On an Internet forum, I briefly answered an accusation from a Church of God member: "It's just that [Mary] is worshipped by many in the Catholic Church. It stands out as idolatry. What say ye?"
My guess is that you have a different understanding of what "worship" is.
I know full well that not all COGers are the same, but, I heard a COG minister just the other week (online) say that one day all these people in the world will bow down to us in worship during "Tomorrow's World."
When he says worship, he means worship! The idea is that since we will be God Beings one day, we will receive the kind of worship that is due to God alone (or I guess to "God Beings" alone). But that won't happen until we have our glorified bodies, when we are transformed at the Second Coming.
Now consider the Catholic view: According to Catholic teaching, Mary was the exception and even now has her glorified body (unlike the other saints who must wait for the resurrection). She has her full reward already. That's what the teachings of the Assumption and Coronation of Mary explain.
Even though Mary is fully glorified now, the Church teaches:The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs.... This very special devotion ... differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 971)So if someone thinks it's okay for one of us created beings to be truly worshiped after our glorification, then he should not be indignant that Catholics give tremendous honor (not worship) to Mary, whom Catholics believe has already received her final reward.
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A question in relation to this post was, "[H]ow do you explain Revelation 3 where the church is told that those who are of the synagogue of Satan will worship at their feet?"
What it means is great respect and humility. The confusion comes from the misleading translation of the KJV to the modern ear.
The NIV translates it,
I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars–I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. (Revelation 3:9)
The same Greek word translated "worship" in the KJV and "fall down at your feet" in the NIV is used in the parable of the unmerciful servant:
The servant fell on his knees before him. "Be patient with me," he begged, "and I will pay back everything." The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. (Matthew 18:26-27)
It wasn't because the servant bestowed worshipful adoration on him that the master forgave the debt; it was because of the servant's respect and humble supplication.
In a sense -- in the KJV sense -- one could rightly say Catholics "worship" Mary. But that "worship" is mere reverance or honor (as in, honor thy father and mother). It is easily misunderstood by non-Catholics. That's why the preferred terminology in today's Catholic teaching is adoration (that which is due to God alone) and veneration (that which we should give to holy things or people, such as Mary and other saints).
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