Is there a GOD? - ding! ding! ding ding geeeeet reaaaaaady toooooo rummmmble!!!!

[kitkatz]

I have come to believe that God or the Supreme Being is whatever you believe it to be.
God can be vengeful. I was brought up to see God this way.
God can be Light.  I see God this way now
I can create light within myself and I can begin to create Light for the world to use.
I can search for truth all by myself and do NOT need a preacher or priest to tell me what or who to believe in.
I think all major religions, not denominations, have one belief system as a basis, all believe in One God.
I think we are all One People, no matter what the color or creed. We are all human beings.
I believe that if you believe in hell you might go there. so I do not believe God would send me to a hellish hot place.  (Although I do live in Southern California)
I do believe in Angels, guardian angels.  I had an experience with one once.
I think prayers work miracles.  That much good being sent as thought has to do some good to the person being prayed about.
I know I "dance in the fire" we call life each and every day!

Katherine

[Sara]

Just in case anyone was wondering, the Catholic Church does NOT require that you pray to Mary or any saint or say the rosary.  Those are extra things, personal devotions, sort of icing on the cake.  Oh, and we don't worship Mary or saints.  Just as you might ask a friend or relative to pray for you in your time of need, we ask the same of Mary.

[Sara]

I think we are all One People, no matter what the color or creed. We are all human beings.
I think prayers work miracles.  That much good being sent as thought has to do some good to the person being prayed about.

Thank you for sharing your beliefs.  I especially agree with these 2.   

[hephziba]

Sara Just asking, who is the pope, to the catholic,

did mary have children after Jesus.

why is the pope revered when Jesus said you shall worship the Lord God and Him ONLY you shall serve.

If the catholic church was really in line with the bible surely the pope would kick out all the idolatry especially if it is not a catholic teaching and as you put it the icing on the cake.

In the saying of the mass the true catholic church teaching  that the body of Christ is sacrificed every mass, thus contradicting the true sacrifice of Christ once for all to take away mans Sin.

also bowing down to the wafer, Jesus never asked us in the bible to bow down to a wafer. the list goes on and on, and I dont doubt there are true christians amoung the catholic congregations but hopefully they will be trying to snatch others from the fire.

God hates idolatry wether its in the protestant church or the catholiic church, God says He will not give His glory to another. He also says do not make for yourselves any graven images .....

So who is the pope to the average catholic, why do they kiss His ring, Who is the Head of the church according to the bible....

if catholics and protestants were both christians, why were hundreds of christian protestants martyred for speaking the truth of the bible by the catholic church, this is historical fact, surely the lovely protestants would have obeyed God and bowed to the pope.

Sara I am not saying you bow to the pope or do any of these things , but as the bible says its idolatry and sin, How can we justiify the catholic church when so much they do and teach is extra biblical,

I know you can go into one catholic church and they truly serve God and love Him, and into another which is idolatrous the same is true with the protestants..

So Im not really judging just pointing out some facts.

[Rerun]

hahaha you don't get it...

Catholics are Christians. Christians aren't necessarily Catholics.

Its like Americans are North Americans. But North Americans aren't necessarily Americans.

Christianity is a religion. Catholocism is a denomination of that religion.

Mormons are Christians too.

Yes Catholics read the Bible.

This is SO Funny.  Take this statement and show it to ANY pastor of a Baptist, Methodist, or non-denominational church and let him enlighten you.   

Sara Wrote:
Just as you might ask a friend or relative to pray for you in your time of need, we ask the same of Mary.

WHAT?  READ what you wrote Sara and tell me this is Biblical!  The devotion of Mary in the early church was started to appease those in the church who were worshiping the goddess Diana.  The "Holy Day" worshiping Mary in August is a new concept. 
How can you ask a dead person to pray for you?

[hyperlite]

I have come to believe that God or the Supreme Being is whatever you believe it to be.
God can be vengeful. I was brought up to see God this way.
God can be Light.  I see God this way now
I can create light within myself and I can begin to create Light for the world to use.
I can search for truth all by myself and do NOT need a preacher or priest to tell me what or who to believe in.
I think all major religions, not denominations, have one belief system as a basis, all believe in One God.
I think we are all One People, no matter what the color or creed. We are all human beings.
I believe that if you believe in hell you might go there. so I do not believe God would send me to a hellish hot place.  (Although I do live in Southern California)
I do believe in Angels, guardian angels.  I had an experience with one once.
I think prayers work miracles.  That much good being sent as thought has to do some good to the person being prayed about.
I know I "dance in the fire" we call life each and every day!

