Mary - myth that saints like Mary the Mother of Jesus have been resurrected already and are living in heaven. The truth is that only Christ is risen so far.

Let me quote from Roman Catholic doctrine regarding this matter.

From this is the Catholic Faith, by R.N. Mugford Session 10, Our Lady and the Saints.

" Chief among those in Heaven is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is there body and soul. Catholics believed this for many centuries and expressed their belief in popular piety and liturgy before Pope Pius X11 defined the doctrine on November 1,1950: " the Mother of God ... obtained as the crowning glory of her privileges to be preserved from the corruption of the tomb and, like her Son before her, to conquer death to be raised body and soul to the glory of heaven...'' If, after our death , God judges us worthy of immediate entrance into Heaven, our soul (personality, inmost being) will be there, our glorified body will join it at the end of the world. Mary is in heaven as a totality. This is her Assumption.

" Catholics do not worship Mary; they simply give her highest honour as the one whom God deemed worthy to be the " Theotokos ", Mother of the Word made flesh, the "God-bearer", (Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D.). " Mother of God " in the " hail Mary '' does not mean that Mary in the mother of God the Father, she is the mother of God the Son in human flesh. Catholics believe in the Trinity, not in a '' quaternity " of Father, Son, Holy Spirit and Mary.

" Would you not ask a friend on earth to pray for you ? If Mary is in Heaven, and she is your friend, because she is the Mother of our Lord, is it not natural to ask her for her prayers ? " The various forms of piety towards the Mother of God, which the Church has approved within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the dispositions and understandings of the faithful, ensure that while the Mother is honoured, the one through whom all things have their being (Colossians 1:15-16) (Colossians 1:19) is rightly known, loved and glorified and His commandments are observed ', Vatican Council 11. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #66. "

So there you have it.

This doctrine which teaches Mary is now in Heaven does not agree with what the Bible teaches on the subject.

John 3:13 " And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. "

John 8:21 " Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. "

John 7:33-34 " Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. "

John 13:33 " Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;............. "

The parable of the talents that Christ gave illustrates the fact that Christ was to return to heaven, and His servants were to remain here on earth, and after a long time the Master (Christ) is to return and reward His servants according to their efforts.

Matthew 25:14,19 " For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. "

verse 19 " After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. "

John 8:23 " And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. "

Acts 2:29 " Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. "

Acts 2:34 " For David is not ascended into the heavens.............. "

The Bible teaches that the resurrection of the saints has not happened yet. Only Christ (the first fruits) has been resurrected to die no more.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 " For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. "    

There is no proof from scripture to indicate that the resurrection of the saints (and Mary specifically) has happened yet. The resurrection of the saints happens when Jesus has returned to the earth. Jesus is the firtfruits to raise from the dead to die no more.

The saints are resurrected at the last trump. There are prophecies in Revelation regarding the blowing of seven trumpets by God's Angels. When the seventh, or last trumpet is blown then Christ returns and resurrects the saints.

Revelation 11:15 " And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. "

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 " Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. "

1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17 " For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. "

There is no Biblical proof that the resurrection of the saints has happened yet. there is no proof in the world we live in that the resurrection of the saints has happened already. We know very well that Mary the human mother of Jesus is one of the saints. Therefore we can be 100% assured that Mary is still just as dead as David, and she awaits the return of Christ and her resurrection.

Therefore it is very futile to waste your prayers by praying to Mary. She is dead and in her grave. Dead persons cannot answer prayers.

Pray to God the Father, or Jesus, and you can rest assured your prayers are going out to spiritual persons that are very much alive. In fact God the Father and Jesus Christ are much, much more alive than we are. They will answer your prayers. Praying to Mary is completely in vain. It is like chasing the wind. It is futile.

And even if you think that there might just be a very, very small chance Mary may be alive in heaven, so to cover all the bases you will still pray to her just in case she might be alive (although you have absolutely no evidence to suggest such a matter) - well then such prayers are not sent up in faith, since there are severe doubts in your mind she is alive.

As well we are supposed to address our prayers to God the Father mostly, although it is certainly okay on occasion to pray directly to Jesus. There is nothing in scripture to even suggest we pray to anyone other than God, and we know there are two members in the Godhead - God the Father and God the Son. So it is okay to pray directly to Jesus at times, but through the example prayer Christ gave us (the Lord's prayer) as a pattern for our own prayers - it is clear we are to address our prayers primarily to God the Father, but ask the prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Christ is our Mediator in Heaven.

Folks praying to Mary won't get you anywhere, and in fact praying to someone other than God is very dangerous spiritually. This is because we are to worship only God, and as well we are commanded not to make any image of anything on earth and in heaven and then to worship that image.

