Question: Is there 'bible worship' concerns among some protestants?

[GaryTaylor]

6-minutes of nonsense.

All the Apostolic Church’s venerate Mary and what would be new, is to find one which historically didn’t, oh, and the Faith of all rests on Jesus Christ Crucified. What’s “new” is this; its on the web so it must be true thinking.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Where does the Bible state we are to renounce satan? Where do you suppose that came from?

 

[1holymoly]

Many Protestants often accuse Catholics of worshiping the Virgin Mary.

SIZE=1]**

I am often struck by the ‘near worship’ I see in the way some protestants view the bible. I once heard it expressed this way:

• (Some) Protestants believe in Jesus because they believe the bible. Catholics believe the bible because they believe in Jesus.*

My question: Is there a concern in (evangelical) protestant circles that some are elevating the bible (almost) to the level of “worship”?

well thanks for the inquire – because i have been on both sides – of this issue–

example in the work of faith group-- there was a emphasis – for beliving the scripture or the “bible” regardless of actually “receiving a healing” that was prayed for–
so that people would confess that they were waiting for the “manifestation”

they believed in answered prayer-- but were waiting for the answer to arrive…

NOW ON YOUR OTHER HALF __or the eq2uasion-- equation

Many Protestants often accuse Catholics of worshiping the Virgin Mary.

when i have been on catholic pilgrimage, it sure seems obvious that – worship is not far from it–

on the 2 times i was in Fatima, people would crawl on their knees to demonstrate… their devotion to MARY

along a foot path-- and i ve watched them carry statutes of mary that they were adoring

and people were bowing down to it…and people make pledges and promises to Mary–

so it is not difficult to understand why any one out side the catholic system to believe

worship in in process-- kinda like a “music rock band atmosphere”

protestant"s put their faith in the written word – contained in the bible-

• catholics have an additional focus on certain allowed saints and statutes

 

[R_C]

This isn’t Bible worship, just poor use of the Bible from a Catholic perspective. You should have asked him if he worships the Bible, he would have probably said that’s nuts.

Just poor use of the Bible in general, I’d say. As for his answer, would you truly ask any serious question to someone who claims to be Christian and preaches that Christ is not God but an angel who temporarily took flesh?

 

[PRmerger]

Nowhere in Protestant worship is there a phrase “Oh Bible, save us!” or “Holy Bible, to thee do we offer honor and veneration!”

No where in Catholic worship (which is, the Mass) is there that phrase either.

 

[PRmerger]

Many Protestants often accuse Catholics of worshiping the Virgin Mary.
**
I am often struck by the ‘near worship’ I see in the way some protestants view the bible. I once heard it expressed this way:

• (Some) Protestants believe in Jesus because they believe the bible. Catholics believe the bible because they believe in Jesus.*

My question: Is there a concern in (evangelical) protestant circles that some are elevating the bible (almost) to the level of “worship”?

I often wonder why Protestants do not object to altar calls (which are not found in the Bible), which make it appear as if they are worshiping the Bible to an outsider.
http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/5f39fd94f7f69ef8f65ea8a455331776/l.jpg

They do appear to be kneeling before a Bible.

 

[PRmerger]

Where does the Bible state we are to renounce satan? Where do you suppose that came from?

Good question.

 

[Porknpie]

I don’t believe that Catholics worship Mary, but what happens to a regular ole Protestant who knows nothing about Catholicism when they see a picture of Mary dressed like a queen with beautiful flowers and decorations around her, and people kneel in front of the picture, holding beads in their hands which also helps them pray… Such can come across as idolatry to a Protestant who would do no such thing.

No Protestant believes a statue can help us pray better, or a picture, or a rosary. I love Catholicism and may be a Catholic one day but I can imagine the look on some of my friends faces when they see how highly exalted Mary is. No Protestant wants to ever focus on anyone but Jesus Christ, and I don’t think any Catholic should be able to criticize a Protestant for that.

I would assume that if any Christian would kneel down and pray facing their Bible, or pray to a painting of a Bible then any Protestant would object. Protestants are strict that it’s US----JESUS-------FATHER and nothing else. No object, no person.

