Bowing down = worship?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rand_Al_Thor
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rand_Al_Thor

Guest
Pax vobiscum!

I’m sure everyone in here is aware of the Protestant claim that because we Catholics sometimes bow before an image or before the crucifix that we are worshipping that image or the saint depicted in it. I have just discovered a new Bible passage that we can use to show them that bowing does not = worship (new to me, at least; I hadn’t noticed it before). I’m sure many of you have seen this passage before, but just in case I thought I’d post it because I found it interesting.

Genesis 23:7
“Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit the children of Heth.”

I doubt any Protestants would be willing to accuse Abraham of idolatry.

In Christ,
Rand
 
Here are a few more:

1Kings 1:16
Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?”

1 Kings 1:23
And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground.

1 Kings 2:19
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a seat brought for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right.

Psalm 138
I bow down toward thy holy temple and give thanks to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness; for thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word.
 
Well, I know this has been said before, but if bowing before someone is “worship” then folks in countries like China, Japan, S. Korea, ect are in trouble.
 
Rand_Al_Thor said:
Pax vobiscum!

I’m sure everyone in here is aware of the Protestant claim that because we Catholics sometimes bow before an image or before the crucifix that we are worshipping that image or the saint depicted in it. I have just discovered a new Bible passage that we can use to show them that bowing does not = worship (new to me, at least; I hadn’t noticed it before). I’m sure many of you have seen this passage before, but just in case I thought I’d post it because I found it interesting.

Genesis 23:7
“Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit the children of Heth.”

I doubt any Protestants would be willing to accuse Abraham of idolatry.

In Christ,
Rand
Click to expand...
:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
 
Here’s a question. Don’t worry, I’m not accusing Catholicism of idolatry. The question is, what is idolatry? If a Philistine bowed before a statue of Dagon, seeing it as representative of the “god,” was he committing idolatry? Or is it only idolatry if the worshipper believes the image or statue itself has some sort of divine significance? Thanks!

God bless!
 
The_Iambic_Pen said:
Here’s a question. Don’t worry, I’m not accusing Catholicism of idolatry. The question is, what is idolatry? If a Philistine bowed before a statue of Dagon, seeing it as representative of the “god,” was he committing idolatry? Or is it only idolatry if the worshipper believes the image or statue itself has some sort of divine significance? Thanks!

God bless!
Click to expand...
Pax tecum!

If the Philistine bowed before a statue of Dagon, it would matter little if he believed the god was within the statue. Either way, he is still worshipping another god besides the Lord. If a Catholic or Orthodox Christian bows before an image of a saint (statue, icon, stained glass, ect.) what they are doing is showing respect for who that image represents. If they believed that the saint were some sort of divinity, then most certainly they would be comitting idolatry whether they believed that the image itself was divine or not. But if we don’t believe that the image OR what it represents is greater than God and we don’t worship it or what it represents, then it wouldn’t be idolatry.

Does that answer your question?

In Christ,
Rand
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top