I don't understand why Catholics worthship statues and idolizing it. It just a doll dress up as Jesus or the Virgin Marry statue made out of porcelain or clay and Catholics think praying Infront of statues is the key threw their salvation. Our salvation is threw Grace and faith believing Jesus die for our sin's.
Of course you don't understand why Catholics worship statues; it's just like how you don't understand why Yazidis worship the devil. We don't. As hard as it might be to believe, getting information about a group from the enemies of that group is not a good way to get reliably accurate information. Would you ask the Nazis for information about Judaism?
See, we actually have FAITH in what Jesus said: that during the Incarnation, He was fully human, as well as fully divine. Consequently, a statue of Him then is no different from a statue of anyone else; He was a man like any other. With that basic realization, the whole argument of Iconoclasm falls apart- from a Christian perspective, anyway.
To put it more succinctly:
It is also, as HE HIMSELF CLEARLY STATED, through HIM that one reaches the Father. Not through grace (as it's only by God's own asinine pride that salvation is even NECESSARY), not through faith (as that precludes those who never got the message). Through HIM.
u We are not worshipping the statues, images, or whatever it may be.
Humans are creatures of sense. We need to see and to hear things. The Gospel of John records, during the Last Supper, Philip asking Jesus to show them the Father, to which Jesus replies "he who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14.9). Later, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul identifies Jesus Christ as "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1.15).
So if that is true, then it is right, it is fitting to have an image of the Image of God. Therefore, as it concerns Christ, we worship He Whom the image represents, calls to our minds (or some other kind of representation, to include statues).
As for Mary (or, for that matter, other Saints)? We worship neither the statues or images, nor the subjects of said images. I will refer you back to the MyTake I wrote about Mary for an explanation of why she is worthy of devotion. A statue or image is simply an aid to devotion.
I have not read your “My take” on Mary but I will.
I think your answer is quite correct. Being a former Catholic I don’t recall ever being taught to pray to statutes, and don’t believe the church would have condoned this. That said many Catholics do seem to think praying in front of statues pleases God in some way or that it is holiness.
Catholicism does have some serious doctrinal issues though.
I do miss being Catholic but I cannot be part of that system until they correct some of these issues. Much of what Luther asserted during the reformation is legit. Other matters have come about since.
My main problem is their teachings on salvation which they say is Jesus + works (obedience) Works are powerless to save on their own and the blood of Christ is all that is required. Works/obedience are the evidence of salvation, the byproduct of it, not part of the mechanism of it.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB2020
How I wish they would reform as I do miss being catholic and I miss mass, but I cannot be part of a church that has numerous doctrinal issues.
God be with you.
I would like to add that I am Protestant but do not share a near hatred or disdain for the Catholic Church that many of the Protestant reformers seemed to have.
I do not think a pope will be the Antichrist, nor do I think Catholicism will be the religious system of the Antichrists future reign.
I think many of the reformers did seem to think this and they are gravely mistaken.
I just think there is so much dogma in Catholicism that has made its way into the system that is not biblical and there are some serious doctrinal issues.
@Exterminatore I appreciate your input and your benevolence towards the Church. Yes, please do read my article. As I note, it is by no means exhaustive. Entire books and fields of study have her as the subject, so there's obviously much more that can be said. At any rate, I hope you like it.
All that being established, an important question that should be asked is on what is the idea that all subjects of Christian belief should be clearly and explicitly stated in the Bible?
You know by pray to a statue of Mary you are opening evil portals. It says so clear it n the bible. We shall only worthship God. I am sorry but the Virgin Mary did not die for our sins Jesus did.
Exodus 20:4-5 You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.
@BCRanger
It depends on the matter of doctrine.
It would be entirely true to say the Bible does not tell us everything about spiritual matters but rather what God deemed important that we know.
So, in some sense there certainly is room for dogma perhaps, but it should not be taught or esteemed as much as scripture.
Some of my criticisms of Catholicism in this are are as follows:
Purgatory. It is entirely true to say that there is no mention of this in scripture. In fact I think the concept goes against scripture. The concept would be a place where one goes to purify themselves further for heaven and to pay for some sins. Why then do we need Jesus to pay for our sins if we can pay for our own? Is Christ’s blood not sufficient for the washing of sins? Furthermore some may find that if purgatory is an option, they may reduce personal holiness and obedience in order to sin, thinking they’ll just pay it off in purgatory. That can be rather dangerous to the life of the individual.