And what’s lost by Protestants is that Mary always call us to her Son. Just like in the words at the wedding feast she says “listen to him and do whatever he says.”

 

[dronald]

And what’s lost by Protestants is that Mary always call us to her Son. Just like in the words at the wedding feast she says “listen to him and do whatever he says.”

Indeed. As we all should.

 

[joe371]

Hey Dronald.

dronald;10805734]I don’t believe that Catholics worship Mary, but what happens to a regular ole Protestant who knows nothing about Catholicism when they see a picture of Mary dressed like a queen with beautiful flowers and decorations around her, and people kneel in front of the picture,

Simple: they are honouring the Queen mother of the King of kings. Of course, we would have to know the context of the situation.

…holding beads in their hands which also helps them pray… Such can come across as idolatry to a Protestant who would do no such thing.

The holy Rosary is a biblical prayer that focuses on Jesus’ life via mediation.

No Protestant believes a statue can help us pray better, or a picture, or a rosary.

I love Catholicism and may be a Catholic one day but I can imagine the look on some of my friends faces when they see how highly exalted Mary is. No Protestant wants to ever focus on anyone but Jesus Christ, and I don’t think any Catholic should be able to criticize a Protestant for that. I would assume that if any Christian would kneel down and pray facing their Bible, or pray to a painting of a Bible then any Protestant would object. Protestants are strict that it’s US----JESUS-------FATHER and nothing else. No object, no person.

The bible is not a soul in heaven praying for all of us; the saints in heaven are. This analogy might help. It’s pretty cool. Originally Posted by peace2u2:

Here is an analogy to help you grasp the big picture of what a relationship with God looks like because it is certainly not what you are painting, just a me and Jesus only relationship. (keep in mind that Jesus was born into a family and so are we when we are baptized.):

Imagine that you are visiting a king and as you are being shown into his royal throne room, you notice immediately the beautiful music that is playing. As you step into the chamber, you are dazzled by the beauty of the place - gorgeous tapestries hang from the walls, there is stunning works of art adorning the walls, sumptuous carpet covers the floor. You see men and women dressed in splendid apparel and their faces shine with happiness, their countenances beautiful to behold. As you progress further into the room towards the king, you realize that the grandeur of the room grows accordingly. Finally, you reach the foot of the throne, and you gaze upon the king himself. He is magnificent, far more glorious than anything or anyone in the room. You are overwhelmed by the regal beauty of his clothing, his crown, his scepter, his throne. But, the king himself is the center, the focal point of all the glory that surrounds him. You can see that this king lavishes his wealth and love for beauty on everything and everyone around him.

Now, imagine that you are entering the throne room of a different king. The first thing that you notice is the absence of sound. There is no music. There are no exquisite tapestries to catch your eye, no works of art and no jewel-studded carpet. In fact, there are no people here. There is literally nothing in the room that could distract your attention from the king, who sits in magnificent glory on his throne, at the far end of the room. This room is bare of decorations and empty of people because this king is jealous of his glory. He doesn’t want you to become distracted by anything else - he wants you to see only himself.

So, which king is more glorious? Obviously, the first king. These 2 kings represent the two very different ways that Catholics and some Protestants understand God’s attitude toward his creatures. God desires to share His glory with His creatures. God desires that we help each other and unite as a family and to stop having family squabbles over the little things.

 

[dronald]

Simple: they are honouring the Queen mother of the King of kings. Of course, we would have to know the context of the situation.

Certainly we would have to know the context, I agree. For example, if I walk into a Catholic Church and I see the veneration of Mary going on I know as someone who loves Catholicism that they are not worshiping Mary. It just most certainly appears this way to someone who doesn’t know Catholicism. I can imagine some of my friends would immediately want to point those people to focus more on Jesus and focus less on Mary. That’s just the Protestant mindset.

The holy Rosary is a biblical prayer that focuses on Jesus’ life via mediation.

Yes, and I love that your focus is on Christ. I suppose if it helps, it helps; it just isn’t for me.

