Let me tell you , you don't need holy spirit to understand everything written in the bible , you need to be learned to understand the bible , you need to be a good researcher too,don't condemn doctrines when you know nothing about it .

Catholic ain't falling for the sin of idolatry, or whatever your own doctrine baptizes it to be , yes we have statues but the worship is free of your accusations .

According to the RSV Bible and Catholic Tradition, the First Commandment is:

(6)I am the LORD your God,...(7)You shall have no other gods before me. (You shall
not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; (9)you
shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, (10)but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. [Deut. 5:6-10; RSV]

yes the above bible portion ,justifies your accusations right?

But Does God forbid the making of statues?
or
does He condemn the worship of statues?

God condemned the worship of the statues which catholic tradition also condemns but bible never condemned the making of graven images .

If bible did , then what about this bible portions .!??

Exodus 25:18-21: God commands Moses to make two statues of angels (cherubim) for the top
of the Ark of the Covenant.

Later in Numbers 21:8-9: God commands Moses to make a
bronze serpent, so that the people who were bitten by snakes could look upon it and be healed.(it is true that centuries later King
Hezekiah destroyed it because the people started worshiping it 2 Kings 18:4)

remember In the Gospel, Jesus compared Himself to the bronze serpent(John 3:14).

Continuing in the Old Testament where no temple was recorded without graven images .

the inner sanctuary of the
Temple contained two large statues of angels according to 1 Kings 6:23-28.

In the following verses, Solomon also had the walls of the Temple decorated with carved images
of angels, palm trees and flowers (1 Kings 6:29ff).

During the Babylonian Captivity,
Ezekiel had a vision from God about the design of the new Temple. According to Ezekiel 41:17-25, this new Temple contained graven images of angels and palm trees.

These passages in the Bible indicate that God does not forbid the making of statues.

Now lets talk about the catholic doctrine .. (don't ask me how i know about this one , am an ex seminarian hehheeheheheh)

The Catholic Church during the Council of Trent (1545-1563) issued a clear statement concerning images and statues.

According to the 25th Session of this General Council: The images of Christ and of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the saints are to be
had and retained particularly in churches, and due honor and veneration are to be given them; not that any divinity or virtue is
believed to be in them on account of which they are to be worshipped, or that anything
is to be asked of them, or that trust is to be reposed in images, as was of old by the Gentiles, who placed their hopes in idols;
but because the honor which is shown them is referred to the prototypes which these images represent; so that we through
the images which we kiss...or bend the knee, adore Christ and venerate the saints, whom they represent. [The Canons & Decrees of the Council of Trent (TAN Books, 1978) p. 215-6]

(the best thing mommy did for me was sending me to seminary )


now i know you are tempted to object the veneration of images of the saints since you believe that honor should be directed towards God alone and not towards Mary or the saints .

There is what we call divine honor (adoration - supreme honor proper only for God) and respectful honor proper for men.

According to the Bible.. Don't forget the people of God bowed down before King David to show him honor (2 Sam. 24:20; 1 Chron. 29:20; 21:21).

Obadiah too in 1 Kings 18:7 fell prostrate before Elijah
showing him reverence for being a prophet of God.

In the Ten Commandments, we are told to honor our mother and father (Deut. 5:16).

Even Jesus defended and obeyed this Commandment (Mark 7:9-13; Luke 2:51).

At least for Mary, our honor to her is in imitation of Jesus, her Son (1 Cor. 11:1).

My church allows for the veneration of the saints and their images as long as it remains honor proper for men. It is good to honor the saints for their love and trust in God , same way you do for your pastor (Matt. 22:31-32; Heb. 11:1-12:1).

So like your church , my Church strictly condemns the
adoration (divine worship) of statues, images or even the saints, since this is idolatry and in direct violation of the First Commandment.

Written and arranged by chidera chokolate.

Happy Sunday!!
#exseminarian
#proudlycatholic
#oracle