Another is praying to saints. There is no mention in scripture that the departed can hear our prayers. It is entirely fair to say there’s nothing that says they can’t as well. If they can, why bother? There’s no need to pray to say, St. Michael to pray for me when I can pray directly to God. Scripture also states Jesus himself prays to the father and makes constant intercession on our behalf. If Christ prays for us also, who is equal to God, why bother praying to someone else so they can pray for us?
I have no hatred of the Catholic Church. In fact I miss it. They do seem to get things right where many Protestants get it wrong. For example in personal conduct. Obedience to God is greatly stressed in Catholicism as is repentance. In many Protestant churches is quickly glossed over. These things are essential to the Christian life. It’s wonderful we’re saved by grace and not by our own works, but does that mean we are free to use grace as a license to sin. God forbid!
@BCRanger
Another thing Protestant churches don’t seem to get right that the Catholics do is their reverence towards God. They may often talk of Jesus as if he were their beer drinking buddy or some genie who grants wishes. He is the most high God in human flesh. Reverence is required. Though you have a personal relationship to him, it must not be forgotten who he is. Many if not Protestant churches lack deeply in orthodoxy. Another is the mass. One gets a deep sense of the reverence and holiness of God as worship is quite formal in Catholicism. In most Protestant churches the music is performed by essentially a rock band. I greatly disdain this. I’m not in church to be entertained. Only modern Christian music is played also, never traditional hymns. Many of those songs are watered down and almost have a feel of the writers emotional experiences as opposed to praise to God. It is almost a form of self worship.
I will neither attend such a church that does these things as it is outright blasphemy as I see it. God is to be counted as holy and worshiped in such a manner that is fitting for his holiness. We are not at church to be entertained by lights and rock band style music, but rather we are there to worship the Most High and as I see it these things do not lend themselves to a proper attitude of reverence.
Another thing the Catholics get right is the interior of their churches. One immediacy senses they are in a holy place upon entering. In many Protestant churches you’d think you were at a business seminar. Granted that’s a superficial matter and one of personal taste, but I prefer a very formal and rigid environment for cooperate worship of God. It seems fitting for the purpose we are there, to worship and hear the word of God.
So I do miss Catholicism, but at the end of the day I see doctrine as more important.
One other criticism I have of Catholicism is the homily needs to be like an hour, not just 20 min and needs to be much more thoroughly
Expounded on. Just having readings of maybe 3 short passages of scripture and then a quick message about them is not enough. The readings and teachings should at least an hour. The flock needs to be fed and counseled.
So, yes, I do not have a deep disdain for Catholicism, I just view some of their teachings as misguided or ill advised, and regarding salvation I see their teachings as hearsay.
They do well in certain areas, but lack in others.
As for Protestants, many denominations are in compromise. Allowing women to preform certain parts of cooperate worship, allowing homosexuals to be pastors. That is blasphemy. Worse yet are the Pentecostals and Charismatics. I see those denominations as utterly corrupt with their practices and see much of what they teach as false. The Satanic church has better doctrine than those so far as I’m concerned. People babbeling as they “speak in tongues” and do holy dances in church and “slay” people in the spirit. This manner of thing is of the Devil for certain. Utter blasphemy.
@Alwaysreckles93 With respect, please point specifically to where I defended idolatry, both in my answer to your question and in the article I linked.
@always
The passage you cited in Exodous is oft cited as it being wrong to make a painting or statue of Jesus or angels for example.
This is referring to making such for the purpose of worship.
To paraphrase you could say: do not make statues of turtles or trees or paint pictures of birds to worship.
Many have used this to say that it’s sin to have a painting of Jesus. I strongly disagree.
We must look at the following verse to get better context for the one you cited:
““You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,”
Exodus 20:4-5 NASB2020
This is simply a prohibition against idolatry and worshiping what we see in nature.
Later in scripture we find this:
“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures.”
Romans 1:21-23 NASB2020
Ancient man was well known to worship the creation, NOT the creator. That’s all this piece of scripture is saying.
But I’ve seen many twist it into saying it’s wrong to have a statute of an angle or paining of Jesus as they reside in heaven. That is wrong. So long as such an image is not being worshiped, there’s nothing wrong with having such things.
I'm sorry but Catholic church is from Satan and evil. Catholic people become possessed by demons. I don't believe marry performing mirecles only God can do that.
@Exterminatore I mean the virgin marry isn't God. I don't understand why Catholics worthship The virgin marry statue. Seems like a demonic figure.
Fine. Answer the question I asked you please.
@always
I don’t think they worship Mary per se. I don’t think they think in their minds: “I’m going to worship Mary.” They certainly do venerate her though and do praise her also.
Technically that is a form of worship. From around 1900-1950 there was stark opposition to this by elements in the Catholic Church with many priests and lay people saying “God alone should be praised.”
