Do Catholics worship idols and graven images?

The answer is obviosly NO. Although many protestants or Evangelicals beleive and judge that Catholics do so. It is not the case. It is true that God doesn t want us to worship idols
Exodus 20-4,5 and many other verses like Deut. 4:16. HE wants us to follow Him and worship Him only!! YES.!

EXODUS 25:18
BUT God commanded Moses to make an image on the top of the Arc of the covanant.
He made 2 golden angel cherabum (over 5ft tall!!) They were a source of grace & powerfor God s people.

Also in NUMBERS 21:8,9 Moses and his people where in the wilderness and they began to rebel against God. God sends a plague of snakes amoung them & then Moses intercedes for them. God commands Moses (AGAIN) ``Make a Brazen Serpent , put it up on a pole & when the children of Isreal if they were bitten, looked at it then were healed.

Then in John 1: 1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God....
and in John 1 :14 The Word became flesh and dwelt amoung us (Image)
In the Old Testament God had no form.

The point is: God uses stuff that He uses in the physical world to be instruments whereby He brings His blessings to His people.
He cannot contradict Himself because of what He said .
The statues of the saints in Catholic Churches are known as heroes in the christian faith to help us grow (Stuff ---not gods or idols).

The Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to give hommage or venerate her but she is not a god .

To me as a Catholic, I found (in my own christian experience) I would close my eyes an imagine I m already in heaven and seeing Jesus with all great saints (statues as a help for seeing the invisible) from old testament and new and up to the saints of Saint Francis Assisi to Padre Pio to Mother Theresa and on & on. Seeing the invisible. And do our work for our Lord Jesus Christ (in Him & thru Him) here on earth!
Amen. :))

[gomezjkv]

The only problem with this logic is that God COMMANDED that the Cherubim and the Serpent be fashioned for a specific purpose. The commandment forbidding the making of graven images in Exodus 20 specifically says not to make them, “for yourself”. This is distinct from the commandments to make the Cherubim and the Serpent. Making a graven image of St. Peter or St. Paul or The Mother Mary are graven images made FOR OURSELVES and not commanded by God. I do not believe that any Catholic Church on this Earth can claim that God instructed them to have statuary made and set in place to decorate their facilities. This is an abuse of the Law of God and using it for a purpose which it was never meant. God bless.