Church Militant:
Exodus 20:2 3 Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:
Since there is no Catholic that makes an image to worship it this whole discussion becomes moot based on the principles of interpretation of scripture that you yourself have stated.
The intercession of saints has been an expressed belief among Christians since the beginning. Why else would the graves of the earliest martyrs have prayers written on them asking the faithful departed to remember them in prayer?
“*Thou shalt not have strange gods *
before ** me.”
Gee, that is pretty clear to me. I would interpret that to mean: (1) not to kneel before images, statutes, **nor the likeness ** of anything that is heaven above (other than representations of God).
“
Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth.”
You write that since there is no Catholic that makes an image to worship then my argument is moot? How does this alleged point address the other Commandment not to kneel before images?
“*Thou shalt not **adore ** them . . * .” Praying to an image of Mary is adoration. Moreover, some people have gold medallions of Mary that they hold on a chain as they pray. my father did. But somehow you want to argue that praying is not adoration.
You wrote:
The intercession of saints has been an expressed belief among Christians since the beginning. Why else would the graves of the earliest martyrs have prayers written on them asking the faithful departed to remember them in prayer?
Just because people at one time wrote prayers on the graves of martyrs, does not mean that it was not done under a mistaken belief or interpretation of the Bible.
Finally, some of you have questioned whether I am a Catholic, as stated in my profile. As I examine my belief I come up with more questions than answers. All I do know is that when I read the parables of Jesus and examine his conduct I am in awe. He is not judgmental, violent (turn the other cheek), arrogant and intolerant (associated with prostitutes and tax collectors), or materialistic (eye of the needle and the camel). His message is exemplary and I seek to know it better and follow it.
I believe that somewhere in the Old Testament, there is mention of the Saviour (Jesus) to come and the advent of Jesus is the fulfilment of that prophecy. As to the intercession of saints and praying to them, I do not see Jesus speak of this. The only way I can reconcile the Old Testament with the New is as follows: In the Old Testament, God made a covenant (contract) with the Jews. So those laws apply to them. In the New Testament, Jesus, an emmissary of God, made a new covenant (contract) with all people. Follow his way and you will be saved. We have a new deal (so to speak) and it is in the New Testament.
I know this doesnt fly with any of you, and I also know that about 300 hundred yrs ago you would have burned me at the stake, but anyway, thats all i know right now and guess what? Thats all i have to say.
