I'm Pretty Freaked Out

[BeenaBobba]

Hi Mulls,

A lot of people have commented, but I'll add my two cents as well.

Do you treat your Bible respectfully? Would you ever throw it on the ground or burn it? I'm assuming you wouldn't. But Bibles are just made out of paper, leather, and ink. Does that mean by treating a Bible respectfully that you are worshipping it as a graven image? After all, Bibles are inanimate objects and are 3D much like statues are. Like we Catholics are with our statues, more than likely you respect your Bible because of what it stands for. It's not the paper, ink, and leather that you respect; it's the words within. With statues, it's not the marble, or plastic, that Catholics respect. We don't pray to a statue in that we don't pray to a piece of marble or plastic. They're just visual reminders of holy people. When we kneel in front of them, that does not mean we're worshipping them. Kneeling is a human position of supplication. It conveys that we're asking for something humbly. When Catholics kneel in front of a statue, therefore, we're not asking the statue itself for anything, nor are we worshipping the statue or Mary or the saint portrayed. What we're doing is asking Mary or a saint to pray for us to God.

God bless,

Jen

[Joseph]

[quote name='morostheos' date='Apr 15 2004, 05:22 PM'] I know lots of protestants with pictures of Jesus, angels, etc. in their houses. Almost all Christians use crosses. If there is a large cross at the front of a protestant church, does that mean all of them are committing idolatry? They are standing in front of it and praying, and singing facing it. How is the cross any different than statues? I don't see any difference, except one has more details to help us visualize better.

[/quote]
I agree. Before I became Catholic, I never really thought too much about the image/statue issue. What is the difference between a Protestant placing a Nativity scene with little statues of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in their home or putting up angel pictures or statues and a Catholic placing a statue of Mary, St. Francis, or St. Michael? There is none.
As for praying before a statue, crucifix, cross, etc.......I have never prayed in front of a statue myself, but I believe there is no harm in it given that your presence before the statue of the saint helps you to focus more on acheiving holiness........now if you were adoring that statue like an idol, that would be a big problem. I don't see Protestants worshipping a cross, nor do I see Catholics worshipping a statue.

[willguy]

Another thought,

If it is wrong to pray in front of images or statues, then any Protestant who went to the Passion and prayed during it was not praying to God but to the movie screen.

[Dave]

[quote name='willguy' date='Apr 16 2004, 11:04 AM'] Another thought,

If it is wrong to pray in front of images or statues, then any Protestant who went to the Passion and prayed during it was not praying to God but to the movie screen. [/quote]

[Paladin D]

Remember guys, try to remain calm and charitible. Not pointing any fingers, but just reminding everyone.