Why do people think that Catholics bow down to or worship saints?

Question

We pray to saints for intercession of prayers to God. Just as you may ask your neighbor to pray for you. You are not worshipping your neighbor you just want to have another praying with you. We hope the saints will place our petitions at the foot of the Lord. Same with the statues. People so often think we are bowing or worshipping the statues. That is not true. Just as you may have a picture of your family on your wall. You aren't worshipping the picture!! It's a reminder of how you feel about them. When I see a statue of a saint, it's a gentle reminder to pray.

Answer 1

My dear Catholic friend,

If you are to truthfully hold to the tradition of the Church(and though I speak as an Orthodox Christian this does apply to Roman Catholics) you indeed DO "worship" saints. We must qualify that the worship we give saints is NOT equal to the worship we give God, but none the less it is worship. "Veneration" is the usual term.

I think you must also better acquaint yourself with the "theology" of icons(images), which would include statues. They are NOT merely reminders. As St John of Damascus and St Theodore the Studite explain in great detail, images are a lesser Mystery or Sacrament, through which the person or event depicted becomes truly and spiritually present to us. Icons are, in the deepest sense of the word, symbols of spiritual realities.

Yes, we look to the saints for inspiration and also to ask their prayers. But we also bow low before their holiness, honoring them, loving them, and giving them their due veneration(read: lesser worship).

I write these words as a friend. Let us not apologize for holding the saints up at the level we should rightfully hold them. Let us, Orthodox, Catholic, or Anglican be proud that we have not abandoned the fullness of worship and prayer as found in the veneration of saints through their images.

Through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and all the holy and God-bearing Fathers and all the Saints, Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon us!

Answer 2

Most people do not understand this because there are so many "prayers" to St. this and St. that as well as the Blessed Virgin. Many people also are put off by the whole idea due to the fact that we all can go directly to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. Intercession is not necessary.
I AM the way, the Truth, and the Life,
NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.
It's futile to ask for forgiveness or intercession through anyone else. Yet...asking St. whomever to pray on your behalf doesn't hurt anymore than a friend or family member, member of your church etc... to pray with you.
Be at peace.

Answer 3

But I don't understand what gives you the impression that the Saints are there for you to pray to. Where in the Bible does it say that. Second the Bible also says that you are to make no graven images. That is why as a Christian you will never see a crucifix on the wall of our church. Jesus is no longer on the cross he is risen why bow to a statue of him on the cross when he is in heaven next to the Father.

Answer 4

The Bible says not to pray to the dead. I used to be Catholic, and this is one reason I left and now attend a Christian non-denominational Church. Please read below:

The Old Testament term for communicating with the dead is "necromancy." (Deuteronomy 18:11, also read verse 10) It is forbidden by God: "There shall not be found among you... For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord" (an "abomination," KJV).

Also see: 1 Samuel 28:3-20; 2 Chronicles 10:13, 14; Isaiah 8:19-22. The punishment for contacting the dead is very severe, if not repented of.

This must also include what Roman Catholicism claims is praying to the "saints" -- the deceased who have been beatified, canonized, or placed in a position of spiritual superiority by the hierarchy. (Scripture refers to all believers as "saints.") The real force at work in such "apparitions" (appearances of the deceased) is deception: demonic activity, evil spirits. Satan disguises himself as "an angel of light," it says in 2 Corinthians 11:14. (He doesn't approach us saying, "Boo!" or we'd run & hide.)

When prophecies or visions fail to come to pass, we know they're not of God (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). But even if a vision or prophecy does come to pass, scripture says, we are still instructed to examine or discern the source: if it doesn't glorify Jesus -- if it glorifies any other person, living or dead -- it's not of God.

When someone claims to have received a "vision" of the dead, it's really a deception of the enemy -- demon forces at work. Luke chapter 16 contains excellent instruction on the state of the dead, referring to an impassable separation between the after-life and this world. Those in the next world, saved or otherwise, simply do not return to deliver messages to the living:

"[Lazarus] died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom," and the rich man died and suffered torment in Hades. A "great gulf" separated the two and was "fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." (Luke 16:19-31)

Another example is the instance in which, at the death of his son, David testified: "I shall go to him, but he shall not return unto me." (2 Samuel 12:15-23)

Not all miracles are of God. Satan performs lying signs and wonders (Exodus 7:9-12; 8:7, 17-19; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:13-14, 16:14; 19:20) The magicians in the times of Moses and Daniel could perform some magic (Exodus 7:9-12; 8:7; Daniel 1:20) ... but their power is limited (Exodus 8:17-19; Daniel 2:2, 10, 27; 4:7; 5:7-8, 15).

Many Roman Catholics and others, lacking discernment* and knowledge of the Scriptures ("My people perish for lack of knowledge") -- and trusting the hierarchy of man -- fail to "test the spirits and see whether they be of God" (1 John 4:1). They assume the priests do that for them! Some of the primary points relative to this issue include:

If a sign or wonder predicted comes to pass, but the person is enticed to follow after another god, we are to reject it. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) Also, if the message delivered is contrary to Scripture, it's not from God (Isaiah 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:16). Some religious messages don't glorify Jesus at all; rather, the "vision" is glorified and, repeated again and again, perpetuated by tradition.

The Roman Catholic practice of praying to and for the dead can be traced in part to the Old Testament apocryphal books (2 Maccabees 12:46 "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.") These books, rejected from the canon ("rule," or "standard") of Scripture, contain historical and geographical errors, and many teachings inconsistent with the rest of scripture: salvation by almsgiving; suicide; magic; angelic intercession; etc. Definitely nothing sturdy upon which to base one's eternal destiny.

Answer 5

You answered your own question and the answer is very true. Saints are people who have died and can work as intermediaries for those still on earth. They are shown respect from Catholics and that's it.
If people chose to hate Catholics or people of any other religion then try not to worry too much about it. They're wrestling with hatred inside themselves and need to make peace with themselves. Just pray for them and show friendship wherever you can.

Answer 6

But the Bible says that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, not to some "saint" from the ages. Not to impune the "saint" in question's working on this earth, but they are not the son/daughter of God. Hey, don't get mad at me, Jesus said it first.

Answer 7

You are so right. The dead can't hear or speak. they are just dead, in the common grave of mankind. I remember reading a good portion of the Bible around age 13 or 14 & then when going to church aftrwards, noticing statues in the church & wondering why they are they & don't they know better. You are correct that we shouldn't pray to idols, saints or Mary. We should only pray to Jehovah Got, through his son, Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

I agree with you. Some people just think the saint statue is automatically an idol.

Answer 9

There you go, tell those people like it is...they're just afraid...afraid of the truth...so they lead themselves astray.

OR...they know not on what to believe. Deep down they believe otherwise...even as kids.

I've been raised Catholic all my life...but even as a kid believed in such things that are more along the lines of Wicca and such.

...so I wouldn't consider myself an actual "Catholic" anymore...but I certainly do not bash the religion, I do tend to "take up" for it.

...I'm not sure what to believe.

But all lies lead to the truth...we'll all find out one day just WHICH is the greater religion...

Answer 10

I was forced to go to a Catholic bording school. Spew your crap somewhere else. I pray to God not to saints, what do you think praying to a dead human will do for you???