you must not be listening to what i have said zeb...i said that if they have confessed that Jesus is the savior and that he went to the cross, died and was raised on the third day they are saved. there are some doctrines that are damnable.

but on to what you mentioned...

what catholics regard or think does not matter to God when it comes to worship. you say mary is closer to Jesus than anyother human being.

check this out:

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Matt 12:46-50 (KJV)

That Jesus loved Mary is without doubt to me. He loved her as a son ought to. He came to do the will of the Father which was to die for the sins of men that they might have a right to eternal life. Mary's love for her Son did not want this. She was a mother of the man Jesus not the God. She saw only her son the man. Mary and the kids came to get Jesus in the above scenario. She knew the crowds were getting ready to kill her son.

God surely would have told that when we pray we pray to HE and mary in the name of Jesus. But He only said pray to Him, not the angels or 'other' saints or anyone else. Not peter, not paul, but to the Father in the Son's name. I have discussed this with catholic friends many times. the same argument you have given...sounds practical and very human but not what God said....

we don't have to have anyone pray for us now....does not mean we can't do it...but we are told to come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy in time of need"...Jesus' death gave men access to God again that was denied us after adam's fall. when we believe on Him and what the Gospel said we are made sons again and thus have access to the Father....

we don't need a priest to confess to, have pray for us...you see how far off some of the catholic doctrine is. it is right there in the bible...

these saints you claim are man made, not God made...they may be some wonderful people in life but the bible gives no such authority to set men and women up as such. all believers are saints...