since her husband had apparently already died and had no one else to rely upon.

You see, in order to justify their worship of a person that is unworthy of worship, whatever their reasons for doing so, one must rephrase verses from the Bible to fit their beliefs.

If you say "He told his disciples...", that shows a common relationship that, in this context, requires all to participate, but if you use the actual Word of God, it shows the true intent -- that of an individual caring for another individual.

No where in any version of the Bible, let alone the reliable one, is there mention of the glorification of Mary, nor is there of referring to her as the "Mother of God".

In fact, Jesus corrected a man for calling her His mother:

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, [his] mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." ~Matthew 12:46-50

Quite a leap of faith, Catholicism.

Mormonism: Part II

From Mormon.org:

"John said, 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3). In order to truly know God the Father and Jesus Christ in the eternities, we must be like them. To be heirs of Christ in the eternities is to inherit His attributes. In that sense, we can become “gods.” This principle does not diminish God or Christ in any way."

They seem to forget what happened when Lucifer sought to become a god:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." ~Isaiah 14:12-15

Satan never said that he would be greater than God, only that he would be like the most High.

What did Satan say would happen if Eve ate the forbidden fruit?

"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

The same method of control is involved here.

Mormons defend this doctrine of "Theosis" by referring to the words of ancient "saints", falsely so-called.

Quotes from Heretics and Gnostics such as Irenaeus, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen of Alexandria contribute to their belief in this doctrine.

Nowhere in the Bible is there mention of becoming gods, lesser gods, half-gods, partial gods, or gods-in-law. Rather, he instructs us to become as little children:

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." ~Mark 10:15

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." ~Matthew 18:4

Mormonism: Part I

This excerpt was taken from Mormon.org, the LDS website:
"The commandments of God have been restored through revelation from God to the Prophet Joseph Smith and other prophets. You can know for yourself that these things are true by asking Heavenly Father in prayer."

Excerpt from the "restored commandments" of Mormonism:
Follow the Prophet: God reveals the truths necessary for salvation through prophets and apostles. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a living prophet.

However, the Bible says, "Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart." ~Jeremiah 14:14

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD." ~Jeremiah 23:16

"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied." ~Jeremiah 23:21

"Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith." ~Jeremiah 23: 31

Strangefire: The Audacity of Pope

Excerpts taken from Matthew, 1 Samuel, Leviticus, and John. KJV:

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries (garrisoned fortifications),

and enlarge the borders of their garments,

and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte (convert), and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness."

Is the God of the Bible pleased with these men?

Does He advocate such a blatant mockery of the Throne of God?

Does He accept the practice of strutting about like pompous peacocks while pretending to be "Men of God"?

What of the Rosary?

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

What of calling priests "Father"?

"And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."

What of asking a priest for the forgiveness of sin?

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

What of referring to the Pope as "Holy Father"?

"[There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God."

"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."

ONLY the Holy Bible is the Word of God. There is no other book, tradition, or man that can replace or act as the Word of God.