I need some advice for my question?

Question

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Am i the only one that believes this is idol worship?

Answer 1

There are two ways to partake in idolatry. First, by creating your own god outside of the Bible based on your own pre-conceived notions of what he/she/it should be. This is idolotry and a great deal of people do this every day.

The other is to create a physical image to aid you in worship. Jesus said that God is Spirit, and He says those who worship Him must do so in "spirit and in truth" (ref. Joh 4:24). To have images help is to not worship in the spirit--nor in truth.

The big problem with the usage of images as aids for worship is that there is a fine line between using it as an aid, and worshiping it as an idol. Consider the brazen serpent in the wilderness. It was initially used as an aid in the prevention of dying from the bite of the fiery asps. But later, the children of Israel burned incense before it (ref. 2 Kings 18:4). Today I see candles and incense being burned before these "statuary aids". Now what will happen if one of these statues in some way bleed? Do they say, "Oh dear, moisture has rusted the internal steel reinforcement and stained our statue." Or do they call it a miracle and burn incense to it? Today we see many Catholics flocking to places of miracles or "divine manifestations" whether it be a wall stain of the blessed virgin, a burned cheese sandwich sold on eBay, and even 50 people in India losing their vision after gazing at the sun looking for an image of Virgin Mary. That fine line has been crossed too many times. It starts innocently enough, but it opens the door for great error.

Here is my take on images, icons, jewelry and the like. When a father/husband has gone to war, we carry and display reminders such as bracelets and photographs. We use these things as aids to remember them. However, it produces a longing, because you cannot touch, hug, or lovingly converse with them--for they are away. When they are home, there is really no such need for such aids, because he is in the back playing and laughing with the kids. If you need a hug or a word, just call to them.

The NEED for images and icons only proves that the Father is not home. Alive? Yes. But absent in a personal way. Faith without the need for crosses, jewelry, beads, icons, pictures, or statues proves that the Father is home and interacting in a real and personal way with their beloved. Worship with the aid of physical objects just shows the Father is not at home in your heart or church and such aids are deemed necessary. But it reveals an emptiness and lack of personal encounter.

Answer 2

I do see some Catholic practices as border-line idol worship.

But there's more to idol worship that statues and monuments. An idol is anything you hold more valuable than God.  It can be money, drugs, s*x, cars, even family, if you hold them above God.

Answer 3

no, you're not alone.  Many people believe it is and that is part of the reason so many protestant churches sprang up (along with a desire for divorce and other things).  

The people were stuck between staying with an obviously apostate church or starting a church of their own that would be a bit better.  Neither was perfect any more but at least one was trying to get better.  (kinda like man, huh!  Funny to see the same themes repeat over and over again...)

Then God sent a perfect church once again and called the people to it.  Some will listen, some will reject it.  But its here nonetheless.

Answer 4

I don't think this is idol worship, I think this is a parade-a ceremonial procession including people marching.  A parade is an organized procession of people along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by floats or sometimes large lighter-than-air balloons with complex shapes. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind. ...

(wikipedia.org/wiki/Parade)