Good evening everyone! What are your thoughts regarding this issue?

Question

Good evening everyone:

What is the belief regarding praying to Virgin Mary statues and paintings, or the saints,or images of Jesus (PBUH).

In Islam we do not have any images whatsoever, so it is not an issue or a topic for us. But I wondered if this is an issue for christians of different denominations?

Thanks in advance for your answer!

Respectfully,
Muslimah

Answer 1

It's not an issue for me, and I'm Christian. There are other religions that revere those sort of things, but God Himself said to worship only Him. Even when people say things like "The god I believe in wouldn't send people to Hell, I don't think He's like that", are committing idolatry-making up a god to suit themselves

God gave us His word, told us what He doesn't approve of, and doing otherwise is the first step in the wrong direction.

Your Welcome in advance. Have a nice day!

Answer 2

If that is what a person wants to do, that's up to them. I can understand how such ideals have come around and why some people might still look up to them and want to follow them. Though I don't really understand why you would be in a sexual relationship with someone who doesn't respect you or your values. Just realize that just because that's how you feel it doesn't mean that's how everyone feels. There are problems with the abstinent movement. In fact, you mention one of those problems. The idea that virginity defines a woman's worth. The idea that female virginity is something to be sold, and anyone who would just "give it away" doesn't respect themselves. That having sex when you're not married to someone has to do with being undisciplined, or not having self respect, or not having self control.

Answer 3

Lots of Protestants think Catholics worship statues of saints/Mary/etc. They also think that we worship Mary. Both of these are false.

Catholics don't pray *to* statues; they're sort of like photographs. If you have a picture of your boyfriend, does it mean you worship it? No...

As to "worshipping" the saints and the Blessed Mother, what Catholics actually do is ask them for intercession to God on our behalf. There's a phrase: Ad Iesum per Mariam. (Latin for "To Jesus through Mary.) It's like they're pulling strings up there in heaven to help us get our prayers answered.

These Catholic practices are very often misinterpreted by Protestants. Hope this explanation helped!

Answer 4

i am not a Christian as you know but i feel that the idols as you call them are nothing more than a reminder .. a focus for prayer
much like mecca for Muslims
i find nothing wrong in these beautiful statues and i am sure that the people praying know that the prayer is directed towards heaven and not at a piece of stone
xxx

Answer 5

It isn't true that you don't have images. Islamic manuscripts of all eras have plenty of images. Islamic sacred calligraphy often becomes so ornate that it functions as an image -- for example, the emotive response of a Muslim who sees calligraphy of the Divine Name is evidence that this functions in an iconographic way.

Further, you have images in a more important sense: you have theological and philosophical concepts about God, which are also images, albeit not visual images. They are constructs, representations, symbols which mediate the Divine.

As for Christians: Catholics and Orthodox have traditionally used images, primarily to educate the faithful in ages when most people couldn't read, or as a focus for devotion. Protestants have typically rejected this use of images, often to the point where their churches are rather spartan. (IMHO they could learn something from abstract Islamic art if they wanted to go in that direction.) There is a deeper theological problematic here as well. Catholics and Orthodox believe that material things can mediate spiritual realities -- thus icons, a realist doctrine of the Eucharist, a developed liturgy involving all the senses, etc. Protestants tend to be more reserved and focused on unmediated spiritual experience. This reaches its acme among the Quakers, who reject all outward expressions of faith (except perhaps speech).

Answer 6

Regarding Mary, you are likely to get all sorts of opinions. (It is scriptural, but it takes probably 'brushing aside one of the 'additions' (tests) in Christianity to see it.

egarding the other topics, if one uses them simply as a focal point, most of them I personally have no trouble with. If however, they pose it as a 'god' , I have a very significant problem with that.

Pardon my present ignorance on the matter; but I have seen several times in the past the PBUH designation. Where does it come from (email me please)?

Answer 7

I am a Jehovah's Witness and like you, we do not even consider using idols or images in our worship. We also do not think it proper to wear crosses as we feel it brings sadness to God and shame to our reigning king, Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

It is.
In general even Catholics don't pray to statues of Mary, but they do pray to her.
There's nothing in the Bible to justify it, in fact there are passages to refute the practice - but they do it anyway.

Answer 9

it,s not comming from holy bible or new testament
it,s just a wrong teachig in some churches(?)
But the bible teaches us to pray to God in Jesus name

Answer 10

sort oflike a mandala, just something to help you focus on your prayers, they don't actually pray to the statue,painting, or whatnot, but to what that SYMBOL represents