Katherine

Actually, not ALL major religions are monotheistic (meaning that they believe in one God). Hinduism comprises 14% of the world's population, and this is a polytheistic religion. And that religion has been around much much longer than Christianity (approx. 1500 BC)

[kevno]

I like Epomans Number 7. The Rest

That is where I am off to now The Rest. A afternoon snooze 

The Bible is great for twisting the words to how you want them to mean 

Kevno

[hyperlite]

if catholics and protestants were both Christians, why were hundreds of Christian protestants martyred for speaking the truth of the bible by the catholic church, this is historical fact, surely the lovely protestants would have obeyed God and bowed to the pope.

The killing of protestants by catholics, and vice versa, in history has nothing to do with whether or not they are Christian. It has to do with whose form of Christianity is correct.

The Protestant Reformation was a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. The Reformation was started by Martin Luther with his 95 Theses on the practice of indulgences. In late October of 1517 he posted these theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, commonly used to post notices to the University community. In November he mailed them to various religious authorities of the day. The reformation ended in division and the establishment of new institutions: most importantly Lutheranism, the Reformed churches, the Calvinists the Anabaptists, and Anglicanism. It also led to the Catholic or Counter Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church through a variety of new spiritual movements, reforms of religious communities, the founding of seminaries, the clarification of Catholic theology as well as structural changes in the institution of the Church.

So the Catholics didn't like what the protestants were doing. Basically they were going against the church. And the Protestants didn't like how the Catholics were running the church, so they "made their own" church.

But either way, the fundamental "doctrine" behind Christianity remained the same. Jesus Christ was the son of God. The Messiah. That is why Judaism is not a form of Christianity. They do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

Different denominations of Christianity, such as Catholicism and Protestantism, are just different churches that function differently. But they still have the same goal. To praise "Jesus Chris as their savior", and worship "God Allmighty"...

This is SO Funny.  Take this statement and show it to ANY pastor of a Baptist, Methodist, or non-denominational church and let him enlighten you.   

I could take this statement and show it to ANY pastor of a Baptist, or Methodist church, but what would they tell me? That Catholicism and Protestantism aren't Christian religions? Well that doesn't make sense, seeing as how they are much older than both the Baptist and Methodist Church (Baptist church was started by John Smyth in 1609, and the Methodist church was started by two brothers, John and Charles Wesley, in the 18th century). So if these two religions are the only Christian religions, than that makes Christianity a pretty new religion...

Here's a quick history lesson: Catholicism was the original "formal" church of Christianity. Around 1517, the Reformation movement began. This was a reformation of the catholic church, in Western Europe. It was when many groups broke off of Catholicism to start their own Churches. These "new" denominations or Churches were called Protestant...One of the main protestant churches was the Anglican church (or the Church of England). So all of these other churches that believe in Jesus Christ, as the savior of mankind, are "blanketed" under the term "Christian". Hence the name CHRIST-ian...

any questions?

[Rerun]

Mine got stuck 3 posts back.  I was writing it and got side-tracked.   

[hyperlite]

Mine got suck 3 posts back.  I was writing it and got side-tracked.   

 

[Rerun]

Sorry, but "suck" is a word and spell check didn't pick it up.  Corrected to Stuck.   

[Sara]

Sara Just asking, who is the pope, to the catholic,

did mary have children after Jesus.

why is the pope revered when Jesus said you shall worship the Lord God and Him ONLY you shall serve.

If the catholic church was really in line with the bible surely the pope would kick out all the idolatry especially if it is not a catholic teaching and as you put it the icing on the cake.

In the saying of the mass the true catholic church teaching  that the body of Christ is sacrificed every mass, thus contradicting the true sacrifice of Christ once for all to take away mans Sin.

also bowing down to the wafer, Jesus never asked us in the bible to bow down to a wafer. the list goes on and on, and I dont doubt there are true christians amoung the catholic congregations but hopefully they will be trying to snatch others from the fire.

