The bible says not to worship false idols, &'there is no god but me' so why do catholics pray to the virgin?

Question

wow! I didn't mean to belittle anyone's beliefs or faith, it was an honest question without prejudice.
I am a little upset that I have been called shallow, it worries me that we are not even to question our beliefs?

I think I understand the Catholic point of view, in asking the virgin to pray on our behalf... let me extend the question slightly then:
If you can ask god directly, then why go through a proxy? wouldn't it be more respectful to ask directly? or is it more of a hierarchichal thing: you ask your boss (the virgin) and she asks her boss (God)?

Please understand that this question is in no way flippant or sarcastic, just honest.

Answer 1

Before Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven there were no saints in heaven. Therefore there are no Old Testament writings that would mention them.

Very few of the new Christians died before most of the New Testament was written. Therefore there is little in the Bible about asking saints to pray for us.

However the last book of the Bible does talk about the saints in heaven praying.

Revelation 5:8: Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.

Revelation 8:3-4: He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.

The Holy Spirit guided the early Church in many things not explained in the Bible including how does the Body of Christ (believers) living on Earth relate to the Body of Christ (saints) living in heaven. We are still one Body.

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 2

That was one of the acts of the Roman Catholic church that brought about the Reformation. Protestants DO consider praying to Mary to be idol worship. I'm a Protestant, not a Catholic, so perhaps a Catholic can shed more light from their point of view. But my understanding is that they pray to her so she can put in a good word with her Son, since it would be hard to pray to Him since He's God. And she knows what it's like being human. Even besides the idolatry aspect, Protestants state this is unnecessary because Jesus is the one Mediator we need between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5).

Answer 3

Exactly, Leigh!

Worshiping idols is something destestable to Jehovah God!
“Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”—1 JOHN 5:21.

[God] is no idol of metal, wood, or stone. He cannot be housed in an earthly temple. Since he is the almighty Spirit, invisible to humans, it is impossible to make an image of him. Hence, the pure worship of Jehovah must be totally free of idolatry.—Exodus 33:20; Acts 17:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17.

Why is Jehovah opposed to all idolatry? Principally because he exacts exclusive devotion, as shown in the second of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, he said through his prophet Isaiah: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8) At one time, idolatry ensnared the Israelites to such an extent that “they would sacrifice their sons and their daughters to demons.” (Psalm 106:36, 37) Idolaters not only deny that Jehovah is the true God but also serve the interests of his chief Adversary, Satan, together with the demons.

Surely we don't want any part in satisfying and worshiping Satan the Devil! How much better it is to flee from idolatry and bring praise to the Sovereign Lord of the Universe, Jehovah God!

Answer 4

I wouldn't say the Virgin Mary is an idol by no means. Mary was human just like we are so to speak, so why are you praying to the Mother of Jesus, she holds no special powers, she can't answer you, repenting to her means nothing, according to the word of God.

And yes there is only one God, we are to pray to our Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ, and no else.

My understanding the Catholics believe if you are good and help those in need you will go to Heaven. You can not work your way into Heaven but, only through repentance's, God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son and The Holy Spirit.

Answer 5

Prayer does not denote worship. Prayer is simply a method of spiritual communication. I will never EVER give Mary and worship. Ever. I worship One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

However, I can still give great respect to Mary for who she was in God's plan of salvation and ask her to pray to God for me just as you might ask me to pray for you.

Answer 6

Not one Catholic i know (i know many)read the Bible or know anything about whats in it except for what the priest interprets for them;they leave their minds outside the church door and this is a gross insult to God and his gift to us of intellect.
p.s. don't let them say they don't pray to her-("holy Mary mother of God,pray for us sinners"...)-whats that if its not an invocation to someone other than Jesus?

Answer 7

prayer and worship are 2 different things, since you have difficulty with the two do some more study, hey maybe catholic sources will help you understand catholic teachings. here are some

http://www.catholiceducation.org/
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/
http://www.fisheaters.com/
http://www.salvationhistory.com/
http://www.newadvent.org/

use catholic sources to learn about catholicism, other sources have agendas and a lack of knowledge regarding catholicism.

Answer 8

Hi Leigh,

Great question. I had the same one for a long time.

What you said about "there is no god but me" echoes a familiar passage in Scripture in the book of Exodus 20:3 -

"You shall have no other gods before me."

This would include people as well, including the virgin Mary. I'm sure she was a godly woman, but followers of Christ are not to bow down to any woman or man, or even angels, but God alone.

When John was on the isle of Patmos and was in vision writing down the "Revelation" an angel who appeared before him was so dazzling, that John wanted to worship him. But notice what the angel said in Rev 19:10 -

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Angels are not even to be worshipped by mankind!

The Bible is crystal clear who we are to worship and by whom we are to be ultimately saved, found in Acts 4:12 -

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

The preceding verses indicate Peter was referring to that "name" which is the chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ the Righteous...and not the virgin Mary.

Incidentally, the idea of praying to the "virgin mary" is an unusual and very dangerous thing to do. I don't mean any disrespect to my RC friends, but, the Scriptures state in the book of Ecclesiates 9:5 -

"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."

And in Psalm 115:17 -

"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence."

It is confirmed in the Bible that when Christ was resurrected, many of the bodies of the saints which slept arose and went into the city and appeared to many (Matt 27:53).

Then, when Christ left His disciples and went to Heaven, he led "captivity captive." Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8

Yet, it could not have been his mother, Mary, who was taken to Heaven at His ascension because she was still alive, and not dead, when Christ departed.

Therefore, Mary is still asleep in the grave and knows nothing. She awaits one of the two resurrections (more than likely the first one) like many of those who have fell "asleep" at the time of death. Tragically, many who think they are "praying" to Mary do not realize that she is not in Heaven, yet.

The only safe thing to do is to pray to and worship the only One who has given us direct access to our Heavenly Father, the man Jesus Christ (Heb 8:1; 7:25) -

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them."

Answer 9

Why do they pray to Jesus? All the saints are dead and cannot answer prayers. Only GOD has power in the world, no others. Not even Christ.

Answer 10

because they're wrong on that point, as well as praying to saints, their statues and the whole idea of holy communion being the body and blood of christ. all these are idolatry.