An objection against Marian devotion dealt with.

[Teallaura]

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. (Mark 12:27) Aside from not getting an affirmative response from the departed that they will pray for you, I don't see much difference. Asking and praying do have semantic overlap.

In general, yes. It's been a while since I read through the book, though.

So He is - but no where in Scripture do we see anyone else living on Earth talking to those who are in Heaven - without going themselves (Paul) so there is a difference.

Job was told by God to pray for his friends. Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children.

[One Bad Pig]

So He is - but no where in Scripture do we see anyone else living on Earth talking to those who are in Heaven - without going themselves (Paul) so there is a difference.

Granted.

Job was told by God to pray for his friends. Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children.

In neither of these instances was Job doing so because those he was praying for had asked (not unlike Mary at Cana). *looks, while he has a chance* 1 Samuel 7:8 and 12:19 are much stronger passages (though he had just offered to in the first instance, and had just demonstrated the power of his prayer in the second).

[Teallaura]

...

In neither of these instances was Job doing so because those he was praying for had asked (not unlike Mary at Cana). *looks, while he has a chance* 1 Samuel 7:8 and 12:19 are much stronger passages (though he had just offered to in the first instance, and had just demonstrated the power of his prayer in the second).

Fair enough - my point was merely that the case could be made.