Exodus 20:3-6 " Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. "

Myth that Mother of Jesus (Mary) Never Sinned.

Let me again quote from Catholic doctrine on this matter from this is the Catholic Faith, by R.N. Mugford Session 10, Our Lady and the Saints.

" Mary did not commit any actual sin during her life. She is " full of grace."

" She is ever virgin: Mary's Perpetual Virginity. She conceived in true reality without human seed from the Holy Spirit, God the Word Himself, who before the ages was born of God the Father, and gave to Him without corruption, her virginity remaining equally inviolate after birth..." (Council of Lateran, 649)

" Mary had no children except Jesus. When the New Testament mentions "brothers" of Jesus, this refers to cousins or half-brothers. The fact that Jesus on the Cross told St. John to take Mary into his own home is an argument for her Perpetual Virginity. "

Let us look at these claims very carefully. Yes it is true Mary was pregnant of the Holy Spirit, and gave birth to Christ, who before His human birth was the Word Himself. So God became the Father of Christ. There is agreement on these principles.

However, to suggest Mary was without corruption, or sin is to go contrary to the simple teachings of the Bible. None of us has any right or authority to add our own human traditions to scripture, and then claim these traditions of men have equal weight with the inspired word of God the Bible. The foundation and corner stone has been lain down already almost 2,000 years ago. That foundation is the Bible. The Bible is complete the way it is. The foundation has been laid already, and all we can legitimately do is build on that foundation. If you decide you don't like the foundation and want to build yourself another foundation, then you are not part of God's true house the true Church of God.

Ephesians 2:19-22 " Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. "

So to suggest just because the traditions of your particular church group should deviate from the Bible - then this means your traditions supercede or trump the scriptures is simply folly.

The Bible plainly teaches that all (except Jesus Christ) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23 " For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; "

Hebrews 5:14 " For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. "

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

Romans 5:12 " Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: "

Romans 6:23 " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "

The wages of sin is death. Mary sinned and so Mary died, just like you and I will someday, because all (except Christ) have sinned. However, there is the hope of the resurrection.

Myth that Mary Never had Anymore Children Besides Jesus and is Forever Virgin.

Now for the next point, being that there are those who falsely claim Mary the Mother of Jesus never had anymore children and is forever virgin.

This is a very easy false doctrine to disprove - a piece of cake.

Joseph was engaged to be married to Mary, but discovered she was pregnant. So he was going to break off the plan to marry her quietly, so as to not make her into a public spectacle. However, God send an Angel to him in a dream to explain that Mary was pregnant through the Holy Spirit, and that the child would be called Jesus, or Emmanuel (which being interpreted is God with us).

Matthew 1:24-25 " Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. "

Joseph knew Mary not until the birth of Jesus. In other words he did not have sexual intercourse with Mary until after Jesus was born. Through this scripture it is clearly implied that Joseph did have sex with Mary, but only after the birth of Jesus - not before. The words " and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn " and also " remained a virgin until her Son was born " explain it pretty well.

The living Bible makes this a little easier to understand.

Matthew 1:24-25 " When Joseph awoke, he did as the Angel commanded, and brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her Son was born; and Joseph named him Jesus. "

Matthew 13:55-56 " Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? "

The neighbours and acquaintances of Jesus in his home town, knew where he had lived and knew that his human father, (God was his real Father though).  Joseph was a carpenter, and they knew Christ's Mother and Christ's sisters and brothers. Four brothers are mentioned and there are sisters mentioned, so there must have been at least two sisters. That gives us at least seven kids in the family, which was probably fairly normal for the times.

Mark 5:3-4 " Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. "

There isn't really any point in giving more proofs, except from the ancient historian Josephus. Josephus specifically states that James (the apostle James) was the brother of Jesus.

Antiquities 20.9.1 But the younger Ananus who, as we said, received the high priesthood, was of a bold disposition and exceptionally daring; he followed the party of the Sadducees, who are severe in judgment above all the Jews, as we have already shown. As therefore Ananus was of such a disposition, he thought he had now a good opportunity, as Festus was now dead, and Albinus was still on the road; so he assembled a council of judges, and brought before it the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ, whose name was James, together with some others, and having accused them as law-breakers, he delivered them over to be stoned.

There you have it from the Jewish historian Josephus that James was the brother of Christ, but of course they did not share the same father, but they did share the same Mother.

It is really silly to believe that Mary never had anymore children after the birth of Jesus, and is forever virgin. It just flies in the face of the scriptures and logic itself. Where do people get these ideas from ? Certainly not from the Bible, which is the inspired word of God.