Does this amount to idol worship????

I do not think they are Idols. Your not actually praying to them your praying to god. They are like you said reminders of what Jesus went thru so that we could have an eternity in heaven. I have heard things like this said before and to me its kinda like when some people take everything out of the bible as context and as we all know there are many confusing things in the bible because different verses say the same but different things. I mean we all know right from wrong and everyone has there own interpretation and personally I think as long as you do the right things and repent and pray and you only have One god the father almighty then you are doing what god wants from you. I too was raised with crosses on the alter and such things I mean we never bowed to the cross itself or anything. But I agree its a symbol that reminds you of the sacrifices made for you.

A friend of mine has the same views of your friend. And i am like you, i grew up with seeing all thsoe statues in our church and even in our homes. The thing is that catholics have images, like Images of Jesus and all other saints, i used to believe that they are really them , but later on they are just there to remind of us Jesus or Mary or the 14 stations. and personally i do not find anythign wrong with it because i do not pray to those statues but i pray directly to God, those statues or images for me are like reminders of what Jesus had been through and it does not change my faith, i guess my friend is trying to say is that i am doing idol worship because i pray in front of the images but i know myself that i can pray anywhere, anytime and my faith is not measure through these idols. do not be confused, you should know where your faith is.

This is our belief: The danger in having graven images is that you tend to accord it with the treatment you would God and God is not those images. When you feel the need to kneel before it and pray to it, then you're in fact worshiping it and that is idolatry. However, you are not of the same faith. The topic should have been introduced by your friend with more tact. While we have the responsibility to share our faith, it is never okay to be offensive. If you have more questions regarding this, feel welcome to send me a message. :)

In the olden days it would have been a crime for you just having those idols as those were a symbol of having a foreign God. But literally, what God meant was that there should not be anything in your life that takes first place before him. As long as you dont bow down to those idols or think of those idols as God then your fine. God wants you to put him first in everything that you say, do, think etc. He wants to be the supreme God in your life. But if those statues inspire you to pray more then by all means keep them there as long as when you're praying its to God and not to the statues. That's all that matters.. Keep praying though and ask God if he's happy with you having them statues around and whatever God answers you just do it.. Hope this helps. Happy my lotting and God bless you xx

john 4 christ ! an idol is an image, a representation of anything, or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined. generally speaking, idolarty is the veneration, love, worship, or adoration of an idol. it is usually practiced toward a real or supposed higher power, whether such power is believed to have animate existence (as a human, an animal, or an organization) or is inanimate ( as a force or lifeless object of nature.) idolarty generally involves some form, ceremony, or ritual. the hebrew terms used to refer to idols often highlighted the origin and inherent worthlessness of idols, or they were derogatory terms of contempt. among these are words rendered carved or graven image(literally, something carved out); horrible idol; vain idol (literally vanity); and dungy idol. idol is the usual rendering of the greek word ei'do lon. the scriptures do not sanction the use of images as a means to address god in prayer. such a practice runs counter to the principle that those seeking to serve god must worship him with spirit and truth. need more info?

please read exodus 20 verse 4, john 4 verse 24...feel free to leave me a message... stay blessed!