I found this answer: "Catholics pray to saints and God. Praying to people is sin however."?

Question

The question is, isn't saints are people too?

Answer 1

There is no permission given in either the Tanakh ("old testament") or the Ketuvei HaShalichim ("NT") which allows or even describes someone praying to anyone or anything other than God himself. Even Yeshua of Natzareth said:

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Praying to anyone or anything else is idolatry - no dead person has any power or authority whatsoever to hear or respond to prayers.

Psa 143:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

Notice it doesn't say "Hear, aunt betty," or "Hear, saint Theresa."

(Not to mention Psa 146:3-4: Put not your trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. )

Answer 2

Jesus Christ is our Advocate, our High Priest, our Intercessor. The great High Priest has made the only sacrifice that will be of any value. "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ." 1 Timothy 2:5.

The incense that is offered by men, the masses that are said for the deliverance of souls, from purgatory, are not of the least avail with God. All the altars and sacrifices, the traditions and inventions whereby men hope to earn salvation are fallacies. No sacrifices are to be offered without; for the great High Priest is performing His work in the sanctuary above. No prince or monarch or pope dare venture within the holy enclosure.

In His intercession as our Advocate Christ needs no man's virtue, no man's intercession. Christ is the only sin bearer, the only sin-offering. Prayer and confession are to be offered only to Him who has entered once for all into the holy places.

The so-called intercession of the "saints" is the greatest falsehood that can be invented. Priests and rulers have no right to interpose between Christ and the souls for whom He has died, as though invested with the Saviour's attributes. They themselves are sinners. They are only human. One day they will see that their deceptive doctrines have led to crimes of every stripe and type. They are responsible for many terrible wrongs which men have perpetrated upon their fellow men. For all this the Judge of the whole earth will call them to account at His bar!

Answer 3

Prayer to the saints is commnication not worship.

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, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

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.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Catholics pray to God.


Catholics ask the Saints to pray to God with them.

One lottery ticket can be a winner, but why not increase your chances?

Answer 5

for militant....we believe that those in heaven are more alive than we are.

Also- to PRAY means 'to ask' it does NOT mean 'to worship!'

Catholic prayer is directed to the Lord- and we also ask the saints to offer their prayers on our behalf. It is no different than if I asked you to pray for a particular need.

Answer 6

We Catholics pray to G-d. Our prayers to the saints are for their intercession with G-d, not in subjugation. Only G-d is worshiped with prayer of worship/praise. The saints, as holy persons presumed to be nearer to G-d aftr their demise, we ask for their help in having G-d hear our petitions. It is a comforting thing, not idol-worship.

Answer 7

We can ask people on earth to pray to God, but Heaven is God's throne, and to pray to anyone else is unBiblical and prone to idolatry. No where at any time does Scripture direct anyone of earth to pray to anyone on Heaven but the Lord, who "ONLY is my rock and my salvation" (Ps. 62:2). . Earthly dependencies do not translate into making departed saints nor angels objects of earthly prayer, as God alone is worthy of such. When the Bible deals with the issue of an intercessor btwn God and man, it plainly declares there is only one (1Tim. 2:5), and reveals only that souls called directly upon Him (Acts 7:59; 1Cor. 1:2). When it directs us to come to the throne of grace, it is Jesus that is reigning there, and it is not Mary or saints, but He that "ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25)!

In addition, why would we need another heavenly intercessor between the Lord and man? Jesus alone is the One in Heaven whom Scripture says is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, as He alone (not Mary, etc.) was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin", and thus can both uniquely identify with our trials and struggles, and enable us to overcome them. The Holy Spirit therefore us directs us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:14-16).

Since the Scriptures do not warrant prayers to Mary, the overall impetus for souls to pray to Mary flows much out of human pathos (or demonic influence), not Scriptural ethos. The idea that Rome often conveys is that Mary is the more compassionate intercessor, sometimes even holding back the wrath of her Son, and that mother will always hear you. Such a notion is blasphemous, and is directly contrary to what the Scripture expressly declares, namely, that Jesus alone is our great high priest. And no where is there any Heavenly intercessor between man and Jesus, except the Spirit of Christ. And to blaspheme Him is unforgivable.

There simply is no one else so qualified as our all sufficient Lord and Savior, and to pray to any other supposed intercessor (saints or angels) in Heaven (which again, Scripture knows nothing of), is both vain and a supreme insult to the Only One who earned that position, and has that power.

And those who do so (as well as trust in the traditions of men) will find Him not as their Savior but as their reproving Judge.

Ye this is only part of the errors of Rome, in which her souls mostly trust in her self proclaimed powers and their own merits to gain them eternal life - to their eternal horror - rather than crying out as lost sinners, and casting all their faith upon the risen Lord Jesus and His sinless shed blood for salvation, and a new life following Him. May all do so now!

Answer 8

Okay, let's presume you're a "Bible-only" type. Where, in the Bible does it say that praying = worship? Where, in the Bible, does it prohibit praying to people, given that prayer is merely making a request.

Answer 9

Saints are dead people. As long as they are dead and are "for sure" saints (meaning that the church believes they are in heaven), you can pray to them all you want.

Answer 10

You have just figured out why praying to saints is wrong.

I'm a people and I'm a Saint.

You'd better NOT pray to me.

You can call me on the phone and ask me to pray for you. Or you can send me an E-mail and ask.

If the saint you are thinking about praying to or asking that saint to pray for you, doesn't have a phone number or an E-mail address, let me suggest that they cannot hear your request.

Saint Arthur