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!
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.