I guess we’ll just have to disagree here (and strongly). Praying TO someone is indicative of believing THAT individual has the power to effect my prayer and I simply do not believe that anyone in Heaven has that power other than the Lord himself, whether that be the Father, Son or Holy Spirit.
And although you say I CAN pray to St. Paul, I’ve never heard a Catholic yet say they did and I’ve spent most of my life with Catholics.
I have no desire to bash Catholics or the Catholic Church but the prayer TO saints in Heaven is wrong. That’d be like me asking my pastor to heal me or help my husband find a job; all I can do is ask him to intercede on my behalf with the Lord, who is the one to answer, not any mere man.
Oh, and incidentally, do you think it’s okay to lay flowers before statues? Sorry, but I don’t. It’s no different than the Buddhists putting bowls of fruit in front of their statues. As my friend said to me once (who has a lot of Buddhist friends), “I never saw the statue eat the food yet.”
Do you place flowers at a gravesite? Or next to a casket? Do you bury your dead in their finest attire? Why? Do you expect your dead loved one to express their happiness at decomposing in a three piece suit? I never saw a dead man thank anyone for the flowers.
So what? Where does Scripture say that St. Paul is the best Christian ever? Who's the idolator here?
I have no desire to bash Catholics or the Catholic Church but the prayer TO saints in Heaven is wrong. That’d be like me asking my pastor to heal me or help my husband find a job; all I can do is ask him to intercede on my behalf with the Lord, who is the one to answer, not any mere man.
Why do we have pastors in the first place? Everyone can direct their questions and concerns about Scripture to the Supreme Author, Himself. Why do you allow a human being to mediate for God?