Why do Catholics pray to Mary?  I have read articles that say they pray to her as an intercessor, but I cannot find anywhere in the Bible that says to do this.  How do they justify this Biblically?

Sincerely,
Who’s That Girl?

Dear Who’s That Girl,

Praying to or through Mary is wrong.  Technically speaking, Catholics are not taught to pray to Mary – but to ask Mary to intercede on their behalf before God.  Catholicism teaches that Mary (and other Catholic saints) have more “clout” with God than us, and therefore, Catholics are instructed to ask these Catholic-appointed saints to pray for them.  Having said all that, many Catholics are confused about their own doctrine and do, in fact, pray directly to Mary.  Either behavior is in direct contradiction to the Bible.

Jesus is the only Mediator between man and God (1 Tim 2:5).  We pray to the Father through Jesus… not through Mary or any other Catholic figure.  We are told to confidently approach God directly (Heb 4:16).  We should ask of God and pray to Him through the name of Jesus (Jhn 14:13-14).  Praying to (or through) Catholic saints is sinful.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

How can I prove to my husband that God is real?  He says there is no proof and that I may as well believe in aliens.  He also says that God is just a story that people made up, just like any other god like Buddha.  We have been arguing about this for a couple of months, and I’m beginning to think that God isn’t real because I cannot prove Him at all… in any kind of way. And praying isn’t helping; I’ve prayed and prayed and – nothing.  What do I do other than pray?

Sincerely,
Not A Debater

Dear Not A Debater,

We recommend that you stop talking to your husband about this subject and hand him a list of books to read.  If he reads them, you will know that he is honestly seeking answers... if he doesn't, you can know that he just likes to poke fun at religious people (in which case, you shouldn’t waste your time discussing the issue with him anyway!).  We also recommend you take the time to read these books for your own personal growth and comfort.  There are thousands of logical reasons to believe in the existence of God... and the more we learn about the world around us, the more we find Rom 1:20 to be true.  The whole creation screams of His existence.  Here are a list of books and videos that we find worth reading and watching.

1)    Has God Spoken? by A.O. Schnabel

2)    Case For A Creator by Lee Strobel

3)    Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell

4)    Expelled with Ben Stein

5)    The Mysterious Island with Doug Phillips

6)    Answers with Ken Ham

This is hardly an exhaustive list, but it is a good beginning point for your husband’s investigation into spiritual matters.  Hopefully, he has an honest heart and is willing to search out the matter.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

[This question is a follow-up to “A Thanksgiving To Remember”]

Why is it so important to apologize to others?  I know it is important to apologize to God… but other people when they do you wrong also?  Why can't others just forget about it, sweep it under a rug so to speak?

Sincerely,
Get Over It

Dear Get Over It,

It is important because God says it is important (Lk 17:4).  Confessing our sins to one another is part of the growth process that God expects us to go through (Jas 5:16).  Heb 10:24 says that we need to consider one another… and that is part of what apologizing is.  An apology shows that you have considered the feelings of the other person after you have wronged them.  Admitting we are wrong is a sign of maturity and humility (Matt 23:12).  Love seeks the benefit of the other person (1 Cor 13:5) – apologizing helps those we have hurt to heal.