I’m A Blogger

I have been defending my stance on my beliefs on a thread on my site here:
http://imablogger.net/2008/07/12/the-pope-were-right-everone-else-can-suck-it/

This got me to look more into some of the Catholic Beliefs. In particular the saints that the Catholics pray to and the images that they seem to worship:

(DEUT. 4:23) “TAKE HEED UNTO YOURSELVES,
LEST YOU FORGET THE COVENANT OF THE LORD
YOUR GOD, WHICH HE MADE WITH YOU, AND
MAKE YOU A GRAVEN IMAGE, OR THE LIKENESS
OF ANY THING, WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD
HAS FORBIDDEN YOU.”

THE WORSHIP OF SAINTS AND IMAGES
We will deal first of all with the Catholic Church as it
regards the worship of Saints and images, and then deal
with the Protestants.
The worship of Saints and images is an integral part
of the Roman Catholic religion. Let us examine it as the
Roman Catholic Church teaches and proclaims it — and
then let us look at it in the light of the Word of God.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches the following:
• The Saints function as mediators between the faithful
and God.
• We should address prayers to the Saints and kneel
before them to obtain their favor.
• The Saints are pleased to see their images venerated
and adorned with costly treasures, and they will recompense
the faithful who are generous in their worship.
• The images of the Blessed Virgin and the Lord Jesus
Christ may be venerated under different names. This can
give rise to competition between different images of the
same person.
According to the Catholic position, “Saints” are individuals
of the New Testament (or later martyrs or notable persons of “The Church”) who have died and subsequently
been declared to be Saints by the Pope.

THE CONTRADICTION
In this enlightened age it is difficult to realize that the
majority of Catholics are unaware of the direct contradiction
between a belief in an Omnipotent God and the
worship of Saints as advocates and intercessors.
In a conversation between an Evangelical and several
Roman Catholics, the following inquiry was raised:
“Everyone accepts that the Saints are finite beings — not
only on Earth but in Heaven as well. So how can finite beings
hear the prayers of men who are on the Earth? If one
would stop to think about this, it would seem impossible for
a finite being to hear the prayers of not just two or three
people, but those of multiplied thousands who are all praying
at the same time.
“The only way they could hear so many thousands of
prayers, and discern the heart attitudes of all of these people,
is if they were both omniscient and omnipresent. In other
words, each Saint would have to be God in order to accomplish
this.”
When this question was put to the Roman Catholic
representatives, they did not know how to reply. Finally,
after a whispered conference, one of them said:
“There is no difficulty. Even if the Saints can’t hear our
prayers, God can and He would reveal them to the Saints.”
Dare we anticipate the resulting conclusion in this
dialogue?
This would then mean that we would be approaching
the Saints through God — instead of God through
the Saints.
The idea becomes more absurd the further we pursue
it.
The very thought of individuals speaking to frail and
finite humans and expecting them to carry their ideas
to God — is ludicrous. The Word of God states clearly
that we can go directly to the Father, at any time, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 16:23).

HOW DID THE CATHOLIC WORSHIP OF SAINTSAND IMAGES ORIGINATE?
The Catholic System of patron Saints is nothing more
nor less than a continuation of ancient heathen beliefs
in gods devoted to days, occupations, and the various
needs of human life. Since the worship of Saints is really
a perpetuation of these false gods, Romanism is patently
guilty of worshipping “other gods” — a practice that is
condemned repeatedly in Scripture.
By the Tenth Century, some twenty-five thousand
Saints had been canonized by the Roman Catholic
Church. Of course, by this time Rome had hopelessly
insinuated pagan religions into Christianity.

THE SUBSTITUTION OF CHRISTIAN-SOUNDING NAMES
To make the apostasy less obvious, the leaders of the
Roman Catholic Church substituted Christian-sounding
names that were similar to original pagan names.
For example, the goddess Victoria of the Basses-Alps
was named St. Victoria. The pagan god Osiris was renamed
St. Onuphris. Apollo was renamed St. Apollinaris,
and the heathen god Mars became St. Martine.
We are told that one of the best preserved of the
ancient temples in Rome is the Pantheon, which was
originally dedicated to “Jove and all the gods.” It was reconsecrated,
however, by Pope Boniface IV to the “Mother
of God and all the Saints.” And an edifice formerly consecrated
to the Greek god Apollo now is displayed proudly
at the Church of St. Apollinaris.
Where the ancient temple of Mars once stood, we now
find the Church of St. Martine. Rome simply adopted the
heathen gods into the so-called Christian Church, renaming
them as their worship continued uninterrupted.
Just as the pagans worshipped idols or statues of their
gods, so does the Roman Catholic Church utilize statues
in their worship.
In many cases the same statue that was worshipped as
a pagan god was rechristened with the name of a Christian
Saint and worship continued. The statue of Jupiter,
for example, was slightly changed and re-titled “Peter.”
Through the centuries more and more statues have
been crafted (and venerated) until today there are
Churches in Europe that contain as many as several
thousand statues! However, whether in a great cathedral,
a small chapel, or on the dashboard of an automobile, these are still idols and are absolutely forbidden by the Word of God.

NOT A HINT OF SUCH IN SCRIPTURE OR IN THE EARLY CHURCH
It was not until the Fifth Century that pictures of Mary,
Christ, and the Saints were made and used as objects of
worship.
Scripture specifically condemns idol worship in countless
places, as there is not a hint or a suggestion in the
Word of God that the Early Church deviated from these
age-old injunctions.

