“Would you call the Statue of Liberty, in New York harbor, an idol?”
I don’t bow before the Statue of Liberty. I don’t ask the Statue of Liberty to protect my liberty. I don’t believe that having the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, or having a picture of it in my dining room or a replica of it on a pedestal on my lawn will protect me from socialist Democrats who want to reduce my liberty.
I fully understand that the Roman Catholic Church does not teach and has never officially taught its members to pray to or worship images and statues. However, the popular piety exhibited by many of its members says otherwise- particularly prior to the Reformation. In an effort to correct such misdirected popular piety, Anglican and Protestant leaders removed the images, statues and relics from their the churches.
Thanks for your input. Regarding the removal of statues by Protestant leaders I'm not sure that was a universal practice; having been in a few very old Lutheran churches and Cathedrals in Germany. I can say that they look like Religious Goods Stores with all the statues and paintings (beautiful ones I might add) lol. The St. Sebaldus Church in Nürnberg (formerly Catholic) has the relics (bones) of St. Sebaldus enshrined in it.
Regarding public acts of piety by certain Catholic individuals, I'll admit that some are untactful. I don't like it any more than I do the uncouth public behavior of some couples. I do not consider walking on one's knees wrong, which we see at some shrines, because it can be done as an act of penance.