There are also a few Latin songs to Mary. “Ave Maria” and “Salve Maria” both of which mean hail Mary.
I don’t think Catholics worship any statues. They may pray in front of one. Perhaps for them it sets the ambiance for prayer. No major problem there.
I have seen a number of supposedly official Catholic documents stating Mary is sinless and also a coredeemtrix (co redeemer) with Christ. Before I could accept such documents as factually true I’d have to investigate them. I seriously doubt few if any followers of Catholicism believe that.
As Protestants we came out of Catholicism, the Latin church that is.
Mary and all the saints are venerated in Catholicism. To get a better understanding of how this came to be we must look at history. Prior to around 300 years ago, most people, the common person that is was illiterate. They did not have Bibles printed in the native tongue of anyone prior to the 1500’s and even then most could not read. All the Bible’s and lectionaries were in Latin, at least in Western Europe. Latin was the “Lingua franca” meaning the common language spoken in all of Europe, even though it has been no one’s native tongue since around 700 a. d. Most people did not know Latin except for theological terms. Only the educated did which would be those in the church and the nobility.
So, when they heard of people like St. George, or St. Jerome or whomever, naturally they were looked up to for their piety and being heroes of the faith. This is how they came to be venerated.
@always
Yet the average person could not read and only knew of the Bible from what they learned in church or from a priest.
So they associated Mary with the saints with God and holiness and venerated them. No huge problem there, however as the years went by those saints and Mary have nearly taken on a life of their own.
They pray to them. I say why? I have a relationship with Jesus, not Mary or a saint. There’s also nothing in scripture that says the departed can hear our prayers or that they’re even aware of what goes on, on the earth. To be fair there is nothing that says they can’t hear prayers and aren’t aware either, but I strongly doubt they can and are. God alone ie omniscient. We know we can communicate with God telepathically through prayer, but we cannot with other humans. It would stand to reason that departed humans probably don’t acquire the ability to hear prayer after they died as they cannot hear prayer while alive.
If one wanted to be technical, all this could be construed as worship.
The problem with Catholicism is there are many Catholics who do nothing more than show up on Sunday, or worse yet, only on Christmas and Easter. They do not further their spiritual education and end up having all kinds of silly ideas apart from the Bible or even official catholic doctrine. The same is true of Protestants. How many of any form of Christianity have you seen that know only the most basics of God and scripture and nothing more? That probably describes the whole of Christianity.
Even regarding salvation many Protestant churches are neglectful and their teachings on salvation and the mechanism of it are corrupted. If you go to most Protestant churches, many will say to be saved all you have to do is believe, that is have faith in God, and say a prayer and boom, you’re saved. Is that it? Not really. No one can have Jesus as savior without having him as lord. One obeys their Lord. Obedience is the by product of salvation, not the mechanism of it.
@always
So these people are not told they must yield to Christ and obey him. That with no repentance there is no salvation. Repentance is one of the evidences of having passed from death to life. The unsaved man is not repentant. So no one can just say a prayer and believe in Jesus and go about living their lives completely unchanged and actually be saved. No repentance is evidence of no change of heart. With no regeneration of the heart there is no salvation as a changed heart resulting in changed behavior is evidence of salvation. One wanting to obey their Lord is evidence of a changed heart as opposed to the heart that says “I will do as I please.” If you’re saved you will be found typically doing the Lords will as opposed to your own and further more you will hate sin and love righteousness. Just a change of behavior is only that. A change of behavior, but without it coming from a renewed heart it means noting in terms of salvation.
So the long and short of it is I think Catholics often get demonized by Protestants, but it’s quite unfair and many Protestant denominations have doctrinal issues far worse than Catholicism.
It would be true to say historically Catholics have committed atrocities. For example the inquisition. I find it hard to think Jesus would condone torturing someone until they confess they’re a heretic. That said, Protestants also have blood on their hands in other matters. Error is common to humanity and by extension any organization run by humans.
So I’m not saying I don’t think there are serious errors with some Catholic doctrines, but I am saying I think Protestants are unfairly hard on them, particularly the early Protestant reformers. I think most Catholics are sincere about God, but I think they are misled in some areas. Who amongst us has not made a mistake? Who amongst us has not had an opinion of God only to read scripture and find out our opinion was wrong.
Why do you think they worship Mary aside from what I stated?
@Exterminatore Because Sir, Catholics pray the rosary to the virgin Mary and Catholics ask Mary for salvation. Perhaps my ADHD brain didn't cought that right I could be wrong.
@always
They do pray the rosary which I see as pointless. Repetitious prayer is not what God wants. He wants prayer from the heart.