Here is an analogy to help you grasp the big picture of what a relationship with God looks like because it is certainly not what you are painting, just a me and Jesus only relationship. (keep in mind that Jesus was born into a family and so are we when we are baptized.):

Imagine that you are visiting a king and as you are being shown into his royal throne room, you notice immediately the beautiful music that is playing. As you step into the chamber, you are dazzled by the beauty of the place - gorgeous tapestries hang from the walls, there is stunning works of art adorning the walls, sumptuous carpet covers the floor. You see men and women dressed in splendid apparel and their faces shine with happiness, their countenances beautiful to behold. As you progress further into the room towards the king, you realize that the grandeur of the room grows accordingly. Finally, you reach the foot of the throne, and you gaze upon the king himself. He is magnificent, far more glorious than anything or anyone in the room. You are overwhelmed by the regal beauty of his clothing, his crown, his scepter, his throne. But, the king himself is the center, the focal point of all the glory that surrounds him. You can see that this king lavishes his wealth and love for beauty on everything and everyone around him.

Now, imagine that you are entering the throne room of a different king. The first thing that you notice is the absence of sound. There is no music. There are no exquisite tapestries to catch your eye, no works of art and no jewel-studded carpet. In fact, there are no people here. There is literally nothing in the room that could distract your attention from the king, who sits in magnificent glory on his throne, at the far end of the room. This room is bare of decorations and empty of people because this king is jealous of his glory. He doesn’t want you to become distracted by anything else - he wants you to see only himself.

So, which king is more glorious? Obviously, the first king. These 2 kings represent the two very different ways that Catholics and some Protestants understand God’s attitude toward his creatures. God desires to share His glory with His creatures. God desires that we help each other and unite as a family and to stop having family squabbles over the little things.

This is an admirable point and I was discussing this with a couple of friends today actually. We were discussing how God can have many different types of Churches. In our Church we listen to uplifting contemporary Christian music with drums and everything. We lift our hands high and focus completely on God, it’s quite beautiful. But we also talked about how at some Churches the attendants stand in their pews, hold a book of songs and sing in harmony to an older style of music. If someone from that Church walked into mine it may not be right for them, and if I walked into theirs it wouldn’t be right for me.

As long as we’re glorifying God and our hearts are set on Him, then we can’t lose.

 

[Tobias65]

Originally Posted by peace2u2:
Here is an analogy to help you grasp the big picture of what a relationship with God looks like because it is certainly not what you are painting, just a me and Jesus only relationship. (keep in mind that Jesus was born into a family and so are we when we are baptized.):

Imagine that you are visiting a king and as you are being shown into his royal throne room, you notice immediately the beautiful music that is playing. As you step into the chamber, you are dazzled by the beauty of the place - gorgeous tapestries hang from the walls, there is stunning works of art adorning the walls, sumptuous carpet covers the floor. You see men and women dressed in splendid apparel and their faces shine with happiness, their countenances beautiful to behold. As you progress further into the room towards the king, you realize that the grandeur of the room grows accordingly. Finally, you reach the foot of the throne, and you gaze upon the king himself. He is magnificent, far more glorious than anything or anyone in the room. You are overwhelmed by the regal beauty of his clothing, his crown, his scepter, his throne. But, the king himself is the center, the focal point of all the glory that surrounds him. You can see that this king lavishes his wealth and love for beauty on everything and everyone around him.

Now, imagine that you are entering the throne room of a different king. The first thing that you notice is the absence of sound. There is no music. There are no exquisite tapestries to catch your eye, no works of art and no jewel-studded carpet. In fact, there are no people here. There is literally nothing in the room that could distract your attention from the king, who sits in magnificent glory on his throne, at the far end of the room. This room is bare of decorations and empty of people because this king is jealous of his glory. He doesn’t want you to become distracted by anything else - he wants you to see only himself.

So, which king is more glorious? Obviously, the first king. These 2 kings represent the two very different ways that Catholics and some Protestants understand God’s attitude toward his creatures. God desires to share His glory with His creatures. God desires that we help each other and unite as a family and to stop having family squabbles over the little things.