God hates idolatry wether its in the protestant church or the catholiic church, God says He will not give His glory to another. He also says do not make for yourselves any graven images .....

So who is the pope to the average catholic, why do they kiss His ring, Who is the Head of the church according to the bible....

if catholics and protestants were both christians, why were hundreds of christian protestants martyred for speaking the truth of the bible by the catholic church, this is historical fact, surely the lovely protestants would have obeyed God and bowed to the pope.

Sara I am not saying you bow to the pope or do any of these things , but as the bible says its idolatry and sin, How can we justiify the catholic church when so much they do and teach is extra biblical,

I know you can go into one catholic church and they truly serve God and love Him, and into another which is idolatrous the same is true with the protestants..

So Im not really judging just pointing out some facts.

Who is the Pope?  He is our earthly leader.  Just like a pastor/preacher is the leader of your particular church, he is our human leader.  He's not God, not Jesus incarnate, or anything like that.  Some people have issue w/ him being called Holy Father because it says in the Bible something about calling no one else your Father.  But we call our dads "Father."  It goes back to having no other god before Him, the true God.  Why do we kiss his ring?  Well, not everyone does.  It's a sign of respect, like you take off your glove before you shake hands with the President (like what Michael Jackson didn't do, and got him a lot of flack).  Some people bow, some hug and kiss him.  Just for the record, Pope JP II was an amazing person.  How can we "revere" him?  Well we don't worship him.  He is worthy of and gets a lot of respect and love.  None of that supersedes worshipping or glorifying God/Jesus.  We respect leaders of our country, why can we not respect leaders of our faith?

Did Mary have children after Jesus?  The Church teaches no, she remained a perpetual virgin.  Do I know that for a fact?  No.  Would it really bother me if she did in fact have children?  Not at all. 

Which idolatry are you referring to?  We don't worship anything/anyone except God.

Regarding Mass/the Sacrifice...The Eucharist makes present for us the Sacrifice that Jesus gave.  I'll have to research a little more to be able to answer this better.  I'm a new Catholic, so don't have everything memorized.

Bowing to the "wafer" - At the point where we genuflect or bow, it's not a wafer anymore.  It is the Body of Christ.  It is a sign of respect.

the killing...I think Hyperlite answered this one pretty well.  Remember there's been a lot of Catholic martyrs also.  Check out some British/Irish history for starters.

If I were in front of the Pope, I sure as heck would bow to him.  I genuflect before the altar, I bow before the Body of Christ.  In the Bible, it doesn't say to have a cross or crucifix in front of the altar, yet just about every Christian church has one.  Or wear a cross necklace.  Or have Sunday schoool.  Or have Church suppers.  Or have a choir.  Does that mean that every single Protestant church that I've been to is going to hell, for having things that are not specifically mentioned in the Bible?  Is that idolatry?  I don't think so.  The rosary is not idolatry.  It is a tool for prayer.  Idolatry is the worship of an idea, object, or image, as opposed to a Supreme being.  We don't worship anything/anyone except God.

In my opinion you are judging.  I don't look on you harshly for it, because that's what you were taught.  I used to do it, too.  I think you should actually research it for yourself though, and don't just read things that anti-Catholics have to say.  After a lot of research, prayer, and talking to people, that's what led me to become Catholic.  You should check out the writings of Scott Hahn.  Protestant minister who became Catholic.  He has a wonderful way of explaining things.   Catholic Answers is another good place to look.   www.catholic.org

[Sara]

Sara Wrote:
Just as you might ask a friend or relative to pray for you in your time of need, we ask the same of Mary.

WHAT?  READ what you wrote Sara and tell me this is Biblical!  The devotion of Mary in the early church was started to appease those in the church who were worshiping the goddess Diana.  The "Holy Day" worshiping Mary in August is a new concept. 
How can you ask a dead person to pray for you?

Read my reply to Heph, about not everything being specifically mentioned in the Bible.  As far as asking a dead person to pray for you, she's not just "dead."  She's in Heaven.  Catholicism also teaches that when our relatives/friends are in heaven we can ask them to pray for us.  Your soul is not dead, only your body.  As a Christian, you should know that.

