Why do Christians believe that praying to a saint is wrong?

Question

Many Christians say that it's wrong to pray to a saint, because it's wrong to pray to a statue, but is'nt it the same thing if we ask each other to pray for us. many Catholics say that they are not praying to a statue. That it's a symbole of the saint. I know in Exodus 20: 4-5 4Thou Shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, norserve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of that hate me: but in Revelation 5:8 it says 8 and when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vails full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Answer 1

All Christians are saints of God. We are to pray to God only.

Answer 2

Is not your question about the playing with words and forming a doctrine that fits the desires of the one who did form it? Is there not a simple answer to it if only one would take the time to reason a little and use as a guideline the very book you use to quote from?That bible you quoted should be your guide.

Can you find an example in there where one did pray to a saint? I find as you quoted the prayers of the saints but no prayers to a saint.

That Bible you quoted says to be Christ like and those who call themselves a Christian say with their name thus their word they do follow the same path that the Christ followed. Did He ever pray to a saint or did He ever instruct another to pray to a saint?

The apostles used that word saint in their writings. Were they writing to the ones still alive in this sequence or were they writing to those who had already passed through the death phase and were already changed into their permanent place? I am of the opinion they were writing tothose who had not yet passed through the death sequence. Did any apostle instruct anyone to pray to a saint?

I may have read the same book you mentioned by name, the Bible wrong over these past years but I only find the instructions to pray to God. In yoiur opinion did I read this book called the Bible wrong? If so do point out the recording that I did miss and show me the place it does instruct me to pray to the saints. I say this because if I am wrong, I do want to be corrected.

I do perceive you are taking the words "pray for" and "prayers of" to mean "pray to". The words in "for" and "of" are going a different direction than the word "to". "For" and "of" both place the saints in the behalf of or the origin of the prayers where the "to" is the receiver of the request which I am convinced is God alone and not to be a saint.

Do look at the words carefully, have a good day, and don't let the very sly individuals twist you around with the words to make you accept their doctrines as being true. Such a concept was introduced in Genesis Chapter 3 by the Serpent to Eve about that tree - read it.

Answer 3

Once we are baptized we are literally, adopted members of God's immediate family (the church), along with everyone else who has ever been baptized, or saved.

We also know that all those who have died in Christ are presently alive and in heaven with him.

They're not, as some mistakenly believe, "sleeping" in their graves, totally powerless and unconscious.

Anyone who has ever actually listened to the words of the "Our Father" prayer knows that it was given to us personally by Jesus, so we too, could PRAY DIRECTLY TO THE FATHER, just like his son, Jesus does.

The concept of Jesus being the only mediator between God and man applies only to those who are alienated from God by sin, and who are not yet members of his family.

Once baptized, we may communicate with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, Mary, all the angels, and all the saints, ANY TIME WE CHOOSE.

We're all in the family!

There are no prohibitions or restrictions on communication between members of God's family, wherever they may presently exist.

There's no reason we can't occasionally ask our heavenly brothers and sisters for a lttle help, either. God doesn't mind, and it gives them something to do up there.

Prayer need not exclusively be considered worship, because when we pray to saints in heaven, we are simply using the only known means of communication available.

It's no different than using your cell phone to ask a favor of a relative down here on the earth.

So, everyone take a deep breath, get out your Bibles, and look up EVERY verse in scripture pertaining to these matters.

Give first priority to the actual words of Jesus in the Gospels, then to the apostolic letters (epistles), and finally, any still applicable Old Testament scripture.

Then, USE SOME COMMON SENSE WHEN INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE.

We're all family. God is our Father. Jesus is our brother. The Holy Spirit dwells within each of our immortal souls. Mary is our brother Jesus' real mother, so we should, at the very least, respect her, like she's our own mother, too.

Brothers and sisters everywhere, in heaven, in purgatory, and on earth, please join me in a hearty Hallelujah (or Alleleuia, as we Catholics would say it).

Praise God, for He is Good!

Answer 4

I don't really know exactly what the Catholics have to say about the whole praying to the saints thing but my personal belief of it is that saints are just people and since they are just people, they don't hear our prayers, God does. I believe as a Christian we don't need to pray to saints because we can pray straight to God (this is the same reason that Protestants don't do the confession booth thing) and ask forgiveness for our sins or ask for help, etc. So ya, I just don't believe there is any point in praying to a saint. To me, it's the same as praying to my dead grandmother.

I don't think it's the same thing at all as asking someone to pray for us. That whole thing is just that you figure more people praying for one thing, more chance of something happening, but I think it's generally implied that the person asking for prayer is still praying for it themselves. I also believe that that is absolutely necessary because I believe part of the whole thing with free will is that God will not do something for us unless we ask Him to.

Answer 5

I'm guessing because the Bible says there is only one mediator between us and God, Jesus. I'm not really sure what the Catholics point is in praying to Mary or Peter or whoever but perhaps they are using it as praying for one another, I don't know. Any born again child of God is a "Saint" in the Biblical sense. Paul wrote to the "Saints" aka bro. and sisters in Christ at Ephesus. Any who that was my two cents of an opinion, thank you.

Answer 6

Praying for someone and praying to someone are totally different. When we pray our prayers should be directed to God, not Mary, or St. Peter or whoever. Praying to a statue is going back to the days of idol worship. As Christians we should all pray for one another and let our prayers go up to God. Peace and God bless.

Answer 7

I can't see the difference between Roman Catholics kneeling in prayers before 'saints' and Taoists-Budhhists-Hindus praying to statues of deities-gods - all are seeped in ritualistic worship, paganism, idolatory.

All my family members have been Catholics for decades; i've attended 12 years of Catholic schooling but i have never converted - I don't know why. Charismatic Christian worship was next for awhile and was told that "feel good" religion was superficial. I'm as confused as i've ever been.

Answer 8

Well..... at least the statue is real

These are pentecostal, evangelical ,protestant type christians that often say this. Its got to do with the split in the christian church, the reformation if you will.
protestants viewed the pope as the anti christ. And all his followers as one having perverted the gospel of jesus christ. This vilification of the enemy helps in times of war. So all catholics were anti christs, right down to the peasant farmers. Now, they had to have justification for this. So in come the doctorine disputes. Catholics try and steer good christians away from christ. How? you ask. By makeing them pray to apostles and Mary and other peoples. catholic = Antichrists.
I know...... its dreamy isnt it.
anyway.thats the short history ...... and people hardly make their own 'REAL' choices in life, so the descendants of these protestants still have the same teachings of the 'enemy'
Good luck with your battle

best bet is to give it up.......realises in the end you are only praying to yourself. Its you who determines every thing in your life. 'God' does nothing. You would be better of asking questions like this on Yahoo Answers.com than praying to God and getting advice from 'Him'. Oh..... you have dont that already, you must realise that no apostles actually answer any prayers.

amen

Merry christmass

Me.the atheist

Answer 9

Christians do pray to saints..catholics at least that I know of. And I think praying to a saint is ridiculous. What makes someone a saint? And there is no proof that they are gods chosen ones or whatever.

Answer 10

Catholics are Christian. all people who follows the training of Jesus Christ is a Christian. maximum Protestants do no longer pray to Mary or the Saints, that's one massive rationalization for the Reformation.