Do Catholics Worship Idols?

According to the Bible, Catholics do worship idols.

God clearly commands in Exodus 20:4-5 

“You shall not make for yourself any carved image or likeness of anything in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.”

This commandment is part of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), which reveal God’s holiness and His desire for exclusive worship. God forbids not only the making of idols but also the acts of bowing down or worshiping them, because worship belongs to God alone (see also Deuteronomy 5:8-9).

The problem is not merely making statues or having pictures of saints or family members in homes. The real issue lies in bowing down to them and worshiping them. These actions represent idolatry, which the Bible consistently condemns (see 1 Corinthians 10:14 “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”).

The Catholic Church teaches bowing and honoring statues, which effectively leads to worship. It’s important to understand that an idol is not just a large statue like Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image (Daniel 3), but even small statues or figurines count as idols in God’s eyes (see Psalm 115:4-8, which describes idols as powerless and lifeless).

Giving statues honor “as if” something divine dwells in them is already a form of worship, and this displeases God because worship is reserved for Him alone (see John 4:24 “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”).

Furthermore, worship involves submission and servitude. For example, praying the rosary repeatedly and fearing to disrespect it makes a person a servant or slave to that object, which is a form of spiritual bondage condemned in Scripture (see Galatians 5:1  “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”).

Not all Catholics understand this, and many genuinely seek God with sincere hearts. Yet, the religious system has blinded many from seeing the truth (see 2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers.”). However, those whom God chooses will have their eyes opened by His Spirit and will turn away from false systems to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

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