Natwerk Designs - Is this idolatry in the Catholic faith?

Is this idolatry in the Catholic faith?

Well, excuse me if I'm attacking. Don't get me wrong, I love the catholic faith and although I'm not christian I faithfully go to church every friday. But I noticed that people bow before the crucifix the icon on Mary and many other saints. Isn't this considered idolatry? Even one of the commandments states, "You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." Also another one states "You shall not bow down to them or worship them." Catholics in India have always persecuted Hindus for bowing down before idols but aren't Catholics doing the same thing? Is that the crucifix and icons are designed to represent Catholic figures so it doesn't make it idolatry? I'm just wondering and I'm sorry if I hurt anyone's sentiments. Could someone please shed light on the topic?

Public Comments

Here we go again........ Growing Persecution of Christians in India http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=27994
I'm a Catholic. Don't worry. We aren't worshiping Mary, we are simply asking her to pray for us. Compare it to having a picture of your deceased grandmother on your wall, and asking for her prayers. That isn't idolatry, is it?
They worsip idols, yet say they do not...
It stands as a reminder.
They make a distinction between "honoring" or "asking for intercession" and "worshiping". However, they are not very clear what the differences are and they don't make much of an effort to explain the differences to their members.
Hi, yes veneration on Mary and the statues of the Saints being prayed to, and and asked to for intercession in considered as Idolitry since God is the only one we are to pray to in or thru Jesus name. Here are several links i believe will help you Chris
The also kiss these icons. Representations, pictures and icons are beautiful reminders of our Saviours sacrifice, but when they start bowing down to them, and kissing them, they become "idols." That is when they are going too far. Catholics and Orthodox also carry small icons and such around with them as "good luck charms". They carry them in their pockets and hang them on their rear view mirrors and on their baby's cribs etc. This is blatant idolatry.
from what you said, it sounds pretty clear. it doesn't say: don't make an idol and bow to it, unless you're doing it this particular way. anyone looking from the outside would have a hard time distinguishing idol worship in a catholic church, and among hindus. i'd say yes
If someone gets down on their knees and prays beside their bed, are they worshiping the bed? If you join in prayer with the priest at Mass, are you worshiping the priest? When I kneel before a Crucifix, I am remembering and honoring Christ's death on the Cross for the forgiveness of my sins. Not the metal and wood figure -- the risen and holy Lord Jesus Christ. The Crucifix didn't save me. . .Christ did. When I stop and have a little chat with the Blessed Virgin in front of her icon, I'm asking her for her intercession, not bowing down to the image itself. That statue can't pray for me, but she can. I don't expect a lot of people to understand the difference: they've already made up their minds that we Catholics are guilty of all sorts of terrible things, and there's no point in confusing them with facts. But I *am* going on record right here and right now to say that my fellow Catholics and I know the difference between a representation of someone and the person themselves. So if those who continue to say that we worship idols after hearing the truth from a Catholic herself, then they are guilty of lying and slandering their Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. Those are pretty serious sins in God's sight, too, so put down the stone. You have no right to cast it at anyone else.
When the Jews received the commandments from Moses, they had seen Egyptians worship idols as gods, and some did this themselves. The commandment in Deuteronomy 5:6-10 'I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishments for their fathers' wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation but bestowing mercy, down to the thousandth generation, on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. Going with your example, if I bow toward the cross or crucifix and think toward God above, thank for your son's sacrifice for my sins, have mercy on me Jesus, I certainly am not worshiping a piece of wood? Do I worship the cross as God since I bow in the direction of the cross, or do I offer a prayer to the God above in heaven? Here is an example from a meeting I attended last night. One of the characters there said it was against his religion to get a cup of coffee and a donut from the table because he would have to bow to the picture on the wall of Jesus, to pick it up. This doesn't make any sense, does it? Here is a link to an article that describes how Calvin and reformers decided to go with the Exodus 20 ten commandments list rather than the Deuteronomy 5 list that Luther had used. "In Deuteronomy 5:7, the Hebrew construction is such that the wording is only the first part of what follows in the commandment, that no idol representing the deity be carved nor placed before the Lord God nor any such carved image be worshiped. In fact, we read verses 6–10 continuously, as one unit, before coming up for air." http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0403fea3.asp
If a Catholic bows before a crucifix it what the crucifix represents that is being worshiped, not the crucifix itself.
For almost four hundred years the King James Bible has been the standard for English speaking Protestants, what most people realize is that this Bible has a long history of "graven image". the very fist edition of the KJV known as the Great "HE" Bible printed by Robert Barker had many illustrations called woodcuts. the images were created by taking a wooden block [ later copper and steel plates were used ], and carving a pictorial or design in to it's surface. This image was used as a sort of stamp, ink was applied to its carved surface and it was pressed against the parchment of paper. Some of the 1611's woodcuts are remarkable for there quality. Some, are are remarkable for other reasons, not so nice reasons, such as Nudity. Printed in London by John Baskett and by the affigns of Thomas Newcomb and Henry Hills, deceas'd 1716. It is loaded with about 174 copper engraved plates that depict numerous scenes in the Bible, also a series of the Kings of the Old Testament and Apostles of the New Testament. By the late twentieth century early twenty-first century the Protestant organizations even went so far as to establish competitions and awards for the publishers with finest graven images in there Bibles.
Wow, If bowing represents worship I guess Japan is really in a bind. Your question is one that has been asked repeatedly, week after week, day after day. It's been answered thousands of times. If you had a complete Bible; Including the Books of the Maccabees, ...there is a wonderful story which sheds light on what a graven image consist of. If your Bible is inadequate; Look it up. Throughout Christian History images, statues/memorials, Icons have played a valuable role...As a visual and Spiritual reminder. Archeology of such relics are considered invaluable to Christianity. Without a doubt, Proof the Early Christians left behind. A Story for Future Christians etched in time and Never to be misinterpreted. A Visual representation to honor Christ.
No, it's not. If your church put up a picture of Billy Graham, would it be idolatry? Would they claim that picture to be God? You sound rather resentful.