Baal was a pagan god.18 *And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not worshipped him, kissing the hands.
People kiss other people and things for all sorts of reasons. So, it all depends on what your intention is when you do the kissing. If it is your intention by kissing a statue to offer divine worship to the statue itself, then that would be wrong, the sin of idolatry, because the statue is not God.Does 1 Kings 19:18 disprove Catholics who kiss statues? I know possessing statues is ok. But I know sometimes we as Catholics when in prayer sometimes kiss the feet of one or head or whatever. What are we to make of this passage? I know God commanded some of his prophets to make them. But I just want to know if KISSING the statue is going too far.
Thats the same thing most every ‘pagan’ religion does too though, they dont actually believe and worship the stone or marble statue…they worship what it represents.It is not going too far. We don’t “love” the statue but whom it represents.
Thats the same thing most every ‘pagan’ religion does too though, they dont actually believe and worship the stone or marble statue…they worship what it represents.
Casilda said, It is not going too far. We don’t “love” the statue but whom it represents.
How would that differ from kissing a photograph of a family member.Does 1 Kings 19:18 disprove Catholics who kiss statues? I know possessing statues is ok. But I know sometimes we as Catholics when in prayer sometimes kiss the feet of one or head or whatever. What are we to make of this passage? I know God commanded some of his prophets to make them. But I just want to know if KISSING the statue is going too far.
Thank you for your answer it was pretty helpful.I think we should listen to the words of Our Lord in Luke 7:45 –
“You gave Me no kiss; but since she came in, she has not ceased to kiss My feet.”
Likewise, Paul commands us in many places in his letters, “Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.”
People give affection to photos that they wish they could give to their long-distance or deceased loved ones. Likewise, we are permitted to greet and kiss the saints and Our Lord in spirit, by showing the affection to pictures and statues that we would show to them in person. We don’t have to do it, but we can.
Remember, we are a body and soul composite. The love in the soul is expressed outwardly through the body.Does 1 Kings 19:18 disprove Catholics who kiss statues? I know possessing statues is ok. But I know sometimes we as Catholics when in prayer sometimes kiss the feet of one or head or whatever. What are we to make of this passage? I know God commanded some of his prophets to make them. But I just want to know if KISSING the statue is going too far.
I often hold the picture of my mother and my little granddaughter close to my heart. You are right. It isn’t the picture that I love. It is who the picture represents and how much I have loved them - how much I miss them.I kiss the picture of my aunt who passed away over ten years ago. I know the photo paper behind the glass in the frame is not my aunt, but it is something that reflects what she once looked like.
I, personally do not kiss statues, but I do cross myself, kissing my thumb and then touch the statue. I do kiss icons of the saints, Mary and Jesus.
It is not going too far. We don’t “love” the statue but whom it represents.