[kitkatz]

The Baha'i Faith teaches that we can pray for the souls that have gone on into spirit world to help them to progress.   Hmmmm sounds backwards when you pray to them to help you here,  but you can pray for them to progress.  Hmmmmm interesting...very interesting...

Katherine

[Rerun]

Sara,

As a Christian I should know what?  People in heaven pray for us?  NO....that is not Christian faith, that might Catholic faith.

[hyperlite]

I can't really speak for Sara, but I think she meant, as a Christian you should know that when you die, your "soul" doesnt die. Just your body...

[Panda_9]

The more I think about how we were put here the more it freaks me out. Im sure there is some sort of god or whatever. I dont have any strong beleifs. But what I do beleive, is the world is becoming one scary place.

[ginger cookie]

EPOMAN,
This is one of the reasons  that I love your moderation of this forum. You really know how to stir up the sh*t!

FYI- I vote a resounding YES.

Someday I'll e-mail you my stories of patients I've cared for and their near death experiences.(Six saw heaven, one was sure that he saw hell!)
Carry on the good work!

[Epoman]

EPOMAN,
This is one of the reasons  that I love your moderation of this forum. You really know how to stir up the sh*t!

FYI- I vote a resounding YES.

Someday I'll e-mail you my stories of patients I've cared for and their near death experiences.(Six saw heaven, one was sure that he saw hell!)
Carry on the good work!

 

[hephziba]

Sara Yes I am Judging, the Bible teaches that he who is spiritual, Paul said do you not also judge the church, Timothy was taught to rightly divide or use his judgemental faculties with the word of truth.

the whole judging is wrong thing is not a biblical principle, especially not the way it is taught in churches or the way the world uses it.

Jesus said judge not lest you be judged and with the same judgement you use it will be measured back to you. 

But we are taught throughout the bible to judge between right and wrong.

the do not judge at all teaching has castrated the majority within the church, Jesus never intended a wimpy effeminate church. Jesus was before His ministry a bloke who carried great chunks of wood around which he worked with he had forarms, the carpenter with rough hands

the roman cathollic church not the catholic churches so much do indeed class the pope as God on earth, they do teach that the pope is the head of the church not Christ.

in any true Christian church the pastor had better be putting Christ as the head of the church. and If anyone reveres Him a man. Hed better given the person some correction, as Christ alone is worthy of our honour and praise

rosary beads are also used in islam, and other religions they are not a catholic thing they were taken from another religion, another form of idol worship.

you should care whether or not mary had kids after Jesus or not because anyone who knows God should have a love of the truth, the Bible clearly states Jesus had brothers in many places. the reason this is important, is because by turning her into the ever blessed mary, they have set her up as an idol. the catholic church placed mary officially as the queen of Heaven, thats right She is worshipped as a God alongside Jesus. she is named by the official catholic church as the co- redemptress ie they say she redeems you from your sins along side Jesus ..

the split ie the reformation between catholic church and protestant was not about the protestants not submitting to the catholic church, it was over whether or not we are saved by the finished work of Christ or by works, ie praying hail marys, doing your rosarys, buying relics, bits of dead holy men in boxes.

bowing to the statues of various dead saints. now that is idolatry and that I am afraid is the historical history of the catholic church, its foundation if you like, is killing people men and women who believed in the truth of the bible as apposed to the teachings of POPE.

As for pope jp being a good dude, yes he done some good things, He worked on some reconcilliation between the catholics and the Jews, and a few other things but the throne He sat on bore an upside down cross.  a symbol of satanism.

see pope jp throne on google..

[Sara]

I can't really speak for Sara, but I think she meant, as a Christian you should know that when you die, your "soul" doesnt die. Just your body...

Yes, that's what I was saying.  Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Sara]

the roman cathollic church not the catholic churches so much do indeed class the pope as God on earth, they do teach that the pope is the head of the church not Christ.

in any true Christian church the pastor had better be putting Christ as the head of the church. and If anyone reveres Him a man. Hed better given the person some correction, as Christ alone is worthy of our honour and praise

NO, they don't.  The pope is a leader.  Jesus is the head of the church.  Jesus told Peter to tend his sheep.  Peter was the first pope.

rosary beads are also used in islam, and other religions they are not a catholic thing they were taken from another religion, another form of idol worship.