I like it!

As a protestant I’ve always had difficulties with the message of Jesus, when he would say; “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” When we think of God as completely sufficient in and of Himself, we forget that according to the scriptures He chooses to use a multitude of others in how He deals with us.

 

[joe371]

dronald;10810200]Certainly we would have to know the context, I agree. For example, if I walk into a Catholic Church and I see the veneration of Mary going on I know as someone who loves Catholicism that they are not worshiping Mary. It just most certainly appears this way to someone who doesn’t know Catholicism. I can imagine some of my friends would immediately want to point those people to focus more on Jesus and focus less on Mary. That’s just the Protestant mindset.

Or, one could simply find out what the CC teaches about Marian worship. The answer would be simple: Absolutely NO Marian worship would be tolerated, for worship is for God, and God alone. It would actually be an act of heresy to the CC, to worship the creature (Mary) along with the creator. Want the truth go to the source, is my motto: Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Yes, and I love that your focus is on Christ. I suppose if it helps, it helps; it just isn’t for me.

It’s not for a lot of practising Catholics either.

This is an admirable point and I was discussing this with a couple of friends today actually. We were discussing how God can have many different types of Churches. In our Church we listen to uplifting contemporary Christian music with drums and everything. We lift our hands high and focus completely on God, it’s quite beautiful. But we also talked about how at some Churches the attendants stand in their pews, hold a book of songs and sing in harmony to an older style of music. If someone from that Church walked into mine it may not be right for them, and if I walked into theirs it wouldn’t be right for me.

That’s cool, but I am not sure what that has to do with the analogy? The analogy was about the two ways catholics and some protestants view heaven, and it is strikingly different. Which King would you prefer?

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

I love that they love the bible, but I will say I’ve had the same thoughts, that its almost near worship. That is the bible and the bible only and nothing else matters, as if the bible was a catechism class intended for everyone to read and believe, which was never the intent of the bible.

 

[po18guy]

I often wonder why Protestants do not object to altar calls (which are not found in the Bible), which make it appear as if they are worshiping the Bible to an outsider.
http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/5f39fd94f7f69ef8f65ea8a455331776/l.jpg

They do appear to be kneeling before a Bible.

Or worse, the pastor. I have heard converts say that the altar call was a substitute for the Sacrament of Penance. Same is true with the bible subbing for the Eucharist as the presence of Christ.

 

[EIF5A]

No where in Catholic worship (which is, the Mass) is there that phrase either.

I wasn’t suggesting that Catholics do…I was drawing a comparison to the Holy Theotokos/Blessed Virgin Mary “saving” people. It’s often misconstrued.

 

[EIF5A]

I often wonder why Protestants do not object to altar calls (which are not found in the Bible), which make it appear as if they are worshiping the Bible to an outsider.
http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/5f39fd94f7f69ef8f65ea8a455331776/l.jpg

They do appear to be kneeling before a Bible.

Because the intent of the heart is kneeling before God in a house of worship.

The heart is always to God. The fact that there is a Bible (or a pastor) in the vicinity does not diminish the intent.

 

[EIF5A]

And what’s lost by Protestants is that Mary always call us to her Son. Just like in the words at the wedding feast she says “listen to him and do whatever he says.”

When the words of the veneration of the Virgin Mary are taken literally and not as an emotional, poetic expression of veneration, it might appear that the Virgin Mary is literally being worshipped.

 

[EIF5A]

I love that they love the bible, but I will say I’ve had the same thoughts, that its almost near worship. That is the bible and the bible only and nothing else matters, as if the bible was a catechism class intended for everyone to read and believe, which was never the intent of the bible.

So what’s the intent if the bible?

Does it not contain written testimony of Christ and His teachings?

 

[sennincatholic]

When the words of the veneration of the Virgin Mary are taken literally and not as an emotional, poetic expression of veneration, it might appear that the Virgin Mary is literally being worshipped.

please provide a source for your claim that literal veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary could be confused with worship…Write down the words… :yukonjoe: