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IOW, RC's can do what the church says regardless of Scripture...

Bowing to Mecca five times a day, is no different than Catholics genuflecting towards a defeated Christ! It is a requirement of their faith. In their mind, it is different than setting up tables in the temple!

(By the way, is there a money jar beside the candle rack!)

Family photos!

Lighting candles in Church isn't being done to melt wax or to pray to the candle.

The purpose of that is to show God your intention that the prayer be constantly before Him though we can not be in constant prayer. The candle has no power, we are just lighting it as a simple act of faith to express to God that we are submissive to His will, that we have concerns and that we put our concerns before God as long and as steadily as a burning candle that burns for a day or more.

Someone might have a mother dying of cancer that they care for.
They come to Church and after mass they decide to go say a prayer and ignite one of those candles to ask the concern of the prayer remain before God as long constantly like a slow candle burning a flame. Nobody is worshiping the flame. Nobody is lighting the flame for the picture of an Angel or Christ.

There are also Mass cards you can get for others.
You can go get in various church's Mass cards and as Mass is said several times a day in various churches, you can have the whole mass dedicated to the concerns or memories of loved ones by having them mentioned in the mass as well.

These little things you take offense to are just little steps we may take while praying for others. We also when we enter the Church bless ourselves with Holy water which is in memory of our original Baptism in Christ and we don't pray to the water either.

Bottom line is Catholics are totally submissive to God and realize it is His will that be done in our life, not ours. We may pray our needs, but know His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven, not ours.

Images in Church are comforting and reminders of things like what Christ did and who are our faithful family members.

Christ loved His mother and did what she asked of Him before His time because Thou shall Honor thy parents. A statue of Mary does not mean we pray to Mary (unless you are uneducated), we believe in asking Her and others to pray WITH us to God over our concerns. Who better to ask to pray with you over your concerns to God than maybe Mary, or Joseph and perhaps asking all your passed on family to pray with you over your concerns to God as well.

If anything, it is all a giant celebration and expression of the power and variety in prayer all to be directed only to God... :-)

Please tell me what other pretend requirements of our faith include. I want to know what else I'm missing, and at the very least, this Klannish behavior is amusing as all-get out.