Can you explain how exactly a tool for prayer is idolatry?  Who cares that another religion also has prayer beads? 

you should care whether or not mary had kids after Jesus or not because anyone who knows God should have a love of the truth, the Bible clearly states Jesus had brothers in many places. the reason this is important, is because by turning her into the ever blessed mary, they have set her up as an idol. the catholic church placed mary officially as the queen of Heaven, thats right She is worshipped as a God alongside Jesus. she is named by the official catholic church as the co- redemptress ie they say she redeems you from your sins along side Jesus ..

Jesus having brothers is debatable.  You should watch some of the shows on Discovery, etc.  Some experts are claiming that the word translated to read brothers could actually mean cousins, or step brothers, or other male relatives.  BTW, I think I would know if I was worshipping Mary.  Just because you pray to someone doesn't mean you worship them.

the split ie the reformation between catholic church and protestant was not about the protestants not submitting to the catholic church, it was over whether or not we are saved by the finished work of Christ or by works, ie praying hail marys, doing your rosarys, buying relics, bits of dead holy men in boxes.

None of these things is required.  As for works, read these...
Not everyone who says to me "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Mat 7:20)

What good is it, my brothers if you have faith but do not have works?  Can faith save you. If a brother is naked and lacks daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm and eat your fill', and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?  So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:14-16)

The Evangelical pastor, Rick Warren in his bestseller book "The Purpose Driven Life" says:

One day you will stand before God, and he will do an audit of your life, a final exam, before you enter eternity... he will ask us two crucial questions...First, 'What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?' ...Second, 'What did you do with what I gave you' ... the second question will determine what you do in eternity...(The Purpose Driven Life, pg. 34)

At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you. That means everything you do...has eternal consequences...you will receive a promotion and be given greater responsibility in eternity ..." (The Purpose Driven Life, pg. 45)

Matt: 19:21 Then someone came to him and said "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life...[Jesus said] go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven...When the young man heard this word he went away grieving, for he had many possessions...

Mat 25:40 When you have done this to the least of my brothers you did it unto me

Mat 25:40-43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Mt 25:15-28 Check out the parable of the 10 talents.

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done.

bowing to the statues of various dead saints. now that is idolatry and that I am afraid is the historical history of the catholic church, its foundation if you like, is killing people men and women who believed in the truth of the bible as apposed to the teachings of POPE.

I've never bowed to the statue of a saint, and I've never seen anyone that did.  We may kneel when we pray, but that's a sign of respect.

As for pope jp being a good dude, yes he done some good things, He worked on some reconcilliation between the catholics and the Jews, and a few other things but the throne He sat on bore an upside down cross.  a symbol of satanism.

see pope jp throne on google..

"Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy of dying on the cross the way his Lord and Saviour died. Ever since the time of Peter's death, the Church has symbolized Peter's martyrdom with an upside down cross. This is called a "Petrine Cross." The Vatican is built on the place where Peter was martyred. The Pope sits in the seat of Peter and therefore there are "Petrine" crosses (upside down) in the Vatican. The Church will not discontinue the Petrine Cross (Peter's Cross) just because satanists are trying hijack the Cross to mock us. Nor will the Church discontinue a 2000 year old tradition that was recognized by all Christians until the 1500's because some Evangelicals are confused as to its meaning."

taken from http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/pope.htm#upside_down

[Bajanne]

I have been hesitating getting involved in this exchange.  What I do know is that there is too much in this that is from tradition and not from the Bible.  God left us the Bible - there is no need for man to add other things.  Where will the adding end?
Jesus Himself stopped the crowd from giving His mother special honour.  What is our justification for doing that?
Jesus told the Pharisees "You teach for commandments of God the traditions of man" and I see too much of that.

[Sara]

http://www.catholic.com/library/Scripture_and_Tradition.asp

What is Tradition?



In this discussion it is important to keep in mind what the Catholic Church means by tradition. The term does not refer to legends or mythological accounts, nor does it encompass transitory customs or practices which may change, as circumstances warrant, such as styles of priestly dress, particular forms of devotion to saints, or even liturgical rubrics. Sacred or apostolic tradition consists of the teachings that the apostles passed on orally through their preaching. These teachings largely (perhaps entirely) overlap with those contained in Scripture, but the mode of their transmission is different.

