Why do you say Catholics worship idols when they have statues in their Church for reminders?

Question

just like many of you have a Nativity set?

Answer 1

they dont actully 'think' when they say that per se,

it comes from protestant having to break off from catholic in a messy kind of way, with such justifications as 'they're idolatrous' 'un-christian' and others that really have no merit.

when in reality, all it is is a reminder of the person that we're praying to. in church the priest doesnt say 'statue have mercy' he says 'Christ have mercy'

Answer 2

Catholics, especially those from Mexico, seem to have a fascination for the Virgin Mary and many of their churches display statues of her. Catholic Churches also favor displays of the various saints and stations of the cross. These are common adornments for their Churches.

Some religious folk consider these statues to be idols. Although the Pope and the Catholic Church do not. Still many people have many different ideas of how to worship. A lot of the various Christian sects refuse to put any images of religious figures in their church.

Of course if you go with this strict of an interpretation of the 10 Commandments then the display of the Cross (the symbol of Christianity) is itself an idol.

A Nativity Set can be considered to be a dipictation of religious historical fact or a collection of idols. It all depends on you viewpoint.

Answer 3

The images aren't idols all the time. It depends on the person. God specifically said not to bow to it (pray to it). So if a person feels a spirit around a Mary image and prays to it, person is committing idolatry. That would be any statue of Saints, etc. Even statues of Jesus. To pray to them would be idolatry.

Jesus is our intermediary to God. It is through His shed blood. It is Christian people that bring the Good News to the sinner and witness the sinners confession. After the initial confession of Jesus Christ ones Lord & heart faith in atonement and resurrection, born of God Christian prays to the Father in Jesus Name. Or to Jesus our intermediary.

If person has a Mother Mary figure as a statue as a reminder of our promised Messiah, born of a virgin (realizing that the statue doesn't really look like her) I would guess that it wasn't an idol to that person. Figurines don't give God or the Kingdom just representation.

As far as nativity sets go, no one usually prays to them. That is because it is a representation of the birth of our Savior. If one would pray to a nativity set, that too would be an idol in ones life.


Also, it is written that God will not give His glory to an image. So also, Saints will not. There is a glorious vision recorded in Revelation of Jesus Christ, though.

Answer 4

"Catholics worship statues!" People still make this ridiculous claim. Because Catholics have statues in their churches, goes the accusation, they are violating God’s commandment: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down to them or serve them" (Ex. 20:4–5); "Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold" (Ex. 32:31).

It is right to warn people against the sin of idolatry when they are committing it. But calling Catholics idolaters because they have images of Christ and the saints is based on misunderstanding or ignorance of what the Bible says about the purpose and uses (both good and bad) of statues.

Anti-Catholic writer Loraine Boettner, in his book Roman Catholicism, makes the blanket statement, "God has forbidden the use of images in worship" (281). Yet if people were to "search the scriptures" (cf. John 5:39), they would find the opposite is true. God forbade the worship of statues, but he did not forbid the religious use of statues. Instead, he actually commanded their use in religious contexts!

Answer 5

some Christians do no longer 'get it', they do no longer see the sweetness interior the paintings artwork. Catholics sacramentals are reminders of God, saints and angels, they do no longer worship them like the Greek and Romans did with their statuary. Catholics have not got faith that God or a saint is interior the statue. that's what worshiping idols is approximately. i could additionally upload this is beneficial to connect religious practise instructions at your Church or a minimum of a biblical studies you do no longer see properly versed on your faith.

Answer 6

Bible is pretty clear: Jeremiah 10

For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.
They are all senseless and foolish;they are taught by worthless wooden idols.

Sounds like an honest statement against Catholic idols.

Answer 7

Catholics worship idols almost as much as they worship Mary.

Answer 8

I don't think Christians worship idols for having statues in their Church, but I think they're polytheist for believing in the trinity.

Answer 9

It's because they actually pray to these idols. Our God is a jealous God and says we should worship no other God. If we pray to anyone besides God it's idol worshiping. To pray to a "Saint" or "Virgin Mary" is to put your faith in someone besides God and that's not acceptable. Because only one died on the cross for the remission of our sins and that GOD.

Answer 10

catholics and christians are brothers and sisters in Christ all this arguing makes me sick. whats important is that we believe that jesus died and rose again that we micht die to sin and resurect in Christs rightiousness. i think we need to care more about what the bible says than what a priest or pastor thinks it says. the pope is not holy "there is none rightious no not one". we are to pray to God and not people.

united in Christ through humility and serving others should be our goal