In the Bible it clearly states that idols are not to be worshiped but how does this relate to saints?
828528
We know the saints are with God and that He is well pleased with them so we pray to the saints and ask them to intercede for us.Its sort of like hiring an attorney to plead your case! Why dont you pray to St. Jude for understanding?He is a very kind and powerful saint.
348047
God doesn't want you to worship Him, but to know Him. Blind faith and worship won't bring you closer to God, following His guidance, especially what his Son Christ had to tell us, will.\n\nThat is, follow the golden rule, not what other so called Christians will have you believe is true. Treat others as you would be treated, love everyone, turn the other cheek, accept diversity.\n\nChristianity today is so mixes up with politics, the original message is often lost.\n\nChrist would not have been against gay marriage (only old testament crap mentions this), he would not have discrimitated in any way. He would have abhored war, gluttony, greed, love of money, gas guzzling vehicles, etc.\n\nIn response to emils122: Christ gave us a new covenant. He totally disregarded the Sabbath commandment, showing how the old law was replaced with the new (Luke 4:16-30, Luke 4:31-39, Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5, etc).\n\nAs Christians, we follow the example of Christ, not the Hebrew Scriptures. They make for good stories, but it is very dangerous to take them literally.\n\nHave your ever eaten pork or shrimp, shaved your face, or worn multiple fabrics (cotton, linen, silk) at the same time? Well if you have, you are as sinful, according to the Book of Leviticus, as any man who lies "with a male as with a woman." That's right. Eating pork (Leviticus 11:7), or fish that "has not fins and scales" (Leviticus 11:10) is also an abomination. The section also proscribes shaving beard growth (Leviticus 19:27) and prohibits wearing a "garment of cloth made of two kinds" of fabric (Leviticus 19:19). While Orthodox Jews today follow many of these ancient edicts, the entire section is about primitive rituals concerning conduct and cleanliness to insure growth of Israel's population and is not taken literally by most Americans today. Earlier in the Old Testament, we have the story of Lot (Genesis 19). Some Biblical scholars interpret this passage as a complicated commentary on "hospitality," as the two angels visiting Lot were about to be "known" by certain men of Sodom. But read on. The more telling turn of this story is when Lot offered his two daughters to be raped instead. How many Christians today think letting their daughter be raped is proper way to show hospitality?\n\nEnough said, I think.
407193
Traditions that violate the Bible's Teachings. Veneration of saints & mary by putting them in positions of intersessors. Which the Bible says, "There is One Mediator betweem God & man, the Man Christ Jesus."
604010
I don't really think any of those things could be considered idol worship.  Unless you actually worship a crucifix, KJV bible and spaghetti monsters.\nAnyway, putting anything before God is really a form of idol worship, and any form of idol worship is wrong.
337265
Great question!\nActually, all of the Prophets are banned from being drawn. This became a "law," if you will, in early Islamic times, when the Prophet Muhammad was prophecizing God's Word. During his times (which notably are much different than our own today) people were deviating from the messages that Jesus and previous prophets had delivered, and had began worshipping images and stone idols representing their gods. Prophet Muhammad declared it forbidden for any believer to posess any type of image or statue so as not to fall into the "trend" of idol worship, as God and ONLY God has the right to be worshipped in Islam. He also made sure that his own image was not even to be depicted, as he made it clear that even Prophets were not to be worshipped in any way. Again, as not to deviate worship from God.
546974
hhmmm.. I interpret this as:\n\nThe Christian religion is based on lies, and has been formed, in my opinion, as a type of slavery. If Christianity was shunned from society like satanism or the old religions, I would not survive as the followers depend on worldwide recognition. Our bible IS the wind and rain, means it will be there forever. And whatever society decides what is right, there will always be people who respect and honour this old religion.\n\nYes.\n\nThat's my interpretation.
1132014
No where in the Bible does it mention Christ being hung on a cross.  The scriptures refer to it as a stake.  As well, in the Ten Commandments as well as numerous other scriptures, we are directed not to use items of veneration or idols in our worship of God.  Therefore, the cross, being an idol, would not be used in worship.  As well, if Christ was hung on a cross, would it be right to worship the item used to put him to death?
76850
I am not sure what you are referring to, by "the Jewish Holy Figure"?\n\nGd forbids the Jews from having any figure, sculpture, or artwork that is worshipped, as that would make it idolatry, if that helps.\n\n          Exodus 20:3-3 3 Thou shalt have no other \n          gods before me. 4  Thou shalt not make \n          unto thee any graven image, or any \n          likeness of any thing that is in heaven \n          above, or that is in the earth beneath, \n          or that is in the water under the earth:
1082219
There is no harm in idol worshipping.  Here people reject other faiths who worship idols.\n\nBut who does not worship idols.  The christ on the cross or mother marry with little jesus...are they not idols ?\n\nMuslim worshiping a stone  is it not an uncut idol?\n\nWe keep photos of our parents and grandparents...talk to them, salute them or just pay respect to them. Is it not idol worshipping?\n\nIdol is an external stimulii to fix our concentration to start meditation.  We need something external where we can fix our attention.\n\nidol worshipping in fact the first step of meditation....the next step being mentally seeing the god, but every common man cant do it directly.\n\nInstead of just making fun of idol worshipping, we should see the great psychological explanation behind
280798
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! SOMEBODY IS BRAVE ENOUGH TO SPEAK OUT IN TRUTH! You are 100% CORRECT! ALL of the so-called "holidays"(holydays) were NEVER commanded in the Bible-EVER!!! Jeremiah Chapter 10 directly mentions a "christmas tree" as an IDOL! Astarte (Easter) is mentioned many times in the Old Testament as an ABOMINATION TO GOD!!! Tammuz is also in the Old Testament! And not in a good way! People simply follow what the "crowd" says to follow! DOES THAT MAKE IT RIGHT??? Borrowing Pagan traditions and somehow transforming them into "holy days" is unacceptable worship to GOD! DON'T BELIEVE A NOBODY LIKE ME--READ YOUR BIBLE!!! Please see for yourself! Then you will know what God REALLY feels about man-made traditions.....
