Why do people say catholics worship mary, the pope, etc?

Question

Catholics do not worship Mary, the Pope, or saints. Putting a statue of Mary in your front yard is the same as putting a gnome in your front yard. The Pope is like the president, it gives structure. Saints are just that, really awsome people in history. Even if someone prays to them, is it not just like talking to a friend? We dont worship them, God is God is God- no one else.

" imagine a king who lived in a huge castle and whose throne sat at the end of a giant hall in that castle. However, the castle is empty, he has no knights, no faithful servants living with him, no adornments of gold and riches...nothing. Just him.

Now imagine a king who lived in the same type of castle however the only difference is that he is surrounded by faithful knights and servants, and the castle is filled with gold and riches.

Who seems more glorious? The second king! Does that not glorify his majesty? Of course it does! All of it symbolizes his power and magnifies his glory!"

Answer 1

you need to read up a little on catholic/christian history.
praying to saints, the pope, etc, is NOT like talking to a friend and its NOT like putting a gnome in your front yard.
these things do give structure, but there are reasons why people pray to them.

type "Icon" or "saints" or whatever into yahoo and start reading... its a very small start.... its a fairly complicated topic.
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Answer 2

The catholic church teaches that the Pope is infailable, since many religions believe that no human is infaliable therefore considering the Pope to be so is putting him on a higher level than us, and a closer level to God. This can be translated to worship.
Within the catholic church, prayers are offered to Mary and the saints asking them to intercede on our behalf. It is not like talking to a friend because we are asking them to provide, or assist in the provision of things that only God can provide. And why do catholic churches contain so many statues, not name plaques, not pictures, but statues of Mary and the Saints? Are they necessary in a place of worship?

Please note: I am not giving an opinion here, I am not saying that I agree with the above, merely these are the reasons that people say catholics worship Mary, the Pope etc.

Answer 3

Firstly I find your first king with no gold ect actually more glorious, for that king lives a more modest life, not falling in love with the glitter of this world.

Some people see statues of Mary and assume you pray to her. They see people kissing Popes feet and bow to the Pope and see that as idol worship. Others don't understand saints, as many think all men equal, only prophets being elevated as higher. Likely its all relative to where you live, what you may think about Catholic worship.

Answer 4

It is usually fundamentalists who say this and it is from sheer ignorance, they claim everything in the scriptures as written especially for them alone and the truth is they do not consider Catholics to be Christian.
Let`s cut to the chase here and explain why there is so much animosity towards the Catholic church, firstly the Gospels make it quite clear that the church was founded on St,Peter and this Apostolic authority rests in one church only and it is the one holy catholic and apostolic church; Jesus Himself gave us the reason for persecution of this one true church when He said,`` Thou Art Cephas(The Rock) and on You Peter, I will build My church`` the next part explains the persecution; ``The gates of Hell will not prevail against it(the church)
Now this does not mean that Satan would not try to prevail and even until the end of time, and many are the ways in which he still does this, one of the first ways was to cause division in the church with heresy`s and schisms of which Protestantism is one, Jesus instituted not two or more churches but only one, He gave no authority to anyone other than Peter and the Apostles and yet hundreds of Protestant denominations have the ignorance to challenge this authority!
So now you know why these attacks happen regarding anything that is Catholic including attacks on the Mother of God Herself.

Answer 5

~The Marlboro guy~ observe that maximum are actually not answering the essential question. they're explaining WHY they have subject with it, or are announcing "i don't" - yet not WHY they think of we do, IF we don't admit it, or why we would not admit it, if we did. in my view, I see this in simple terms approximately as though they're calling us Liars. as though interior the back of their minds, there is that this thought that we are sneaky and attempting to hide our pagan ideals OR, and a few have stated this to me.. that what the Catholic Heirarchy believes and teaches is hidden from even Catholics. Anotherwards.. our clergymen, Bishops, Cardinals, and Pope are hiding the reality from the Catholic layity ourselves. it is possibly much extra insulting. Many will attempt to interrupt aside man or woman Catholics.. from their church and make the arbitrary distinction that they have faith Catholics are Christians, yet not their church or what it teaches. as though what we've faith is different then what our Church teaches (back making us ignorant infants or the Church itself some shady employer that hides the reality from its individuals. ) no count what.. the undeniable fact that some Protestants say we do.. and no Catholic says we do.. makes somebody a liar, or a minimum of fallacious. of course those that say this think of we are those fallacious.. thus the two A) we are liars and component of a few massive Catholic conspiracy to hide our ideals and sucker interior the a lot OR B) They comprehend our faith extra appropriate then we do, and are Catholic Theologians and Canon legal experts, or a minimum of very own far more suitable information of Catholicism then any man or woman Catholic in the worldwide. the top is inescapable.. it is why maximum to date i've got examine are sidestepping the question all mutually.

Answer 6

dont the words in the bible go something along the lines of 'dont GLORIFY a false idol' ? im pretty sure the pope is glorified like an egyptian pharoah.. the path to god is through the pope... is the pope decreed that he found an ancient scripture that revealed that all catholics must shave a stripe down the middle of their heads to show they are true to their faith a huge percentage of catholics would do just that, because their idol, the pope, said so.

Answer 7

I think the confusion comes when you aren't raised Catholic and therefore don't understand the doctrine. I no longer practice as I am a Buddhist but I do understand your point and I agree with it.
I think people assume many things and also many lies are spread in other churches. I wish that interfaith bashing would stop as it is hurtful. Blessings. Om Shanti.

Answer 8

If you asked a person why do you pray to idols.Their answer will be we are know that there is only one God.We believe in one God.So it does not make much difference between catholics and the idol worshippers.
All Messengers of God preachers to worship God, not anything else.Not something you create and you adore and worship it.I think it's not right and it's not the right thing to do.Pray to God directly,seek his forgivesness,his blessing,
his guidance,the true path to eternity.

Answer 9

I disagree. When you address prayers to someone, you are asking for someone to listen and do something about it. You are essentially regarding saints and Mary as though they have god-like power, to fix something on earth for you. Also, since Catholics are supposed to believe the Pope is selected by god, not just the tribunal of Catholic leaders that really do so, and that the Pope has the audience of god above what a normal person does, how do Catholics regard him only as part of a church-hierarchy structure? He lives in splendor, has massive power, and is supposed to have god's ear, so he is most certainly regarded as something more than the "president-elect" of the Catholics.

Answer 10

Ignorance from lack of understanding, The pope is just a high priest we know that, Mary is mentioned in the Quran as infallible, and i know that is what cathlics say, people just hate things they do not understand,

Answer 11

people say that catholics worship mary because they were misinformed. when we (catholics) pray to saints, it is not out of worship, but as you said, talking to a friend or someone who wants us to live holy lives as Christians. we ask them to PRAY TO GOD for us, not BE a god.

very common misconception.