Is Catholicism Idolatry?

Catholicism

Is Catholicism Idolatry?

By YBible

Catholics will claim they don’t idolize or worship Mary, saints, popes, statues etc... “it’s only veneration” (Dulia, Hyperdulia, Latria) they will say. However the Bible itself doesn’t make these distinctions.

Acts of worship according to the Bible

Bowing religiously: Catholics bow religiously to popes and statues. The Bible says this is worship.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. - Psalms 95:6

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God… - Exodus 20:4-5

This is the second of the ten commandments. Most official Catholic documents that summarize the Ten Commandments remove the prohibition of images and bowing to them.

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. - Isaiah 42:8

Peter whom Catholics claim was the first pope wouldn’t allow anyone to bow to him like popes do.

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

Prayer: Catholics pray to Mary and dead “saints”. Nowhere in the Bible is this commanded, nor is there an example of someone doing it.

Prayer is likened to worship and only directed to God.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. - Psalms 141:2

Burning incense/candles religiously: This is only ever done for God and is called worship.

And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? - Jeremiah 44:19

The “queen of heaven” mentioned here is a demon goddess and it’s the only queen of heaven in the Bible. Mary is never called this. It’s worshipped with incense just like Catholics do towards Mary and dead “saints”.

Singing to Mary: Catholics sing to Mary, the Bible calls this worship, once again there is no commandment or example of singing to anyone other then God in the Bible.

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. - Psalms 66:4

Relics: Catholics collect parts of dead “saints” bodies like their bones, hair, clothing or even supposed artifacts from the crucifixion, these are called relics. They then ascribe supernatural powers to them.

Official Catholic doctrine is that the relic has no power of it's own but that God gives it powers. However the Bible doesn’t teach that God gave or would give powers to these objects. The Bible calls this idolatry and the objects idols. You have no authority to direct God’s power to an object. If God does use an object as a medium of His power like the ark of the covenant or Paul’s handkerchief it’s a specific occurrence. Nowhere in the Old Testament or New Testament were they collecting relics and attributing God’s power to them. Icon/relic powers are demonic.

This is yet another Catholic practice that has its origins in paganism.

God destroyed Old Testament relics like the brazen serpent to prevent idolatry.

He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it… - 2 Kings 18:4

Relics Summary: Catholics ascribe supernatural powers to objects that God didn’t give. It’s exactly idolatry.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. - 1 John 5:21

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. - Acts 17:29

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. - 1 Corinthians 10:14

- KJV