447197
There are no contradictions in God's command concerning idols, only truth, but often truth is shown in pictures.\n\nOften the case is in the Bible that God uses a physical picture of a spiritual truth which is to come later. For example the Noah's ark was a picture of Jesus Christ who was not yet to come for thousands of years, even as a few entered the ark and were safe inside so it is that all who are "in Christ" are saved from the wrath of God. Another example would be the Tabernacle in the wilderness. This structure was to be made presisly the way God had described it to Moses. The reason? It was a picture of God's redemtive plan which was fulfilled in Jesus.\n\nThe bronze serpent was not an idol (by the way, when the time came that the people began to worship it as an idol a godly king had it destroyed so it could not be used in the way that God forbade in Exodus) the serpent was a picture of the Messiah that was to come. We are filled with a poison called sin, the only antidote is Jesus Christ lifted up on a cross. All who look to Him are saved, all who refuse retain the poison that fills our very nature.\n\nExodus 20 vs 4-6 declare God's position on idolatry. We are not to worship anything but our Creator. Any other woship is idolatry (by the way this meens more than just images, it also icludes desire for material posesions or covetousness see Colossians 3: 5) When God commanded Moses to make these things He was making physical pictures of the spiritual reality which was to come. This seems to be the order that God has chosen to do things obviously for illustrative purposes. 1 corinthians 15:46 says, refering to Adam as a "type" or picture of Christ, "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." God has often shown a natural or physical reality first in order to demonstrate a spiritual truth which is to come. In the case of the serpent and the Ark of the Covenant both are pictures of the attonment for sin that was made by Jesus Christ. For the Ark of the Covenant as a picture see Hebrews 9:6-28
285157
Do Catholics not pray to saints?  For me, prayer and worship go hand in hand.  Do Catholics not pray to statues of the Virgin Mary?  Perhaps I am misinformed, but I doubt it.
103602
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming."~ Colossians 3:5-6 (New International Version) Bible
552591
Wow. What a tough question!  I can only ad to this that the first two commandments (of the ten commandments) are said by the catholic church and Jesus to be the most important because all the others hinge upon them.  Please exuse the abriviations "Have no false god's before me" and "Love your neighbor as youself".  This is what I recal from memory without resorting to the internet.  That's what Yahoo! answers is supposed to be right... real answers, real people.  Anyhow.  I know a Catholic priest that said that their church uses statues and images of the saints and such as simple reminders and in no way is pro idolotry.  I've also heard that Catholisism is by definition an all inclusive church.  This is what it was meant to be originally at least.  Meaning bringing in all factions of the Christian faith with the intention of becoming one church of faith.  Islam believes Muhammad to be the last prophet and one of the messages he gave was to remove all images not only of saints but of man or of anything at all from places of worship.  I understand God spoke to Moses over the course of 500 years to lead man out of the slavery of the Egyptian empire.   Than Jesus came to clear things up about the relationship between God and man, to build a bridge or direct connection, and to impart further teachins among many other things. Muhammad was the final prophet getting man back on track in relation to God because we were reverting back to idoloty.  Mahommad was also a warrior I believe.  But I'm not sure if he started a war or battle.  Moses did.  Jesus did.  Though there was blood shed in these history's we still say to this day  "don't blame the messanger". And as mere humans we might be very right in saying that. \nThere's my "real info" from a real person. But info is not what you asked for I just thought I'd type some because it could ad to the resolution of you question.\nIf I go out on a limb. Lord have mercy (No pun intended) or is that "NPI" in cyberspeak.\nHere:\n1:Mahommad.  Don't worship idols. (Muslim)\n2: Jesus. Believe that God will povide for you (mankind) just as he does for all living things, (The feeding of the multitudes/curing of the sick) (Christian)\n3: Moses. We have been given some commandments that mankind would be wise to realise. (Jewish)\n4:  Buddha.  Truth and freedom are already inside us and not outside us. (Buddhism).\n5;  Ahhhh! this is tough.... Mankind; First do no harm. (atheiest, agnostc, huminist, existentialist, socialist and then some.)\nI know nothing of of the hindu faith.\n\nThanks for the brave question.
1126059
Since God created man,praising and worshiping Him; just shows Him how grateful we are to be made from His image.  Our worship should be in the heart.  To define worship in the Bible by looking at the Hebrew and Greek words used to describe it. One Hebrew word means "to bow down" or" to prostate oneself on the ground."  All  I am trying to relay to you and others God is to be exalted, marveled, with everlasting love.  Just because we don't see Him doesn't mean He does not exit, we have been in situations where we obey and do things for something unseen  we have never laid our eyes on, what makes the love that we should have for God so hard, or terrible to do?  Why would you call yourself a homosexual zombie (aka Jesus)?  Is your alias supposed to be pronounced like ha-ZeusI am very happy to know that God is real, and I don't bow down, nor worship any man or false god.  Pray about your feelings and thoughts I bet you that the God in heaven will help you to change your mind, it just takes time, be patient.
340918
Some people do not believe in God because of the numerous interpretations of the bible. Others simply want to live life without depending on some idol that has been seen in many forms and perceived in different ways.
376974
The references I found were in Jeremiah (7:18, 44:17-25)  Seems to be a false god(dess) or idol the Israelites were worshipping.\n\nAnd there is no Daniel 14:12.