Why do some catholics pray to statues of saints? Isn't this IDOLATRY?

Question

Something about "graven images"?

Answer 1

Do you really expect them all to actually understand and follow the teachings of the bible?

It's so much easier to just go through the motions like everyone else

Answer 2

Generally speaking, no it is not idolatry. Historically in the church prayer has had focal points. While the language is different, you might see it as akin to the focus of meditation. For most catholics, this is the function of statues: to focus the mind. The rosary works in much the same way, as a kind of mental discipline.

Has it happened over the generations that from time to time superstitious people might have different ideas about statues? Sure. There are lots of superstitious people now. A President's wife consulted astrologers not too many years ago.

Idols, on the other hand, are those mundane objects to which we give ultimate value, or authority, or allegiance.

HTH

Charles

Answer 3

It is not considered praying to a idol. Statues are representations of that saint. The same as people going to a love ones grave and talking to them. There not there but you feel a connection. Talk to a priest.They love to answer questions like these.

Answer 4

Catholics do not pray to statues.

+ Graven Images +

Do you have pictures of your loved ones? Have you ever looked at the picture of someone while talking on the phone to them?

Statues and pictures of people we love are not idols.

Statues and paintings of Jesus and the saints are just like pictures of the people we love and respect.

The King James Version of the Bible states in Exodus 20:4: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth"

Why were the Jews commanded not to make graven images? Graven images were the standard method of pagan worship. They were representations of false gods.

This is a very clear command.

However God commanded the Jews in Exodus 25:18 and 1 Chronicles 28:18–19, "And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them"

And in 1 Kings chapter 7 Solomon made bulls and other images out of precious metals.

It seems obvious that the Jews did not worship the cherubims and Solomon did not worship the bulls he had made. These images did not violate the command of God. Therefore, an image not made for worship is acceptable.

In Numbers 21:8-9, "And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered."

And in John 3:14-15, Jesus says in correlation, "And just as Moses lifted up the [image of a] serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

How can a statue of our Lord Jesus Christ dead on the cross be considered an idol to a false god? A crucifix is the message of the Gospel without words held up for all to see, a visual reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus, no different from a painting, a play, or a movie.

Catholics do not worship statues but the almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

+ Saints +

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 here 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.

And prayer to the saints is optional not required.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Cut, Copy & Pasted:

" Are Statues Idols?


Where does the Catholic Church stand on images of Christ, statues of saints, pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe, etc.? Is it wrong for me to have these items in my home?



My concern is that on one occasion my brother who is not Catholic, and now belongs to an Assembly of God church, came to my house and saw my pictures, candle, images, etc., then proceeded to tell me that this was not right, that I was worshiping idols. I was very hurt by his comment but now I am left questioning. I know that our Church does not worship idols. Yet I would like some more information on what we believe.


When I was a young man, I read a story by Stephen Vincent Benét titled “By the Waters of Babylon.” The mood was one of a traveler finding the ruins of a previous civilization. Throughout the story the hero kept coming across an idol of the God Ashing. At story's end, the reader discovers Benét has looked into the future and the city of New York, after some great catastrophe. The “idol” is simply the ruins of a bust of George Washington.


My point is simply that people can misinterpret, misconstrue and fail to understand what others are doing or have done.


The next time your brother criticizes your use of statues, or accuses you of idolatry, you might ask him if he has a picture of his wife or children in his wallet. If he says yes, ask him why he is worshiping them.


Or ask him if he thinks all those tourists going out to see the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., or the faces of the presidents on Mount Rushmore are guilty of idolatry.


Those statues, like pictures of George Washington in so many courthouses, are ways of honoring heroes from the past. They put us in touch with great people in our history. They become occasions for teaching children about the past and offering examples of great citizens.


Stained-glass windows, statues and paintings have long served these same purposes in the Church. Crucifixes and statues of the Good Shepherd or Sacred Heart remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice and love for us. Statues of Mary and the saints recall the heroism of the saints and suggest to us what we should strive to become.


They are occasions for telling the children of today about the real saints and heroes of the past, for telling children what it means to live out their faith and religion. To all of us they offer the occasion to reflect and pray on the action of God in our lives. They help us to better sentiments of piety, call upon us to express our own faith and love. In honoring the saint we honor God who has worked such good and holy things in and through the saint."

Answer 6

Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Psalms 97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Micah 5:13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

What people don't want to accept, is that when you kneel down before a statue, that is worshiping a graven image, which goes dirrectly against God's word and instruction to us. We must pray, live and serve our God who we cannot see with our eyes, and not make images or likenesses of Him because God said not to.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The sad thing was when God finally gave the people His word in the flesh which was Jesus, they still would not believe who He was.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

No matter what God does for man, they will never be satisfied.And man says that God is selfish. That is a lie!

Answer 7

No Catholic prays to a statue. Catholics aren't idiots! Who in their right mind would PRAY to plaster or marble?? Catholics do however pray (= talk) to the saints, asking them to intercede for us, just as we ask our friends and family to do the same. Hopefully you pray for your friends and family? Do you figure you will STOP praying for them once you find yourself before the throne of God? Revelation describes the saints before the throne of God offering Him bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints on earth. So we do request this intercession of them. We know that they are alive and well since Jesus Himself told us that those who follow Him "will never die". Catholics believe Him.

As for statues, pictures, etc., they are simply reminders of the real persons we ARE talking to. Like looking at your wife's picture while talking to her on the phone, when you are away on a business trip. But no, we don't talk to statues. Also, talking to a saint and asking for intercession is no more idolatry than talking to my brother and asking him to pray for me. I don't worship my brother, and I don't worship saints. Or plaster.
.

Answer 8

I always look at Catholicism as a transition religion between polytheism and monotheism. It is what it is. Of all the Christian denominations - I like Catholics best. And if I ever went back to Christianity I'd go Catholic. :)

Answer 9

Yes. Often a churches traditions
tend to make void the Word of
God. When your in Christ, you are
in the Church of Churches. In
Christ you are fulfilling the law.
In Christ there is no idolatry.
In human churches there is and
can be idolatry.

Answer 10

Yes most Catholics practice many forms of idolatry.