Why do Christians think that those other Christians worship idols?

Question

I was raised Catholic an was never taught to worship idols, where do those that slander Catholicism get those ideas. Where they raised with this misinformation, or did they get it from a Catholic themself.

I never heard of putting Mary or the saints before God. They were never considered to be on the same level.

Answer 1

Non-Catholic Christians have to demonize the Catholic Church in order to justify their breaking away from the Church Christ Himself founded.

Answer 2

Its because the catholics have the saints and display the cross alot. I don't think that anyone is meaning that catholics are worshiping idols per se. Its just that in other religions they don't use the rosaries and pay so much attention to the cross and the saints. Other religions are not lets say as showy. People see anything that isn't what they are used to as different and will try to find fault in it. I was first Methodist and then was catholic and now am just me. Don't worry about what other people might say about what you feel is right for you. Let them say what ever they want to say as long as you know what is the truth to you in your heart. Ignore them. As long as there are humans on this planet there will always be dissatisfaction and misconceptions and misunderstandings. As long as you are happy that's all that should matter. Since none of those people who might be talking are paying your bills or feeding you the hell with them.

Answer 3

Catholics have rosary beads...for starters. A true catholic DOES hold Mary in a very high place in that they pray to Mary "Hail Mary". They also pray to the saints. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. He is the authority between us common folk and God. There is more( I can't remember at this moment). Gotten from long time hard practicin Catholics. Also been there, seen it.

Answer 4

I've heard from the mouths of former Catholics that there is some form of idol worship in the catholic church. Remember you don't have to sacrifice an animal to make it idol worship. Anything that comes before God and is more important is an idol. Now I've also heard from Catholics that they will pray and make requests to the saints and to Mary before they will ask God the Father. That sounds like idol worship to me.

Answer 5

Just remember that you asked...

I was also once raise Catholic, and you kneel before those statues of Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, etc, you use rosaries to pray, and are not taught that the only way to heaven is through accepting Jesus as your personal Savior.

You confess your sins to mortal man instead of Jesus. You dont need a mediator to have your sins forgiven by Jesus. The catholic church places kneeling benches in frount of the statues of Mary, Jesus so you can pray before them. This is idol worship. You aren't supposed to pray to mary or ask anyone other than Jesus to forgiven you of your sins. God won;t look upon the sin or the sinner until they are cleansed by forgivness of Jesus. This does not take place in a darkened closet between you and a priest either.. There is nothing she can do for you.

There is no such thing as pergetory. Only heaven or hell. Those who died before Jesus was crucified, and they lived by God's laws are to this day awaiting in Abraham's bosom and are what the Bible calles "The Dead In Christ" who shall rise first when Jesus return for His church/bride.

I was born again when I was 11 years old. Praise the Lord and am a Christian, and no longer a catholic.

Answer 6

Small request - if any of you have experienced idol worship (putting food before the statues, honoring any saint with the same adoration reserved for God alone, revering a statue) please let me or your local diocese know. The statues are reminders of those who have gone before us in faith, and they have no power as they are made of mere stone, clay, wood or plastic. If they are believed to hold anything other, that is a heresy and should be corrected immediately.

Thanks,
V17

Answer 7

To the uninformed, it might appear that Catholics are worshiping a statue of Christ or a saint. I have not met any Catholics, past childhood, who believe that the symbol of a person is actually a repository for that person or the person's spirit. I know that there are those who do believe that, I just haven't met them.

Answer 8

I was born in to a R.Catholic family.
I served as an Alter Boy .

That stuff about worshiping idols is so untrue that the Vatican had to re write the 10 Commandments to leave out the one about idols!

I Escaped at age (about) 14.

I would give you the URL to my web page >My Story< but that would be Advertising and I would get a Violation penalty.

Answer 9

I also have heard people make such comments.....who I consider ignorant and illiterate.

They need to read the history of the early church, the Nicene Creed, Council of Trent, etc.

I was raised Protestant and converted to
Catholicism. Not all Protestants are the same. as they all have different doctrines they follow.....

Jesus' commandment was to love one another.

I feel some people need to be more humble and respect one another.

Ecclesiasticus
Chapter 1
36 Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord: and come not to him with a double heart. 37 Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and let not thy lips be a stumblingblock to thee. 38 Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul, 39 And God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation. 40 Because thou camest to the Lord wickedly, and thy heart is full of guile and deceit.

Answer 10

I used to be catholic, but not devoted, and most people in our community were and they are devotees, unknowingly they are actually participating in idolatry with their religious practices...Feast of the Saints, offering food to statue, praying to the statue.

Many will say that they dont worship the statue that those are aids in worship etc...but God was clear in saying that no one has seen him so no one can make an image of him....unfortunately even in that sense catholics fail because they create images not of God but their saints.

Answer 11

The practice of revering the mother is what the NeoChristians scream about. The fact that your faith like mine celebrates the reverence of women and the purity of the womb, is more than they can understand, so reverence becomes Idolatry in the eyes of others.