Researching religions and want to know- 1-why do catholics pray to monuments/saints?

Question

2-Do Baptists also do this?
3-How do atheists explain death to children?and what happens after death?

Answer 1

Catholics pray to saints. The word "pray" means to ask. They do not expect a saint to do the work of God, but rather to pray for us on our behalf to God. It's like asking a friend to pray for you; you don't expect when you do this, that your friend will perform a miracle, but you do expect that more people praying, coming into communiton with each other and with God might have an effect. Praying to saints is merely the act of "asking". Catholics believe that the spirit does not die with the person, and that they are still interested in our lives. It's merely asking friends, relatives, or the faithful to pray on our behalf.

Baptists dont' do this.

Atheists explain death based on what they believe. Atheist means basically "without God". This does not mean that they believe there is no spirit (though many do). If an atheist who believes that there is no spirit explains death, they simply state that after death there is nothing. People who don't believe in a God, but believe in spirits tell us that our spirit goes on, either to reincarnate or to exist in another fashion.

Answer 2

Catholics are idol worshipers or of Mary. From my learnings, Catholics think that worshiping Mary or a Saint can get their prayers to God in some way. Mainly because Mary gave birth to Jesus.The Bible clearly tells us that God is a jealous God and that we are to put nothing!, not a man, angel, saint, or statue before him.
No! Baptists do not worship anything but Jesus. Baptists clearly want us to gain belief and be saved. That is their mission.
As far as atheists, I can only imagine because I am not an atheist. But, I can see it being really hard explaining to their children what comes after we leave here.
Way to go, sunpeke!

And let me also add that Jesus said, " The way to the Father is threw me!" Not Mary! Mary is blessed among women, she was given Gods grace!
NO MAN WOMAN OR CHILD on this earth is or has been perfect either. Mary was a sinner just like the rest of us. If Mary was sinless, than why was Jesus born? I just don't understand the Catholics way of thinking.

Answer 3

Catholics do not pray to monuments or statues. Religious art is used as a worship aid, and nothing more. Statues and paintings are not worshiped. Saints are seen as being "helpers" in a sense, because of their closeness to God. Baptists do not believe in the communion of saints in the same way that Catholics do. As for the atheists, they'll have to answer those questions for you, as I won't presume to speak for them on those points, although some of my atheist friends believe that when you die, you simply cease to exist. No heaven, no hell, no reincarnation.

Answer 4

1. Catholics do NOT pray to monuments or statues. They do ask the saints to pray for them.
2. No, Baptists dont
3. If a child asked me about death I would tell them its the end of our life. Its something that all humans experience. Its like going to sleep without dreams.

Answer 5

The Holy Bible explicity forbids praying to the physically dead and to spirits.

Catholics and Orthodox seem always to be praying to Mary and dead Saints and they are usually too quick to claim that Catholics do not pray to these dead people.

If that is true, why is the prayer known as the prayer of St. Augustine, prayer of Pope, prayer of St. Patrick and Hail Mary?

The Vatican may endorse praying to dead Saints, but God hates everything about Vatican because it is straight out of the pits of hell.

When the time comes for the sheep to be separated from the goats.

Answer 6

atheist here - how is death any different for an atheist than a Christian? At one age it's "no, grandpa's not coming back" at a different age it's "grandpa died of liver failure - yes, he did drink a lot" or whatever. Obviously it all depends on the maturity of the child.

And the same thing happens after death for atheists as christians. I'm not convinced that having somebody say you go to heaven where you can all hook up later really helps. Sure, it's an easy out if it's available, but...that IS life. Hopefully you break the kid in on a goldfish or dog or something before Grandpa dies.

Answer 7

Images and Statues
Deut. 4:15 - from this verse, Protestants say that since we saw "no form" of the Lord, we should not make graven images of Him.

Deut. 4:16 - of course, in early history Israel was forbidden to make images of God because God didn't yet reveal himself visibly "in the form of any figure."

Deut. 4:17-19 - hence, had the Israelites depicted God not yet revealed, they might be tempted to worship Him in the form of a beast, bird, reptile or fish, which was a common error of the times.

Exodus 3:2-3; Dan 7:9; Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 2:3- later on, however, we see that God did reveal himself in visible form (as a dove, fire, etc).

Deut. 5:8 - God's commandment "thou shall not make a graven image" is entirely connected to the worship of false gods. God does not prohibit images to be used in worship, but He prohibits the images themselves to be worshiped.

Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31 - for example, God commands the making of the image of a golden cherubim. This heavenly image, of course, is not worshiped by the Israelites. Instead, the image disposes their minds to the supernatural and draws them to God.

Num. 21:8-9 - God also commands the making of the bronze serpent. The image of the bronze serpent is not an idol to be worshiped, but an article that lifts the mind to the supernatural.

I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67 - Solomon's temple contains statues of cherubim and images of cherubim, oxen and lions. God did not condemn these images that were used in worship.

2 Kings 18:4 - it was only when the people began to worship the statue did they incur God's wrath, and the king destroyed it. The command prohibiting the use of graven images deals exclusively with the false worship of those images.

1 Chron. 28:18-19 - David gives Solomon the plan for the altar made of refined gold with a golden cherubim images. These images were used in the Jews' most solemn place of worship.

2 Chron. 3:7-14 - the house was lined with gold with elaborate cherubim carved in wood and overlaid with gold.

Ezek. 41:15 - Ezekiel describes graven images in the temple consisting of carved likenesses of cherubim. These are similar to the images of the angels and saints in many Catholic churches.

Col. 1:15 - the only image of God that Catholics worship is Jesus Christ, who is the "image" (Greek "eikon") of the invisible God.

Answer 8

Catholics pray AT monuments/statues of saints. Not TO them. It's a point of contact - a point of recollection (in the theological sense - St.Teresa of Avila was fond of using the word "recollection" - it means to gather your thoughts toward God) if you will.

When Catholics pray at shrines, etc., they are perhaps asking that their prayers be joined with Mary, the Blessed Virgin and Theotokos, Mother of God - or a particular saint - to join with them in prayer to God. But never are saints worshiped or prayed to.

That is reserved for the Holy Trinity.

Answer 9

Catholics don't pray to monuments. They sometimes ask a saint to intercede with God on their behalf.
I don't approve of this practice myself however, it is not a compulsory practice to follow.

Answer 10

When Constantine decided to use the Church as his state religion in order to unify the people and hold onto his power, the church took on pagan religious expressions like the use of icons and statues in order to attract people at the time.