Did Jesus Christ, Our Lord and God, Command Us to Worship These Images and Statues, Despite Edwin Canonigo’s Born Again Beliefs?

 

😊✨ Vivat Jesus!

Jesus Christ did not command people to worship images or statues, and Catholic teaching explicitly states that Catholics do not worship statues either.

Catholic Teaching on Images and Statues

Veneration vs. Worship: The Catholic Church teaches that supreme worship (latria) belongs to God alone.

Honor or veneration (dulia) shown toward statues and images of Jesus, Mary, or the Saints is relative—meaning the respect passes to the person the image represents, not the wood, stone, or metal itself.

Visual Reminders: Statues and paintings are used as visual memory aids, teaching tools, and focal points for intercessory prayer (asking holy people in heaven to pray for them), much like keeping a photograph of a loved one.

Biblical Distinctions: Catholic theology distinguishes between idolatry (worshiping a physical object as a god, which is forbidden in Exodud 20:4-5) and the religious or artistic use of images, pointing out that God explicitly commanded the creation of physical sacred objects like golden cherubim for the Ark of the Covenant and the bronze serpent in the Old Testament.

“Exodus 20:4–5 is commonly understood as prohibiting the worship of images as "gods", rather than prohibiting the making of sacred images in themselves.”

This reflects the Catholic interpretation that the commandment forbids idolatry—treating an image as a deity or offering it divine worship—not the legitimate religious or artistic use of images.

Primarily, the Bible has this to say about “latria” that pertains to “Sacrifice of Body and Mind”

1 I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.

2 Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:1).

On the other hand, while the exact term “dulia” comes from the Greek word douleia (meaning servitude or service), Scripture commands giving honor to those to whom honor is due:

Romanns 13:7  "Pay to all their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, toll to whom toll is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due."

1 Peter 2:17  “Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.

Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

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