As far as asking Mary for salvation, that would be blasphemous. I’d hope that’s not official Catholic doctrine. I have seen things to that effect but did not investigate them.
The thing is, anyone can put anything on the internet. There are lots of claims about many things that aren’t necessarily so. Therefore if it’s claimed that Catholics teach that it warrants investigation to determine if it’s so. If it is so, then that’s blasphemy of the highest order. None can redeem but Christ. Salvation is found in no other.
@Exterminatore I mean the m impressed you do know a lot of history about the Catholic church. I didn't know that much considering I am an ex Catholic.
I don’t know, but I thought you were unsaved and I was glad that this was obvious even to a non-religious person.
It’s just logical and for the believer it even says there is nothing to them.
I have no clue why they (the Catholics) do that either. Probably tradition from the early Catholic Churches? Aka the people who believed women were witches and the earth was flat? Lol
Maybe they believed something about stone clay wood and all that.
The Catholics of today should distinguish themselves, yet they have no problem repeating it, and it probably (at first) baffles the young ones who grow up seeing that, and baffles the outsider/ spectators looking in.
I’d never do it. To each their own, I guess?
Girl yes lol I made a post about this topic and a few Catholics attacked me on this site. Lol Apparently they hate it what other religions have in mind. Most Catholics forced their beliefs on to other people's throat lol. Maybe it tradition this dude on top said I was in a cult 😂
Catholics are the least crazy of you myth worshippers
@Googlemyahoo Do not assume my beliefs my good man. Otherwise, you are bound to reach insanity far much easier than I.
Do not pick a fight with an opponent you know nothing about.
I've read Catholics have the highest stedistic of single moms.
@Googlemyahoo Your delusional statue and confession your sins will not save you! FYI Catholics are crazy Catholics have the must higher statics of teenage pregnancy something that never happens in other religions only Catholics.
They do there's a statue of Mary the feet have been kissed so much that there's ware n tear
she's a human like all only Jesus saves n gives eternal life
Opinion
14Opinion
I think the statues are just images of Biblical people. However it does seem many Catholics seem to think that praying in front of statutes pleases God.
I went to a Catholic Church until I was about 24 and discovered there are major reforms needed to their theology.
How I wish they would just reform many of their doctrines. I like the Catholic style of worship with its formality and rigid conservatism, however I cannot and will not return to Catholicism as they are wrong about the doctrine of salvation and numerous other issues to include purgatory, veneration of Mary and claiming she was sinless, praying to saints and several other dogmatic and outright unbiblical and frankly sinful doctrines.
That doesn’t even mention not turning child molesting priests over to the authorities, but instead transferring them and helping them to avoid justice. I know Jesus would not have condoned that.
How I wish they would repent, but since they will not I will have no part in Catholicism.
You are right about what you said.
Yes Sir, I've seen a very disturbing sinister documentary about priest and nuns something very sinister happened inside the Catholic church. The Catholic church contradicts Gods word. A men and a woman shall come together and form a family. Something priest don't follow.
Catholic even praise Mary as if she was God. Jesus dye for us not Mary. Yes Sir, I agree with everything you said. And how Catholics worthship saints singing praying. God is our way to salvation.
I strongly disagree with the church and not allowing priests and nuns to marry. Man should not overrule what God has ordained.
I understand their reasoning though. They want them to focus strictly on serving God and the church. When one has a family, it takes up most of their time if they do the duties to their family as they ought. This leaves little time to focus on serving at church. So I can totally understand why the Catholics do this, but I strongly disagree with it.
Catholics to praise and venerate Mary. This stated to become much more prevalent in the last 100 years and there was strong opposition to it in Catholicism initially. Mary was Jesus mother, but certainly not sinless and certainly is not to be the object of praise in church, which in fact is a form of worship. This ought not be allowed or condoned.
If you count a Cross and Jesus along with Mary then yes. They use semantics saying they don't worship them just they are commemorative but if it walks like a duck quacks like a duck it's a duck.
Not exactly sacred if you don't worship it but you know they do find these things sacred.
Thank you exactly 💯 you are correct 💯💯💯💯. Love your answer!
I've come to realize some people are "visual" processors. For them, this is very important in how they relate to... anything, including God. Some are just stuck there because they were raised in Catholic.
So to them... they relate to God via a visual stimulation.
The Isrealites made a golden calf so they could worship and many cultures made such figurines to have something to worship. Christ said He'd "write the law on their hearts"... and that's what He did.
I seem to be more auditory and find visuals overwhelming.
It's ok, let them be. It's a human...
