Where is your evidence that Catholics worship Mary or Idols?

Question

Because that is not true, and how many times do we have to say that? We honor saints the Blessed Virgin Mary. We do not believe they are God. So do you just get all this from nonCatholics that don't understand and TV and movies?

Answer 1

Wow. A lot of ignorance here. The statues are a mere representation. Like looking at a picture. Yes, we know this is probably not what Jesus looked like, but, like i said, it is a representation. You don't look at a picture of, say, your aunt, and start talking to it, but you do look at it to help you reminisce. Big difference. And The Virgin Mary is honored for being the mother of Jesus Christ. This probably bothers people because a lot of people can't stand the idea of a woman being honored. Whether they realize it or not, a lot of people still have a problem with this. Who cares what people who criticize other religions that they do not understand or take the time to educate themselves about think? I don't know a thing about Buddhism, so I don't discount or criticize it. People that do this without educating themselves first, are the ones to be discounted.

Answer 2

You know what, I just had a long conversation with some cousins over the dinner table. They literally left 5 minutes ago. This was part of the conversation: Catholics and idols.

Here's what I think about it. We all may choose to connect with those that have gone to the other side. That's normal. On the other side, these people may assist us. If I were living in God's presence, and I were asked for some assistance, then I would be comfortable acting as God would act.

Seems that honoring the Virgin Mary is a sacred, special, personal experience. Why would people be abusive, indecent, and judgemental about this? Hmmm..

If love is letting go of judgement, and Jesus taught to love our neighbors as ourselves, then what is this jealousy, anger thing? If someone were to worship or honor a goat, wouldn't the Christlike response be to ask what this person is gaining from their experiences with the goat? And if I had a higher light that would enlighten that person and give them greater closeness and intimacy with God, wouldn't the spirit of sharing and love work better than the spirit of jealousy and control? Light stands on its own. My voice may magnify that light in the universe, but I am not the Source of this light. I cannot share this light by manipulating it into something it isn't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a very religious person, although I am not Catholic. But, seems that if I am using my religion to justify acting in a way that I couldn't act in God's presence, then maybe I'm missing something.

So, as you have religious experiences, if you feel a warmth in your heart,a love, a desire to do good and be good, then what's the problem? Is there more than just an experience with the Virgin Mary? Sure. But it sounds like from your answer that you already know that. It's just that you're tired of bigotry and anger because of your personal experiences with God.

Good luck with this.

Answer 3

1 I understand how the saints are to be used, but I don't believe anyone needs an intercessor for their prayer unless the intercessor is Christ.

2 Out of the mouth of a teenager, I heard the best explanation. Her comment was that she didn't believe in worshiping Mary or any other saint. The Catholic explained how the prayer is directed to the saint to intercede. The teenager replied, "Prayer is a form of worship--you are praying directly to Mary or a saint, so you are worshiping them."

3 Add to this all the odd Mary sightings and the growing movement worldwide to have Mary elevated to the same level of Christ and it sounds like worship to most. (Time had an excellent magazine a year or so ago about this growing movement to put the mother of Christ and Christ on the same level.)

Answer 4

The pagans had gods for different purposes. We catholics have saints. We pray to various saints the way the ancient pagans prayed to their various gods.

Not only that, but if you study the Goddess, you will find her mythology parallels many aspects of Mary. In Greek mythology, the Goddess was the mother of their main god, Zeus. We catholics say Mary, mother of god. There is a story about the goddess and serpents. Look at the statues of Mary stepping on serpents.

The patron goddess of Athens was Pallas Athena. Pallas means virgin.

Answer 5

It's true, non-Catholics don't understand the idea of Intercession. Praying to a saint isn't necessarily worship, it's like a prayer request. It's as if I say, hey people, will you pray for me? It's like asking my best friend to pray for me. I don't agree with intercession because one can go directly to God, but I do realize it's not saint/Marian worship either.

Btw, Catholics are required to ask for intercession. Since the Catholic Church believes in the Communion of Saints - that is to say, those in God's Kingdom are in either realm, whether here in the physical realm or beyond in the spiritual realm - they may ask for prayer even from those who have passed on. This is an option, but it's never required.

Answer 6

If your not, then why don't you get rid of all those statues?, why do people travel hundreds, thousands of miles to pray at an image or some other shrine. Jesus said that the hour would come when people would worship the Father with spirit and truth, and not worship in this mountain or in Jerusalem. Your not worshipping in spirit if you need a statue in front of you. Why pray to any saint or Mary, Jesus said to pray to the Father in His name.

Answer 7

because people who don't understand another religion they are ignorant about it and make assumptions. I was raised Catholic so I can understand why you ask. There is no idol worship and we do not worship Mary. Honor is not the same as worship. We pray to saints and to Mary so that they may intercede for us. For those who don't know what intercede means, here it is

To plead on anothers behalf

Answer 8

Why do Catholics call Mary the "Virgin" Mary? She had many more children after Jesus. You are only supposed to pray to God. Why do you pray to all of these other so called saints?

Answer 9

I wouldn't say Catholics worship Mary - I would say they Revere her. That said - I then would argue that reverence is a very dangerous place to be if in fact, you pray to Mary and the saints. It begs the question "why dial the operator to get to God?"
Growing up Catholic, I can attest to the fact that I experienced God in the Church- however even as a child I found myself confused as to why alot of emphasis was placed on Mary and the saints and not on the Lord himself.
Mary's earthly body died, the saints died. They are in heaven, but there is no need to appeal to them to intercede for your sins or for you to do penance in their name or beg them to speak on your behalf before God - Jesus died for that very reason - He is the one who intercedes on your behalf. Pray to Him. Pray to the Father.

Answer 10

My question to you is when you bow your head to pray to God, do you say Dear Lord or do you say Dear Mary mother of Jesus hear my petition? or something to that effect.

My husband was brought up Catholic and that very certainly is a prayer. And anything we pray to is whom we worship. Worship is honoring as someone or thing more important than ourselves, and God certainly falls into that catagory, but Mary, although a very good servent of God does not fall into the better or more important that myself catagory. God loved and loves her as much as he loves me.

The same thing can be said about idols that you ask about. My mother in law still to this day believes that the different saints that she prays to hear her specific prayers, if she prays to the right one. She does this for safety for selling things, more than I can remember right now.

I have seen and continue to see this with my own ears and eyes, so yes it is true, Worship Mary and the saints (idols), buried or displayed in different locations within the home or car, and prayed to for different specific things.

Now, my mother in law tells me that Jesus will listen to his mother faster than he will listen to anyone else, and this is why she prays to mary. Because as a woman she will go to Jesus and get him to do what we want and need.

Again, if you pray to it for help and guidance, you worship it. Plain and simple.