What is your opinion about the expression of devotion Mariam?
The faithful know that Mary is not a statue, as you know she is not God! Do not get confused. The statue palpable consciousness gives to his mother's presence through the grace of Mary's influence at home or in the parish, as well as having a relic of a saint. Knowledge of the Blessed Virgin is more intense and changes the pattern of family and parish worship and practice. It is a sacramental presence. Because (we) are not in the statue, as the reality, but the person represented, it becomes more present to them (us). If a Protestant is present when these devotions place and does not understand, then the dialogue to obtain their attitudes and their comparison with the Catholics is what is needed without trying to hide or conceal anything, but Catholics who only expresses his love for the Blessed Virgin should not be inhibited. That's what Protestants do not get - the love that is happening. More details http://www.amen.co.nr
- Catholics and Orthodox What is your favorite saint or virgin? Of their devotion?
- What Catholics is their devotion Favorite? Saint or virgin? And Tell me your experience with that holy or Vir
- What most Protestants know that the first Protestant was a Catholic priest with a strong devotion to Mary?
- What is your opinion of Catholics call themselves Christians?
- Most Protestants do know that the first Protestant was a Catholic priest with a strong devotion to Mary?
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me …." Or any …………" Graven image
paraphrased for simplicity
In Jesus, the Pharisees out acts of justice, but had no love of God in his heart. They performed acts of worship so that others would have a favorable impression of them. For them, what mattered was what they did, not what was in their hearts.
These days, many non-Catholics will see in what Catholics are doing and assume what is in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church. For them, what Catholics are doing is more important than what may be in the hearts and minds of the Catholic Church.
My dear … you're confused. Even a layman can tell what pagan is idolatry, and even a pagan secular people can tell when something that is not worship the Christian God.
Yes, I know, people easily get confused: there is a difference b / t "worshiping the golden calf", kind of idolatry, and the statues that have or images of Jesus and / or saints to decorate a church or at home . Most intelligent people realize that a statue or image is a physical representation, or a reminder of someone. If you are praying before a statue or image, not necessarily "religious" that the statue or image, often, help you focus on objects that are trying to connect through prayer.
Another very important point: there is a difference b / t "prayer" and "cult." The only entity that receives worship in Christianity (well, that God, at least in Catholocism). However, you can "pray" or "talk to" Mary, or any of the Saints. "Prayer is communication with someone, usually someone beyond this plane of existence. The Merriam-Webster offers this site of the etymology of the word "pray":
"precarious of America, prec-Prex request, prayer, similar to Old High German fraga question, fragen ask questions prcchati Sanskrit"
Thus, it is often a request or a question, asking for something.
WORSHIP, however, is more of what people really mean when they are upset by the Catholics to "pray" to Mary, sure, you can "talk" with her, but certainly not supposed to "worship" at all! Nor ever want to "worship" it, which would be appalled by the idea of this type. Merriam-Webster's etymology of "cult":
"Middle English worship dignity, respect, reverence attention to a divine being, the old English weorthscipe dignity, respect, of weorth worthy, worth + scip-ship"
Yes, this is what one should or offered to the divine entity or God. And this "cult", at least in Catholocism, only turns to God.
And btw, I know of ZERO "statues" of God the Father, in fact, I can only remember one or two cases back to see a box with an artistic representation of God the Father (the Sistine Chapel, where the arm of God reaches to creation of Adam, and a photo I once saw trying to represent the Trinity)
So the reason many people are upset about Mary's B / C confuse "prayer" with "cult" (and yes, some people say they are "praying" to God, and may do so, but there are also WORSHIP participate when he "prays" to God). And the reason people get annoyed by statues and images they do not understand the difference b / t "pray in the presence of a statue" and "pray to a statue." It really is not anyone's fault, just confusing word choice and the limitations of language.
So long as you understand in your heart and soul that you can see a statue, while "praying" to the entity, then all is well. And as long as you understand the difference b / t "praying" to Mary or a saint, and "worship" to God, then again, all is well.
Peace.