Doesn't the Bible say to have no other Gods? And not to worship idols?
2007-01-28 16:18:32 · 35 answers · asked by Cassandra 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That's right. It's a ritual they have created, praying to the saints. Fact is is that NO saints are going to answer prayers because they're not 'God'. The Roman Catholics also pray for the deceased, which is also a man-made ritual. Prayer is for the living - not the dead. Once a person passes out of this life, no prayer is going to help them. It's up to God at that point as to where the person's soul goes.
By praying to 'saints', they are idolizing them because prayer is a part of worship and God does say in His first commandment, "I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods before me". You don't pray to God through the 'saints', but to straight to God Himself!
2007-01-28 16:22:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 5⤋
Catholics believe that the saints should be honored for living righteous lives. The Bible is very contradictory. Many people believe the Bible is 1 book with 1 author... In actuality the Bible is a collection of different books from different eras written by different authors. Some who are prophets and some who are early students of Christ.
I wouldn't read the Bible so literally, It's not meant to be interpreted word for word... You are supposed to deduce the devine information from the irrelevant information.
If you think Saint Worship is bad, I have news for you. Look at America, most kids these days are worshipping Britney Spears and 50 cent. I'd tolerate the Saints over that if I were god.
2007-01-28 16:28:40 · answer #2 · answered by Paul S 1 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Why do you bring your car to an auto mechanic when it isn't running right? Why go to an orthopaedic surgeon when you break a bone instead of doing it yourself?
I don't know about the rest of you, but I do that because they have more experience and training. They have lived their lives in such a way to prepare them to help us fix our problems.
Catholics do no pray to saints. A Catholic will ask the saint to help them as they approach G-d to request something. And the reason for asking for help is that the saint lived an especially devout life, and has shown that he (or she) lived their lives in a way that shows they are in G-d's favour.
You know, I believe most of the people on these boards know these answers already,because a search will show the same questions asked over and over again. Do you all get your jollies by repeating your (usually) unfunny remarks?
2007-01-28 17:30:54 · answer #3 · answered by mourning my dad 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catholics pray to Saints for intercession, If you can get one them to talk to God for you, intercede, God will be more likely to listen to them. They do not see the Saints as Gods, nor do they worship the statues. The statues were put into Catholic churches a very long time ago for those who couldn't read or write, they tell a story with pictures and images. Try reading the Apologies.
2007-01-28 16:27:10 · answer #4 · answered by Angelz 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
They don't worship or idolize the saints. Your question is based on ignorance.
The saints and Mary are intercessors, intermediaries. The Catholics acknowledge that God is a busy commander... er... heavenly father and so they send their prayers to the saints and Mary to pass on to God when he has time. (Basically, in a nutshell.)
2007-01-28 16:31:48 · answer #5 · answered by Rogue Scrapbooker 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hi! Us Catholics never are allowed to believe a saint is a God. (or that an image has power. They are holy reminders of holy things and people who were our champions of the Christian faith.) Pray is to talk to or venerate or honor or worship. Saint means holy (sanctus or sancta) Holy one. If you are a Christian and are saved and go to heaven, you are a saint.--a holy one of God. We believe that a person who dies washed in the blood of Christ never dies, but has eternal life so saints are not dead. They are alive and are nearer to God than we are. So if we may ask friends to help and to pray for us on this earth, then we may ask for help and prayers from the holy ones who went before us and live in heaven. We may honor them ---like a grandmother etc. and that is called veneration or "dulia." For Mary we also venerate and ask for help---never adore! If we ever worship Mary or the saints as having their own power or as a God, that is called a deadly sin. Most Catholics pray to God, worship God, praise God, Sing to him, read the Bible and then say hello and and send our love to our friends and family that has passed on and ask them for their prayers. We learn about the holy ones that went before us and find friendships with them. We feel we should treat all heaven with love and respect because we will someday be living in eternal life with them. The honor given only to God, worship, priase and adoration is called "latria." In America there was no exact words to use for prayer as there is in Latin, Greek or Hebrew. All of us Christians actually are more alike than we know. We just have a problem with our interpretation of certain words. I'm so glad people like you actually ask questions instead of just judging us. Thank you!
2007-01-28 16:56:00 · answer #6 · answered by belladmma 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Saints are not gods, and they aren't idols.
They are people who have already successfuly attained heaven by cooperating with God's grace, and now that they have been perfected in Christ, God empowers them to help the poor souls still remaining here on earth.
According to the mercy and providence of God, a number of saints have already helped me out with a number of serious faith matters.
God receives the worship I owe to him alone.
The saints receive my gracious acknowledgement for their voluntary assistance.
It works. You should try it!
2007-01-28 17:42:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They depend on them to bring their requests to GOD- my husband is catholic- I am not- I have been to mass w him- I heard the priest refer to praying to the saints- so some say they do= some say they don't. I think they do not have the right to pray or talk directly to God- as a christian that has accepted Jesus as Lord and saviour= we have the right to= in the name of Jesus and let our requests be made known to GOd- D
2007-01-28 16:25:34 · answer #8 · answered by Debby B 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Catholics don't directly pray to the Saints. Instead they ask the Saints to intercede on their behalf with God. One of the requirements for a person to be named a Saint is that there be proof that the candidate has in fact interceded on a person's behalf with God. This is usually a person with a very serious illness who got better, and medical science is unable to explain why.
2007-01-28 16:26:38 · answer #9 · answered by some_guy_times_50 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
They aren't praying to saints, they are praying through saints. the theory is that the saints are all closer to Jesus because they are dead, so if I want to be blessed in the area of having children I pray to jesus through "Saint Theom" the patron saint of fertility so she can pray to Jesus on my account to make things happen quicker. This is silly, Jesus never said that I need to pray through someone else because they are holier then I am, he advocated a relationship in which I can come to him personally and bring my adoration and requests. Besides the fact that the bible calls ALL christians saints
2007-01-28 16:24:43 · answer #10 · answered by Enigma 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