That’s one of the fundamental disagreements between Catholics and Protestants.
A Catholic would argue that veneration of saints isn’t worship, it’s showing respect for someone who exemplified Christian ideals, or died as a martyr. Canonization is basically the religious version of the Medal of Honor.
A Protestant would argue that the distinction between veneration and worship is arbitrary, and veneration of a saint essentially amounts to idolatry anyway.
As an apostate, I don’t really see a difference, but it feels inconsistent to see people praying to a specific Saint all the time. Are they supposed to be the middle man between you and God? Didn’t Jesus die specifically for that?
Are they supposed to be the middle man between you and God?
Yes
Didn’t Jesus die specifically for that?
Uhh, not exactly. I think catholic god sealed heaven off after Adam and eve did the thing. Jesus came down and died to fix everything and open heaven back up. I assume the waiting room was getting full. He also died for all sins ever, but you are still born with original sin and have to go to confession etc.
Asking saints to intercede is just asking for personal bullshit. Different saints were known for different things, so being experts on those things they would be the best to hand your prayer based on that thing to God.
If I die and find out the universe really works this way, I will renounce all of existence and opt out. I rather an eternity not existing over living in a stupid children’s book universe of weird arbitrary rules about who gets to do what and go where through these systems of hierarchy.
The way it was explained to me, praying to a Saint to speak to God on your behalf is like asking a friend to pray for you. You could just pray to God yourself, but for some reason, having more people pray for you is better.
That’s one of the fundamental disagreements between Catholics and Protestants.
A Catholic would argue that veneration of saints isn’t worship, it’s showing respect for someone who exemplified Christian ideals, or died as a martyr. Canonization is basically the religious version of the Medal of Honor.
A Protestant would argue that the distinction between veneration and worship is arbitrary, and veneration of a saint essentially amounts to idolatry anyway.
As an apostate, I don’t really see a difference, but it feels inconsistent to see people praying to a specific Saint all the time. Are they supposed to be the middle man between you and God? Didn’t Jesus die specifically for that?
Yes
Uhh, not exactly. I think catholic god sealed heaven off after Adam and eve did the thing. Jesus came down and died to fix everything and open heaven back up. I assume the waiting room was getting full. He also died for all sins ever, but you are still born with original sin and have to go to confession etc.
Asking saints to intercede is just asking for personal bullshit. Different saints were known for different things, so being experts on those things they would be the best to hand your prayer based on that thing to God.
If I die and find out the universe really works this way, I will renounce all of existence and opt out. I rather an eternity not existing over living in a stupid children’s book universe of weird arbitrary rules about who gets to do what and go where through these systems of hierarchy.
The way it was explained to me, praying to a Saint to speak to God on your behalf is like asking a friend to pray for you. You could just pray to God yourself, but for some reason, having more people pray for you is better.
And here I am over here, an agnostic absurdist, just laughing at the silly monkeys.
Have you read the pincipia discordia?