Did Mary die?

  The short story is "yes".  But some of you are saying "but she was conceived without sin"!  Good point, but Jesus was sinless and still died.  Now, why people think Mary didn't die is beyond me.  She did.  THAT being said, after the time of her death, she was assumed, body and soul into Heaven.  How do we know this?  Because, we know where her tomb is.  Remember, John WAS the Bishop of Ephesus.  We have pretty well documented sources of this.  It would have made since for Mary to be where John's diocese was (John 19:25-27).  Why is it important Mary died?  Remember, Mary was conceived without sin (Luke 1:28).  Jesus called her "woman".  Think about whom held the title of "woman" (Genesis 2:23).  Now, Mary dying does make her any less important.  She, is, after all, the Theotokos, the God bearer.  She is called "woman" because she is in many ways the most human person to have ever lived.  God gave us the perfect woman, who brought forth the perfect sacrifice. Since, Jesus undid what Adam did, it would make sense that Mary would be involved in salvific history.  Jesus is God and man.  Mary is a highly exalted woman, but still a woman.  Mary is the most important woman to have ever lived, and her dying is important, because it shows that she is not less human than we are because of our sinfulness and her sinlessness, but more.  Mary is who we should all strive to be like. 

Damned lies

I made a video about false representations of Christ's Church and her teaching with regards to salvation.  I stick by the claims made in the video.  It's God's judgement to make whether someone is saved or not, not mine (thank goodness).  There's only one person that can send you to Hell, and that is you.  YOU will go to Hell IF you reject God, intentionally.  Here's the thing.  If you don't know Christ died for your sins, but you still know the moral and natural law written on the hearts of all men, why would God punish you for something you had no control over?  Now, please note, I am not, have never been, and will never be a universalist.  I hope everyone DOES go to Heaven, but I know that's unlikely.  Just because someone might not go to Hell if they don't know the gospel, doesn't mean you don't have to tell them about it.  Jesus Christ is God.  He said "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the the name of the Father, and of the Son, and Of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 RSVCE).  So, we Christians are REQUIRED to preach and live the gospel.  This is how we avoid Hell. On 16 April, 1997, my father died.  He had been suffering for a few years with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease, also called Motor Neurone disease).  My father was a Lutheran.  Did he know the truth of the Catholic Church?  Yes, he did.  But, when he died, he was probably still a Lutheran.  However, as the Church has always taught baptism of desire (not to mention Baptism by blood), there may very well be a chance my father was saved. My father could not control if he never became a formal member of the Church.  He was in a hospital.  Now, my father already had a valid baptism (I have his baptismal certificate), and I continue to pray for the repose of his soul.  But, going through that, as a child, and seeing someone say "Protestants are damned", well, it frustrates me.  The truth is, some of the holiest people I've ever met are Baptist and Methodist church ladies.  What this person said was not Catholic, no matter how much they want to portray it as such.