Frustrating topic--Praying to the Saints

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I have several acquaintances who are baptist. They say Catholics idolize false gods becaus we have saints. We pray to them. I become so frustrated trying to explain. I don’t pray to saint. I pray to my Heavenly Father. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
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I doubt if they’ll be inclined to listen much. Our local Baptist pastor is venomous in is speech about Catholics.
 
Do they ever “talk” with dead relatives? Ask their deceased parents for guidance, tell their deceased children how much they’re still loved, tell a deceased aunt they know she’d understand how they’re feeling and ask for help? If so, they should be very comfortable asking saints for intercession.
 
Never try to argue with someone who tries to tell you what you REALLY believe even after giving your explanation. If they are keeping at it despite giving your explanation, they basically think you are either dishonest or deluding yourself.
 
Definitely think I’m deluding myself. I don’t question their faith. I resent them doubting mine. I told them to stop passing judgement or forming an opinion until they have studied catholism. That got them real quiet. Someone ask me if I had a book they could read!
 
That was a good response. They are never going to hear the truth from their Baptist pastor since he/she undoubtedly doesn’t know the truth either.
 
Ive been wondering lately if those who were at one time close to Billy Graham just no longer talk to him since his recent passing…

Peace!!!
 
Ask them if thy ever ask family or friends to pray for them when they have need. Then say that is what Catholics do. We pray to saints that pray for us or intercede for us to God. Saints are like our friends or family.
 
Tell them that Christians had been asking for the intercession of saints for 1500 years after Christ, until Luther came along and formed his own group. Since Baptists have been around only since the 17th century, chances are that they are wrong, historically speaking.
 
How would deceased parents offer guidance? I am not aware they have any power in the temporal world.
 
Irishmom2 said:
Ask them if thy ever ask family or friends to pray for them when they have need. Then say that is what Catholics do. We pray to saints that pray for us or intercede for us to God. Saints are like our friends or family.
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Better yet, ask them whether they’d be willing to pray for you in this matter. When they agree, ask them whether it’s OK for one Christian to pray to God for another Christian. When they say ‘yes’, point out to them that this is all that Catholics do, vis-a-vis saints.
 
If you believe a parent has attained heaven, why wouldn’t he or she be able to offer guidance?
 
You did the right thing to pray for them. Just remember that we are often rejected and misunderstood. Do not fight with them but deal with them gently with saying the truth. They may not listen, they may not believe, but never give up in saying the truth. If by saying it, they know you or rather remember you for what you say, then that is good enough.
 
You might tell them, and show them in the Catechism, where idolatry is a serious sin.
 
Some comments that may help in speaking with those coming from a Baptist perspective… In my mind it is a tad less than accurate to say we “pray” to saints. We are asking them to pray to God for us. I feel strongly that praying to saints should never supplant our praying directly to God. The Bible says the body of Christ is one, undivided. The church interprets this to mean that unity between us here and them in heaven is preserved; that they do hear us ask them to pray for us. And I think the church does not require us to “pray” to saints either; and of course, the mass is like one 45 minute long prayer prayed directly to God.
 
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The very large Baptist Church in my small area are rabid anti Catholics, full of misinformed ideas and they won’t listen to correction even if you explain yourself, so I feel your pain. This church is a part of the southern baptist convention. I’m not saying all southern baptists are this way but the ones highly involved in this particular church are this way. I have explained that Christ’s Church is ONE church that includes the people on earth as well as those who have passed, and we are simply asking them to pray for us because they are closer to God. It really doesn’t have an affect on them though, because they believe the dead are all “asleep” until one final judgement day. They do think that the living and the dead are cut off from each other, even though during the transfiguration in the Bible, the OT prophets were shown to be alive. 🤷‍♀️
 
I don’t believe they can communicate with living persons. Or does the Church teach that they can?
 
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