And tell me, please, how do you know what is on the Pope's heart? Are you now a mind-reader?
It doesn’t matter what’s in his heart. The commandment is to not bow down to them. Outward actions can be easily determined as EVERYONE can see them. The command is to not bow down. The pope is bowing down.
Therefore he is breaking the second commandment.
The Catholic Bible is the only one who uses different words and I do realize that they’d need to to avoid looking like they’re doing what is patently obvious to anyone with a modicum of reading comprehension. Small wonder the Catholic church changed the wording. It’s less indicting.
Here’s a link to the verse where you can look it up in the Hebrew.
http://bible.cc/exodus/20-5.htm
JPII was the *Mary, I’m all yours* pope, IIRC.
People can know what’s in his heart if he says it out loud or writes it down, now can’t they?
This is in the heart of at least one of your popes, and it’s idolatry, plain and simple.
Prayer of Pope Pius XII
In Honor of the Immaculate Conception
http://catholicism.about.com/od/tothevirginmary/qt/Honor_Immacula.htm
Prayer of Pope Pius XII
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, O Immaculate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.
Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.
O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! O Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!
O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.
Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.