Christian; are they idolaters too?

I am a Christian, but we are called Born Again Christians. Our difference with the Roman Catholic religion (who are also called Christians) is that we don't bow down to any images or statues. We don't have them in our churches and we don't believe in them. There are lots of Christians who are like us..the Baptists, Evangelical, Protestants, et.al. are also Christians who don't bow down to statues and images. I was born Catholic but like you, sought the truth and questioned the beliefs and practices of my own religion when i was in my teens. I prayed and found it. God must've led me to the Church my husband and I are attending now. We are still Christians because we believe in Christ, who is the son SENT by God through the Holy Spirit. I hope and pray that someday you will find the truth you are looking for and that you will appreciate the God who made us all :) God bless :)

As one of the largest religions in the world, I have a hard time believing you have never heard of Jesus, seen a picture of jesus or heard the story of the virgin birth. Does that really exist in today's world that people have never heard of the major relgions? But backt to topic, I have asked my catholic friends a similar question about idoltary. If we are to bow and pray to now one then G-d, why do catholics pray to saints? Why do they pray to the virgin mary? I'm not sure I ever really got a satisfactory answer from some one. Can some one tell me?

Jesus is God, its the whole trinity thing. So its not idolatry. You seem to be unfamiliar with the concepts of Christianity. You should probably research a little more before you make accusations.

For one thing, you are lumping all Christians together, and what you are referring to are Catholics. I am Baptist and we have no statues or pictures, we do not worship things, we worship God. Now to explain about the Son of God. God came in spirit form (the Holy Spirit) to Mary and she concieved a Son. Jesus was sinless and pure, and was born to suffer and die for us, taking our sins upon Himself so that we may not recieve the punishment we deserve, and that we may live eternally in Glory.

It is your belief, let it be and i will respect it. But, respect as how others do especially if they were not harming you. Never make fun of what they believe in, coz things are sensitive when it comes to religion.

catholics are not the only christians... you shouldn't make fun of a religion, respect it! its sacred...

a freind of mine once told me that a church is for people who dont have enough self esteem to belive in them selfs.well i can see his point he is very self relient and has done well in life . myself well i think there are many things in life you can belive in some are very positive and some are very negitive and most including religion have a addicted nature.im not sure were i stand on christianity but if its just another thing you can choise to belive in its not to bad it seems to have a positive effect on the followers and seems to make them more careing people so really it cant be all that bad i suppose .as long as you dont get obsessed with it and try to fourse others to join or as some religions do kill others who disagree with there views

Well, I think the majority of Christendom practices idolatery, no questions or argument about it. very few Christians use idols, or some form of "representation" of Christ. At one time, I thought the Jehovah's Witnesses were the odd ones out, but I looked at their literature. It is just another form of idolatery. So, the Roman Catholics are not the only ones although theirs is the worst form and explicit way of idol worship. They will literally kneel before a statue (supposedly) of Jesus or (supposedly) of Mary the Mother of Jesus, and perform a worship there and then. Oh God, forgive them though they know what they are doing!

How come you don't know this? What is your religion? No God and Mary didn't have $ex if that is what you mean she was conceived by the holy spirit done in a miracle...Holy Spirit is God ..Yes, I do agree with you that some Christians are idolaters and I don't like how it looks.I myself am wondering why they pray on a man made statue that shows the image of God..I myself am quite confused about that.

From dictionary.com Idolatry means the religious worship of idols. Excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. Does the catholic or any other christians are idolaters? The answer is "NO". Then what are those images and statues are for, do they worshipped it because they bow to it? Those were useful teaching aids for religious contexts and bowing to it does not mean worshipping it. As a catholic i also did bowing to it especially when i am passing at the center of the church. In my heart and in my mind, i am thinking that God is there and to put respect and worship i bow to Him. Those statues has been a helpful tools for me to further understand the life of Jesus and touched my curiosity to study more about God's works. I am not saying i am fully knowledgeable about it, because until now i am still on the stage of learning. In able for you to futher understand the answers to your questions i wish this link will be very helpful for you. http//www.catholic.com/library/Do_Catholics_Worship_Statues.asp

Well, that's your opinion and I respect that. But just as we Christians respect your beliefs, we also expect that you respect ours since you just branded us Christians as idolaters. If your Christian friends was "beating around the bush" about his answers, it could be because he did not want to pick an argument with you for a topic so sensitive it should not be discussed in the first place. Why? Because we will never see eye to eye. It is pointless to debate on religion or faith or practices because the other person will never understand the meaning of the other person's religious beliefs, even how much they debate about it. In my opinion, the world would be at peace if we just leave each other alone, especially when it comes to religious beliefs and practices.

Adoption of icons by "Christians". The Encyclopedia Britanica says that "during the first 3 centuries of the Christian Church,... there was no Christian art, and the church generally resisted it with all its might. Clement of Alexandrea, for example, critized relegious(pagan) art in that it encouraged people to worship that which is created rather than the Creator." How,then, did the use of icons become so popular? the Britanica continues:" About the mid-3rd century an incepient pictorial art began to be used and accepted in the Christian Church but not without fervent opposition in some congregation. Only when the Christian Church became the Roman imperial church under Constantin in the early 4th century were pictures used in churches, and they began to stike roots in Christian popular religiosity." A common practice among the stream of pagans who now began to declare themselves Christians was the worship of the portraits of the emperor." In accordance with the cult of the emperor," explains John Taylor in his book Icon Painting, "people worshipped his portrait painted on canvass or wood and from thence to the veneration of icons was a small step." Thus pagan worship of pictures was replaced by the veneration of pictures of Jesus, Mary, angels, and "saints." These pictures that started to be used in the churches gradually found their way into the homes of millions of people, being venerated there as well.