No Catholics do not worship statues. Catholics worship God and God alone. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2110-2114) spells this out very clearly. Sacred art like statues, painting and pictures are used to recall or remember a thing that’s depicted. It’s just like how someone might hold a picture of a beloved one to pray and speak to them even when they are not together. It’s just a way to remember the person.
What do you called this? Do you think God approved of this?
Here my friend just send me this.
There are statues of war heroes, kings and queens and famous celebrities. There are monuments erected in honour of soldiers who died in battle. It’s tradition to pray that these monuments on the anniversary each year, but that does not amount to worship, does it? they simply gather to pray and the statue just reminds them of the person.
There is no God. I will save you. Embrace reality. You are the all singing all dancing crap of the world. When you die you’re dead. You don’t go anywhere other then break down organically.
This post makes a lot of sense. I had some guess on this beforehand so this clears a lot for me personally. I just don’t think it would be so easily understood by others or by the kids who grow up into that. I don't know maybe the kids ask and it all begins to make sense for them. Has to be if the Catholic Church is still a thing today.
Though the Catholic Church gives Christians a bad name in the Indian culture as they combine the two and a lot of the negative stereotypes really follow behind the Catholic culture is what I believe. I respect this loyalty they have as the dedication of the Hindus. Any person to commit despite short comings or set backs wins my slight admiration. Aside from all this and it being just my casual opinion, meaning no offense, I think your answer truly does clear up for this question. Just in the public eyes a lot of things give off the wrong or confusing appearances. 🤷♀️
@Googlemyahoo You are just a butt hurt Catholic because I have uncover it. Catholic are the worst nuns sleeping around with priest.
Here's another one nuns. Yeah does not sound Christian lifestyle to me.
Then can you explain why the Catholic church has the highest stedistic of single moms and Teenage moms? You don't see Christian church people becoming teen moms.
There are plenty, it’s just not broadcasted as much. I can tell you that the media loves picking on Muslims too. Just because a small group of terrorists is Muslim, they blow it up and try to make it represent the entire Muslim population. This is not true. Most Muslims are peace loving people.
There have been Christian terrorists too, but they are not often portrayed in the media.
The media picks and chooses what it wants the public to see.
Only thing uncovered is you being full crazy lol.
@asker, you might want to take a look at this article. I don’t live in India but I believe it’s an article that would show you how teenage pregnancies are not solely confined to Catholics. They happen to girls from all religions and backgrounds.
newindian.in/.../
For your reading pleasure. Hope this gives you some food for thought 😊
How did you end up absolutely insane?
They don’t worship statues or the saints, they reverence them. There is a difference. There are differences in belief and practice between protestants and catholics, of course.
A lot of things I disagree with the Catholic church.
We do not worship statues, we only venerate them. That is why the Catholic Church proposed a naming system of honor based on ontological dignity: Dulia=Veneration, reserved for the saints, Hyperdulia=Super veneration, reserved for The Mother of God, then there is Latria which is worship of God. The sacrifice of the mass is worship only for God, not for The Blessed Virgin or any other saint.
No Catholic brainwashed people don’t worship statues so you might want to check facts with the head brainwasher wherever stupid myth cult you go.
I do not go to a cult. And you just judged me in the bible it says clearly I shall not judge one of the ten comments. Catholic people never followed God's rulers just a bunch of worldly people Catholics are.
Then what do you called people bow down to a virgin marry statue and praying? What would you consider that?
Hey... they're Catholics, they're a bit confused. LOL
Yes they are lol
The Catholic Church belongs to the Devil, that's why.
That ish is rooted in paganism mixed in with Christianity and man made doctrine of of pure BS.
Yes Sir I realized that.
u Most religions use icons and symbols as a visual reminder. Looking at a cross and being reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus doesn't mean that we are worshipping the cross. I'm not Catholic but I am catholic.)
Agreed.
He made it pretty clear multiple times that the worship and idolization of idols and statues is not to be done.
There is more value in worshipping the earth, sun, trees, mountains, etc. than worshipping an imaginary magic sky daddy or statues of him and his imaginary minions
Fake Christians, great example. Most people are too ignorant to even have second thoughts about it
We’re praying to the figures the statues represent. I see no harm
Guessing you aren’t catholic?😅
I'm not lol
Let's just say I grow up in a strict house whole and I wasn't allowed to bring my friends over because they were Emo at that time.
It's alright I live on my own. We are not that much of an age difference lol Do you remember at that time when you were 16 in highschool when Emos goths would get bully and harass?
Actually I'm 29 lol
Yeah I was the weird emo girl lol
Yeah thanks not to happy about that
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