In the word of God Deuteronomy 18:10 -12 God in instructing the priest. 10: There shall not be found amoung you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass thru the fire or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures speels or a medium, or a spiritist or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are a abomination to the Lord.
In this passage you will note the word spiritist. A spiritist is one who incorperates science philosophy and religion into there form of faith. It is impure. Does the catholic church engage in this activity.
You will also note that this speaks about calling up the dead which is what happens when you pray to the dead. Does the catholic church practice this activity.
2006-12-21 21:21:26 · 9 answers · asked by Thomas A 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
All those who are not alive in the earth are in a state or rest called death. Every christians that has died every apostle and every prophet. You all know that there is even a example of King saul calling up the prophet who said why have you woken me from my rest. We have one mediator between God and man the person of Jesus Christ. Our high priest who is with out sin.
2006-12-21 21:38:11 · update #1
you make an excelent point
2006-12-21 21:24:15 · answer #1 · answered by Dashes 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, Catholics do not pray to the dead. When speaking in religious terms, death means an existence in Hell. Those who are in Christ have everlasting life, right? God is not a god of the dead, but of the living.
Catholics pray to the living.
2006-12-22 01:57:03 · answer #2 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I fail to see how praying to those in the company of God in Heaven is related to paganism,spiritualism or necromancy.
The Saints are honored to bring our prayers before God for us and also it is good to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins and enter into Gods rest, I know that most Protestants do not believe in the concept of Purgatory but what if you are wrong and those being purified need our prayers to hasten their departure from that painful prison.
2006-12-21 21:33:03 · answer #3 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Before Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven there were no saints in heaven. Therefore there are no Old Testament writings that would mention them.
Very few of the new Christians died before most of the New Testament was written. Therefore there is little in the Bible about asking saints to pray for us.
However the last book of the Bible does talk about the saints in heaven praying.
Revelation 5:8: Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.
Revelation 8:3-4: He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.
The Holy Spirit guided the early Church in many things not explained in the Bible including how does the Body of Christ (believers) living on Earth relate to the Body of Christ (saints) living in heaven. We are still one Body.
Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist 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 living on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.
Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.
With love in Christ.
2006-12-22 14:20:28 · answer #4 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Much of Catholic tradition was lifted from the earlier European traditions and incorporated into it. Besides, where do the Catholics pray to the dead? I was raised Catholic, but we never did this.
2006-12-21 21:26:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
We don't call up the dead.
Our God is the God of the living ... not the dead.
The only thing dead appears to be your faith.
2006-12-22 02:20:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Praying to Mary is also sin. She is dead 2000 years back. And her soul is still resting.
2006-12-21 21:46:30 · answer #7 · answered by Jac Tms 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Read it again. It's warning Christians to stay away from "said" people. Not encouraging it.
2006-12-21 21:23:48 · answer #8 · answered by Bahaus B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No we most definitely do not. we are not witches as you are implying. I have never prayed to the dead
2006-12-21 21:27:49 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