They have been handed down and entrusted to the Churchs. It is necessary that Christians believe in and follow this tradition as well as the Bible (Luke 10:16). The truth of the faith has been given primarily to the leaders of the Church (Eph. 3:5), who, with Christ, form the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20). The Church has been guided by the Holy Spirit, who protects this teaching from corruption (John 14:25-26, 16:13).


"Commandments of men"



Consider Matthew 15:6–9, which Fundamentalists and Evangelicals often use to defend their position: "So by these traditions of yours you have made God’s laws ineffectual. You hypocrites, it was a true prophecy that Isaiah made of you, when he said, ‘This people does me honor with its lips, but its heart is far from me. Their worship is in vain, for the doctrines they teach are the commandments of men.’" Look closely at what Jesus said.

He was not condemning all traditions. He condemned only those that made God’s word void. In this case, it was a matter of the Pharisees feigning the dedication of their goods to the Temple so they could avoid using them to support their aged parents. By doing this, they dodged the commandment to "Honor your father and your mother" (Ex. 20:12).

Elsewhere, Jesus instructed his followers to abide by traditions that are not contrary to God’s commandments. "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice" (Matt. 23:2–3).

What Fundamentalists and Evangelicals often do, unfortunately, is see the word "tradition" in Matthew 15:3 or Colossians 2:8 or elsewhere and conclude that anything termed a "tradition" is to be rejected. They forget that the term is used in a different sense, as in 1 Corinthians 11:2 and 2 Thessalonians 2:15, to describe what should be believed. Jesus did not condemn all traditions; he condemned only erroneous traditions, whether doctrines or practices, that undermined Christian truths. The rest, as the apostles taught, were to be obeyed. Paul commanded the Thessalonians to adhere to all the traditions he had given them, whether oral or written.


Idolatry Condemned by the Church



Since the days of the apostles, the Catholic Church has consistently condemned the sin of idolatry. The early Church Fathers warn against this sin, and Church councils also dealt with the issue.

The Second Council of Nicaea (787), which dealt largely with the question of the religious use of images and icons, said, "[T]he one who redeemed us from the darkness of idolatrous insanity, Christ our God, when he took for his bride his holy Catholic Church . . . promised he would guard her and assured his holy disciples saying, ‘I am with you every day until the consummation of this age.’ . . . To this gracious offer some people paid no attention; being hoodwinked by the treacherous foe they abandoned the true line of reasoning . . . and they failed to distinguish the holy from the profane, asserting that the icons of our Lord and of his saints were no different from the wooden images of satanic idols."

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) taught that idolatry is committed "by worshipping idols and images as God, or believing that they possess any divinity or virtue entitling them to our worship, by praying to, or reposing confidence in them" (374).

"Idolatry is a perversion of man’s innate religious sense. An idolater is someone who ‘transfers his indestructible notion of God to anything other than God’" (CCC 2114).

The Church absolutely recognizes and condemns the sin of idolatry. What anti-Catholics fail to recognize is the distinction between thinking a piece of stone or plaster is a god and desiring to visually remember Christ and the saints in heaven by making statues in their honor. The making and use of religious statues is a thoroughly biblical practice. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know his Bible.

[hyperlite]

I have been hesitating getting involved in this exchange.  What I do know is that there is too much in this that is from tradition and not from the Bible.  God left us the Bible - there is no need for man to add other things.  Where will the adding end?
Jesus Himself stopped the crowd from giving His mother special honour.  What is our justification for doing that?
Jesus told the Pharisees "You teach for commandments of God the traditions of man" and I see too much of that.

You said that "God left us the Bible". It's not like the Bible just appeared one day from the sky. It was written by men. So really if one man writes something new in the Bible (which I'm not saying should happen...) what's the difference between that and the original writings that the first man wrote? You might argue that whoever wrote the Bible originally was writing the words of God (that God spoke to this man, and told him to write it down). But then one could argue that maybe God is speaking to these other people, and telling them to re-write, or add things to the Bible because it isn't working properly?

Now I'm not trying to say that God is talking to people and telling them to re-write the Bible. I'm just pointing out that it was written by a human being. And therefore should be open to interpretation.