Use of a rosary in prayers -- idolatry?

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Rosary prayers are personally my most favourite as it helps me to focus and meditate more. Recently, while discussing about various prayers and devotions with my neighbor, I asked her why she ( as a Protestant) doesn’t use a rosary. I’m aware that Protestants do not use any images or statues/figures for or during prayers citing idolatry. But I thought, surely, a rosary is not one. We didn’t just pick up a rosary on our own, did we? If my memory serves me right, it was after the Holy Mother appeared in the dreams of a person working in a church ( I forgot the name, and that this very person was illiterate or something like that) and gives him a rosary to pray, and after the approval from the church – that the tradition of the rosary prayers were initiated.

However, the neighbor pointed out to Exodus 20:4 that preaches and warns us against idolatry – any object (be it just an image carved out to the likeness of God, like the rosary itself) – in defense of her argument.

I didn’t have a counterproductive answer. How would I justify our action? I mean how do I defend that rosary prayers aren’t idolatry? Some very wise counsel needed please.
 
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sorrowful1 said:
(be it just an image carved out to the likeness of God, like the rosary itself)
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The pole erected by Moses, the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple adorned with Cherubim, the vessels, pans, and Menorah used for religious service ?
 
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Oh, yes!!! That would also serve as a valid point to defending the use of a rosary.
 
Not to mention that “Idolatry” has a very definite meaning in English. Which is giving the highest form of worship to someone or something other than GOD.
Like Jesus said when asked:
Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 22:37) Jesus said to him: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
22:38) This is the greatest and first commandment.
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When we pray the Rosary we are in fact focusing on the great mystery of the life of Jesus and who is Jesus?
Isn’t HE GOD?

Peace!
 
I really don’t think we need to be worrying about problems that the various flavors of Protestants have with using material objects in connection with prayer.

Besides, they have crosses on the steeples of their churches, many Protestants wear a cross (one example, Mike Lindell, the “My Pillow” guy, is prominently wearing a cross on the My Pillow box), and it’s very common for Protestant cemeteries to have a large statue of Our Lord on the grounds.

I don’t mean this in any ugly way, but sometimes I suspect that it’s not the use of material objects that bothers them, but the fact that it’s Catholics who are using them, and our hangup-free attitude towards those objects is the problem, not the objects themselves.
 
This doesn’t really have to do with ‘in prayer’ but my wife (then a kindergarten teacher in a charter school) had a family pull their kids out of the school because she had globes and stuffed animals (“graven images”) in her classroom 😲
 
Muslims use prayer beads, Buddhists use incense and even Protestants use the Book!
There are many aides to praying, we are contemplating the events of Jesus’ and therefore Mary’s life in praying the Rosary’s mysteries, we are NOT praying to or “worshipping” Mary!
 
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There is a need for understanding that a fair amount of what Protestants are told comes from a long line of misinformation, poor to non-existent theology, and old (as in, centuries old) lies. That should not be held against them; they come to it innocently as it is handed on to them by others who likewise lack in theological development.

Many Protestants are profoundly religious and have a deep, if at times skewed, faith. Understand that your neighbor may be relying on her pastor and that what you say may put her into a quandary; be gentle in your response to her. The information of other posters should be adequate; do not be surprised if she has a hard time accepting your response, or does not.
 
For the most part, non-Catholic/Orthodox have no knowledge of contemplative prayer. Neither do they believe in the communion of Saints. Thus, they often misinterpret prayer as something that it is not. I feel sorry for them, as they have no idea what they are missing.

Idolatry includes sacrificing to an idol. This is well described in the book of Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon), but they do not use that book and thus have a very poor concept of what idolatry is. Physical objects, as used by Catholics in prayer, are sacramentals - holy things which aid us in our contemplation. Many are blessed, which increases their value in the spiritual realm. Do we worship the holy water when we cross ourselves with it? Nonsense!

Honestly, I have seen deific qualities ascribed to the bible by some protestant sects. That is about as close to idolatry and one can come without actually worshiping the paper and ink.
 
I’ve never been harsh in responding to what the Protestant neighbor says to my belief. Actually, her contradiction makes me even more stronger in my belief. Sometimes, I put myself in her place, and just think that I’d have been doing the same, and let the matters go without bitterness. The other times, I re-examine what I’ve studied in the Bible, and make sure I’m aware of what my beliefs and conscience are (correctly) based on .
 
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True that.

Once, I had this urge to say - " …then, that very place where you people gather and pray, wouldn’t that also be succumbing to idolatry?"(The “place” isn’t a traditional church by its interior and exterior archaeological build-up, but a mere office like space rented in high rising building). Well, I thought that would be very rude and offensive, and so, didn’t utter them out.
 
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You should also tell her that another name for the rosary is the ‘Blind mans Bible’ it is also called by Mary herself “The Battering Ram of Heaven”. Coming from a protestant background I can tell you that Mary is completely misunderstood. Be patient and pray for her soul, and maybe devote one of your decades to her and her families conversion.
 
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