THE VOICE OF THE ELDERS IN THE EARLY CHURCH
Irenaeus (about A.D. 130-202) a pupil of Polycarp
(who sat at the feet of the Apostle John) said:
“As the Church has received liberally from the Lord, so
let it minister liberally, and not ask to do anything through
the invocation of Angels or through enchantments and other
perverse rarities, but let prayers be addressed purely, clearly, and openly to the Lord, from Whom are all things, invoking the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Clement of Alexandria, a Greek theologian (about A.D. 150-215), said:
“It is the height of foolishness to pray as though to gods
to those who are no gods at all, for there is but one good God,
to Him only do we and the Angels pray.”
In another place he said:
“Every image or statue should be called an idol for it is
nothing but vile and profane material, and for this reason
and to remove idolatry by the roots, God has forbidden the
use of any image or likeness of anything in Heaven or on
Earth, and has also forbidden the making of such images,
and for this reason we Christians have none of these material
representations.”
Origen, Greek teacher and writer (about A.D.
185-254), said:
“The Angels are greatly interested in your Salvation. They have been given as helpers to the Son of God but all prayers to God, whether they are
supplications or thanksgiving, should be raised to Him through Christ, the High Priest,
Who is above all Angels . . . men do not know the Angels so it is unreasonable to address
prayers to them instead of to Christ Who is known of men. And even were we
to know the Angels, we should not be allowed to address our prayers to anyone except
to God, the Lord of all creation, who is sufficient for all, and we come to Him through
our Saviour, the Son of God.”
The same writer said in another place:
“In the reproof of those who trust in the Saints, I would say, ‘cursed be the man who
trusts in man’ (Jer. 17:5), and ‘it is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence
in man’ (Ps. 118:8). If it is necessary for us to have confidence in anyone, let us leave
all others and trust in the Lord.”
Cyprian (martyred about A.D.
258), Bishop of Carthage (about 248-258), declared:
“Why bow down before images?
Lift up your eyes and heart
to Heaven; that is the place where
you should seek God.”
Athanasius, a Bishop of Alexandria
and the father of orthodoxy
(about A.D. 300-373), said:
“It is written, ‘God (is) my
Rock; in Him will I trust; He is
my Shield, and the Horn of my
Salvation’ (II Sam. 22:3), and
‘The LORD also will be a refuge for
the oppressed, a refuge in times of
trouble’ (Ps. 9:9). And how many
similar words do we find in the Sacred Scriptures! Should anyone reply that these
are prophecies that apply to the Son, which may be true, then let them admit that
the Saints do not venture to call any created being their help and refuge.”
Elsewhere he declared:
“The invocation of idols is a sin, and anything that is sinful at the beginning can
never be good later.”
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (about A.D. 354-430), said:
“Let not our religion be the worship of the dead, for if they lived a holy life, it is
impossible to imagine that they desire such honors, rather they would wish that we
should render our worship to Him through Whom we should be partakers with them
of Salvation. Therefore, we should honor them by imitating them — not by worshiping
them.
“The only image of Christ that we should make for ourselves is to keep before us
His humility, patience, and kindness and endeavor to make our lives like His in all
things. Those who go in search of Jesus and the Apostles in mural paintings, far from
conforming to Scripture, fall into error.”
Jerome (about A.D. 343-420) who translated the Old Testament directly into
Latin from Hebrew (the Vulgate Bible), quoted a letter from Epiphanius in which
he stated the following: “In a part of the country that I visited I found a candle
placed in the door of a Church over which was painted an
image of Christ and another of a Saint. I was displeased that,
in this defiance of Holy Scripture, the image of a man should
be hung up in the Church of Christ and I cut the candle down,
advising the Sacristan that it would be put to better use at the
funeral of some poor person.”
THE USE OF IMAGES CONDEMNED BY MANY
The use of images was condemned by all in the Early
Church and even condemned as late as the Synod of Elvira
(A.D. 305), the Counsel of Frankfort (A.D. 794), and
the Counsel of Rouen (A.D. 1445). This latter assembly
in its Seventh Canon condemned the practice of praying
before images with names such as Our Lady of Piety, Our
Lady of Help, or Our Lady of Consolation.
It said:
“Such practices tend to lead to superstition, as though
there were more power in some than in others.”
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (about 1466-1536),
a Dutch scholar held in high esteem by the Roman
Catholic Church, was right when he said:
“No one who bows before an image or looks at it intentionally
is free from some kind of superstition; and not only
so, but if he only prays before an image.”
THE FOLLOWING ILLUSTRATIONS OF
SUPERSTITION AND PRAYING TO SAINTS
WERE COPIED FROM A ROMAN CATHOLIC
PAPER PUBLISHED IN 1930
• Two gossips were talking in confidential tones to
each other at the end of the street. “What troubles we’ve
been through! You know all about it. But listen, I put great
confidence in Our Lady of Purity and I’ve committed all our
troubles to her.
“You don’t mean to say,” said the other, “that you’ve
gone to Our Lady of Purity? Why, I would never confide in
her, that would be the last thing I would do.”
“Why ever not?” asked her companion.
“Well, look. I always confide in the Mother of the God of
Sorrows. She has been through great affliction and understands
my troubles. I wouldn’t have the same confidence in
Our Lady of Purity — she lacks experience!”
• A young woman entered a Church as an older
woman with bowed shoulders and wrinkled skin was
coming out. “Good morning, Grandmother. How early you
are today.”
“Yes, you are right. Seven months ago I promised the Virgin of Sorrows to take her a taper and have at last taken it.
But what a problem! I had to pass in front of the Virgin of
the Rosary, and I was so afraid that she might notice that I
was taking the taper to the other one. I hid it under my apron
as I passed by, but even so I am afraid she may have seen it.
What a trial! And we are too poor to afford one for each.”

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
“You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither
rear you up a standing image,
neither shall you set up any image
of stone in your land, to bow
down unto it: for I am the LORD
your God” (Lev. 26:1).
“Be not deceived: neither
fornicators, nor idolaters . . . shall
inherit the Kingdom of God”
(I Cor. 6:9-10).
“For there is one God, and one
Mediator between God and men, the
Man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5).
“Neither is there Salvation in
any other: for there is none other
name under Heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved”
(Acts 4:12).
With regard to the worship
of Saints we read:
“And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell
down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up,
saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man” (Acts 10:25-26).
“And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when
I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of
the Angel which showed me these things. Then says he unto
me, See you do it not: for I am your fellowservant, and of your
Brethren the Prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of
this Book: worship God” (Rev. 22:8-9).

ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE SAINTS
There is no indication in the Word of God that a person
becomes a Saint after he dies. In fact, it is not the
Pope who makes someone a Saint, it is God. In Scripture,
Saints are always living people — never the dead.
For example, when Paul wrote to the Ephesians, his
letter was addressed “to the Saints which are at Ephesus”
(Eph. 1:1).
Likewise, the Book of Philippians was written “to all
the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi” (Phil. 1:1).
The early Christians in the Church at Rome were called
“Saints” (Rom. 1:7; 16:15), as were the Christians who
lived at Corinth (I Cor. 1:2; II Cor. 1:1).
Consequently, if a person wants a Saint to pray for
him, he should find a Christian and ask him to join him
in prayer, for all true Christians are Saints, and become
so the moment that they accept Christ.
Any time a person tries to contact people who have
died, it is a form of spiritualism. The Bible repeatedly
condemns any attempt to commune with the dead.
“There shall not be found among you . . . an enchanter
(one who uses incantations), or a witch, Or a charmer,
or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer
(one who entreats the spirits of the dead).
For all who do these things are an abomination unto the
LORD” (Deut. 18:10-12).
“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them who
have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that
mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the
living to the dead? . . . if they speak not according to this
Word, it is because there is no light
in them” (Isa. 8:19-20).

WHAT ABOUT THE MIRACLES AND THE SHRINES?
I am sure, after reading this,
that some will say, “But what
about the miracles that have been
performed by the intercession of the Saints?”
These consist of statues that
weep, form tears on faces, or
produce (alleged) miracles. The
Virgin of Lourdes is the most
publicized.
Actually, there is absolutely
nothing in the Word of God that
even hints at such a thing. God
has never healed or performed miracles or done any kind
of good works through inanimate objects, except in the
case of Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons, as described in
Acts 19:12. And this one isolated case is not an example
of worshiping or venerating an idol or image.
If a person were to visit Lourdes today, he would be
appalled by the carnival atmosphere. This is, of course,
totally foreign to the Word of God and the Work of God.
There are no miracles at Lourdes, no healings or cures
or anything else of this nature. There may be emotional
reactions, but that is as far as it goes.
However, this could be said as well:
Satan, who causes sicknesses by demon oppression
(Acts 10:38; Lk. 13:11-16), can take off what he puts on
without opposing himself or casting himself out.
When he can damn a soul by getting a person to
deny the essentials of the Bible that will save the soul,
then it is to his advantage to deceive by taking away
the sickness.

SATAN DECEIVES PEOPLE
Many accept false religions that promise healing and
other benefits. Satan cooperates with these religions,
which he himself has founded to deceive men. He can
even bring about a withdrawal of the sickness from
people without God being involved in the process. Such
people naturally think they are in the true religion. They
reject Christ and see no need of being saved from sin or
of following Bible Christianity. They will be damned for
doing so, Satan having won their souls.
One of the major works of Satan is the work of deception,
and, in this vein, along with other efforts, he is
leading much of the world astray.
Yes, we do believe in Miracles. We believe in healing.
We believe that God answers prayer. But we believe that
it comes about in a Biblical way.
Jesus said a long time ago:
“Come unto Me (Jesus Himself — not some Angel or
dead Saint) . . . and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me (not some Angel or dead Saint) . . .
and you shall find rest unto your souls” (Mat. 11:28-29).
God uses living men and women to pray for the sick
— and He does answer prayer when it is offered according
to His Holy Word (James 5:14).
The worship of Saints and images has absolutely no
foundation in the Word of God. It is an excursion into superstition
and paganism, which will further enfold its web
of deceit around the followers of Roman Catholicism.
“In that day you shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My
Name, He will give it you. Hitherto have you asked nothing
in My Name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may
be full . . . For the Father Himself Loves you, because you
have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God”
(Jn. 16:23-24, 27).

PROTESTANTS AND IDOLS
Suffice too say, anything in which anyone places his
Faith other than Christ and the Cross, which will always
be according to the Word of God, is looked at in the Eyes
of God as an idol. It may not be an idol the same as the
Catholic Church, but nevertheless, it is an idol.
Sadly, millions of Protestants worship their Church
or Denomination or even particular Preachers, etc. In
other words, they have made an “idol” out of these things,
which can never be accepted by the Lord.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, when Peter proposed
building three tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for
Moses, and one for Elijah, God answered from Heaven,
saying, “This is My Beloved Son: hear Him” (Lk. 9:28-36).

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