how can you pray to a saint trough the image (statue) without it being idolatry,you are kneeling are you not?

Answer 1

People who kneel to a statue or icon are not idolizing the statue or saint. They are praying for them to pray for them as well. Similar to how you might ask a friend to pray for your sick mom. Catholics and other grouos believe in the communion of Saints which holds the idea that both living and dead are in communion with God and he will listen to both prayers.

A person who kneels at a icon or statue may not even be praying to that particular figure, they might be praying in that location for privacy, comfort etc.

Answer 2

The statue isn't what you pray to. It is just an object to assist in focus. And, the kneeling isn't required. Some people think that helps create the right mental attitude of humility needed for conversations with God, that's it.

Answer 3

YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF
in whom are you placing your faith?
If you are expecting the Saint, or statue to answer your prayer...then yes you are engaging in idol worship.
If you understand God is the one with the power, and you are mearly asking the saint for their prayers on your behalf, then you are not worshiping idols kneeling or no kneeling!
Remember the Bible tells us the prayers of a righteous man avails much.
To make note of a prior answer...yes you can pray to God directly, but by asking a Saint to pray on your behalf, you now have yourself, and a Saint petitioning God!
How cool is that?
Same as those who do the whole prayer request thing.
All you are doing is asking others to pray to God for you.
Remember God hears all the prayers...and answers all prayers!
Sometimes His answer is NO!...or not yet!
In His perfect love,
Adam S.

Answer 4

Then are you saying all churches should remove the crucifix from there grounds, all churches I been to have at least the crucifix and is that not an object
I am no longer Catholic by choice and I am no religion, but let me tell you Catholic are for more better raised that any other, and yes they have plenty of status, because they believe in God, Jesus, the Holy Sprite and the blessed Mother Mary, and at least they have respect and Class

Answer 5

When you are kneeling you are concentrating your whole body on prayer. Kneeling is a way to include our whole body in piety for prayer. We KNOW that those statues have no power. We use those statues to remind us of the person when praying to them. We pray to those people represented in the statues who are in heaven and NOT the statues themselves.

Answer 6

Praying for what the saint represents, not the actual material it is maid of. Yes there is only Our God and yes he has his tribe of helpers, like angels and saints, man decids on what they look like and we use it as a image because people register what they see, smell , hear and touch. This makes it real for most people.
Then there are people who talk to angels and saints daily because they are always there without sight, smell, hear or touch

Answer 7

Catholics do not pray THROUGH statues.

You have pictures of loved ones in your house don't you? You don't consider the pictures to be "alive" do you?

Same thing with Catholics. The statues remind them of The Saints that they want to remember and admire.

Answer 8

You aren't praying to the statue, you are praying to the saint so they will pray for you. You don't worship the thing, its the person.

Answer 9

True Christians pray to the Lord Jesus Christ who said He is the I AM or Jehovah God in a visible body. Jesus Christ is the Divine and only one God. Christianity is monotheism and only Jesus Christ can forgive sins, teach from the Word and answer your spiritual needs.

Answer 10

lemonpopps is right, why talk to a dead person when you can talk directly to God, Jesus said This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.