Why is the Catholic Religion so Ritual based?

Question

I went to mass a few times before I began thinking about it myself. Having statues of Saints and praying to them are they breaking one of Gods commandments? Praying to Jesus and not directly to god how is that putting " I am the lord thy god, thou shalt not have gods before me," into some kind of perspective? Also if Jesus was a Jewish man who celebrated Passover and the other Jewish Holidays why did Jesus' followers stop celebrating those holidays if they want to be so much like Jesus? I'm confused..

Just for the record I am not actually any religion I just like to study religions but not participate, kinda like watching a football game.

Answer 1

Starting with the easier part... Jesus' followers were Jewish and I am pretty sure that his original disciples still followed Jewish practices until they died. They thought Jesus was bringing fulfillment to Judaism, but the majority of Jews didn't see it that way. Eventually those who were following Jesus and his message where considered "splinter Jews" and finally not Jews at all, especially when so many gentiles started joining their ranks.

Praying to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is, in essence, praying to the same source. We believe that the Trinity - God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit - are three "persons" who are all one God. So praying to Jesus does not violate the first commandment. (Also, statues, paintings, and other religious art are only tools to assist one is prayer. We always pray to God.)

The hard part - why is Catholicism so ritual based? I don't know if I can explain it very well. I guess it starts with the Last Supper. Christians took Jesus' command of "do this in rememberance of me" seriously. They gathered, told stories, shared a meal, and did what they could to take care of each other. Thus a founding ritual was born.

I don't know exactly "why" we love and cling to the rest of our rituals. I know that for me, they bring comfort. When everything else in my life is a mess and uncertain, I know I can go to mass and know for sure what's going on and draw on happier memories.

Answer 2

The ritualistic tendencies of the Catholic church has evolved over 2000 years, you have to have a healthy understanding of Medieval Europe from the 5th Century onward to get the gist of it. From a VERY early stage, the Catholic Church was the only organized religion in Europe. The experience of going to Mass was just that: an experience. Up until the Industrial Revolution the church was the most prosperous organization in the World, and when you were trying to keep a vast population of peasants in check, wealth and mystery were the way to go. There was gold and silk and all the trappings of aristocracy, as well as most masses being done in traditional Latin, no matter what the local dialect might have been. In short, the ritualistic trappings of the Church evolved in order to keep the population in check, while there's 2000 years of history to sift thru to come to that conclusion, that's the short of it.

That Jesus was Jewish is a WHOLE other issue, most Christians have never acknowledged that fact, and simply ignore it with a logic that defies reason.

As for your theological questions? That's a VERY subjective argument. Each church, each sect, each religion interprets the Bible in their own fashion, so the question of 'thou shalt have no other gods before me' can be asked to a dozen different theologians and your liable to get a dozen different answers. I would suggest finding some non-secular histories of the Catholic and Jewish church for some more in depth analysis of the subject.

Answer 3

All Catholic services are either derived from or use the services left by the apostles James, Peter and Mark the Evangelist. The first century Christians were very ritualistic. Actually, all people are ritualistic but you don't notice your own rituals.

A professor of mine was a student in the United States from France. When she arrived here she was amazed how healthy and caring everyone was. After all, everyone would ask how she was doing and everyone in America was either okay or fine. She, not knowing she was in the middle of a ritual, would reply with exactly how she was feeling and doing to the horror of everyone around her. Finally someone took her aside and let her know that people really didn't want to know.

Some of the thickest ritual I have ever seen has been in Baptist Churches. Of course they also cannot see their own ritual and would deny it exists.

As to the theology of the saints, I suggest you read a book called "Why Catholics Do That," by Kevin Johnson. Good questions, but I suggest you pick up a book and read.

Answer 4

Jesus is King od the Jews. This is what the INRI inscription abpove His head signifies. The Jews broke rank with Jesus in that the believed everthing about him except one thing, that He was the Son of God. This is where the two religions break off. As far as Catholicism being so ritualistic, it is based on tradition, and it is also Jesus' command that the Mass is celecrated in His words, "in memory of me". He said this during the Last Supper, and these words are in the Eucharistic Prayer in EVERY Mass.

Answer 5

You may benefit from reading something about Catholicism in a comparative religions or world religions text. This would give you a sort of non-partisan view. I suggest the link below. You can register and read a book for a free trial period, and if you like it you just pay by credit card for 6 months access to the book. These are actual textbooks, and the cost is about 1/2 that of the printed books.

Answer 6

If you watch a bit closer you will have the answer you seek.
Here i will tell you that all religion and rituals are invention to fool the people that they are aimed at. To confuse them with bull sh--.
they have perpetrated this on people since someone wanted to control the masses and get something for nothing and not having to go forth and work to stay alive. some con and you thought that con was just a new trick, You still have a lot to learn.

Answer 7

+ Rituals +

Rituals are all around us. Humans are ritualistic beings. We make rituals out of everything.

In our everyday lives, kissing your spouse hello and goodbye, prayers before meal and bed, celebrating holidays the "family" way, even doing your morning toilette. Rituals also give reassurance to children, adding a sense of confidence through repetition. Family members are brought together and bonds are strengthened.

Society has rituals: graduations, inaugurations, Independence Day, New Years, Halloween, parades, the Olympics opening ceremonies.

Religion also has rituals, like baptism, marriage, and funerals.

This is the way humans live, celebrate and rejoice. This is also how we pass our values and traditions onto future generations.

+ Saints +

We do not pray to statues.

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Episcopal Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother in heaven to pray for you.

+ Mosaic Law +

For Christians, Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses.

Christians are not held to the ceremonial parts of the Mosaic Law concerning of dietary purity and temple worship.

Christians are held to the moral law of God, some of which is expressed in the Ten Commandments.

However Jesus took the Ten Commandments to the next step summarizing them into the two Great Commandments:
- You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
- You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

And teaching things like
- Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- Everyone is our neighbor including our enemies.

Therefore we have to go much farther than the original recipients of the Ten Commandments ever dreamed.

+ With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 8

After Jesus was recognised as a Prophet, he ceased to be a Jew. His followers go by what he advised & hence they R not celebrating the jewish festivals.
If U think Cathos R Ritualistic, what will u call Hindus , who recognise & worship, hold your breath, 3,30,000,000 Gods ?

Answer 9

Your question is to complicated. I am suggesting you to attend some seminars and join religious organization so that you will be enlightened. As of now first thing you can do is to pray for God to give you wisdom and knowledge and to open up your mind and spirit. Pray and read the Bible. Good Luck and God Bless

Answer 10

Contact your local Catholic Parish and speak with someone that can give you the real meaning behind what we Catholics observe. I am not qualified to attempt to explain everything because I would be doing you a disservice.