Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
ForeverFaithful,
:sorry1: Many things have been done that were wrong during, what is now called the Dark Ages.
The Bible says that God is the Hearer of Prayer, Ps 65:2. Jesus himself said it is only to God that we should render sacred service, Matt 4:10.
Paul said that there is one mediator between man and God, a man, Jesus Christ, 1Tim 2:5. When Peter gave one of his talks soon after Pentecost of 33CE he said that God had given ONE name on earth by which we must get saved, and that there is no salvation in anyone else, Acts 4:12.
Paul said that the man is the HEAD of the woman, 1Cor 11:3. Paul said that a woman should not have authority over a man, 1Tim 2:12. God had written that He is a Jealous God who is exacting EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION, Ex 20:5, 34:14.
Anyone praying to anyone other than Jehovah God is going against God's commandment and is not pleasing to Him. Only the one calling on God's name will be saved, Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Rom 10:13.
OK, I'll ask you too - do you ever pray for anyone else? If so, you are being a mediator.
SALVATION can come from no one other than God through His Son Jesus. That is what the word "mediator" is referring to in that oft-quoted passage.
Protestants often confuse "prayer" with "worship." Those are two different things, though you may worship BY praying. Prayer is communication.
Those saints who have gone on before us are outside of linear time. There are several passages in the bible which refer to them as being interested and somewhat involved in what goes on on this earth, though they have departed it. We are united with our brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of whether we or they are "dead" or "alive" - ie, living on this earth. We are all part of God's family.
We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.