Your argument rests on a very narrow definition of 'god'.
Indeed. I do have a very narrow definition of God, for I believe in and worship only the one God who is creator of heaven and earth, who was incarnate on earth, and who is still an abiding presence in my life today. I know of and worship no other God than this one and only one God who is God of all the universe both seen and unseen.
I recognize that others may in their own minds create other gods of wood or stone, of material possessions or human pride, of love of country or family, of ideologies or philosophies, of ethics or moral codes, even of devotion to what they regard as sacred texts or personages, but none of these things will I recognize as God for their is only one God and that God is greater than anything that can be held in human hands, observed with human eyes or be conceived of in the minds of men or women. And while some may show great devotion to any of these things (including Mary, the holy scriptures of various religions, or any of many other various idols) they are not God, and just as one can be devoted to family, clan, or nation without worshipping it, so I can understand how some might express devotion to an individual like Mary without me feeling a need to accuse them of worshipping her.
I find it quite confusing that many Christians pray to Mary for help, reciting her name on rosary beads, and furthermore venerate her with the title "Mother of God", yet claim that she isn't divine. Though they may not admit it, the reality is that many Christians have made Mary into a god.
Do I feel that such devotion can tend toward excess? Yes. Could such excess lead one beyond mere devotion to something akin to worship? Without question. Has any person ever done this? No doubt.
I agree that there probably are Christians, especially some Catholic Christians, who have made Mary into a god, but I will not label the whole of the Catholic faith as worshippers of Mary because of the exuberance of a few, or even of many, individuals within it. I accept them at their word that they worship God, not God's creatures and Mary is included among those creatures.
In the teaching of the Cathecism of the Catholic Church it speaks first, foremost, and only of "the central role of Christ in our hope and in our life." Catholicism, like all of Christianity, is a Christ-centered faith. Is Mary important to Catholics? Most certainly, but what the Cathecism teaches regarding Mary is summed up in the opening sentence in the chapter that discusses her: "Everything faith teaches us about Mary is intended to draw us nearer to Jesus." With you, I happen to think that Catholics make too much about Mary, but I do understand that however venerated she may appear to be, and however much some (even many) within the Catholic Church may go overboard in their devotion, that Jesus and not Mary is the intended object of their worship.
Indeed, the Cathecism of the Catholic Church specifically says, "it would be wrong to say that it is absolutely necessary to be devoted to Mary in order to be saved." That is the essential aspect which we must remember. Catholicism embraces Mary, but it does not need Mary for Mary is not their god. For all the devotion to Mary, the emphasis remains focused on Jesus (at least for those who are good Catholics and have not corrupted the teachings of the Catholic Church to produce some sort of hybrid that perhaps does fall into the trap of excessive devotion that slips over into some unCatholic concept that mistakenly includes treating Mary as divine). Yes, Catholics see Mary as having an ability to make special intercession. And I understand you consider that concept shirk, but that you consider it shirk does not make it true that Catholics understand it as worship. (Additionally, I am still unconvinced that I see any significant difference between this view that Catholics have a Mary interceeding for them, and the Muslim concept of Muhammad making intercession for followers of Islam on the judgment day. But that is for another discussion.) But the Catholic understanding of the purpose for that intercession again is Christ-centric, not Mary-centric; Catholics understand Mary's intercession as "a valuable opportunity for grace to grow in Christ." And immediately after the Cathecism speak of the special devotion that Catholics have to Mary, the reminds the Catholic reader "devotion to Mary, of course, differes essentially fromt he cult of adoration whioch is given to God alone. Though Mary has sublime dignity as the Mother of God [read that as God-bearer, not biological generator], she is a fellow creature.... Personal devotion to Mary ought to imitate the patterns found in the Church's liturgy, in its joyful worship of God...in which the honoring of Mary leads us to a warmer love of her Son."
If the prayers you cited are not understood in the light of the above teachings, then you simply have not rightly understood Catholic theology and teaching regarding Mary, nor even the specific prayers you have cited.
As far as a Muslim is concerned, I belong to God not Mary and ask God to guide me and my property and possession.
The same is true for me as a Christian. Indeed, here is a prayer that I regularly pray:
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Furthermore, don't act like this accusation of Mary worship is new and from Muslims only.
I was not. I fully understand that there are many Protestant Christians who would make these same accusations. I think they are mistaken as well, and for the very same reasons.
