Here's a picture of the Prime Minister of Australia bowing before Queen Elizabeth II. Does this mean she's worshipping the Queen?
Amen, brother. I’m shocked at how many educated folks can’t discern false doctrines, as their catechism tampers with the 2nd Commandment. There are also several pictures of one or more popes bowing their head to mary. You have a pope kissing the koran, another quote indicating the plan of salvation includes muslims. Wow. How any Christian could offer minimal respect to such a man is beyond my comprehension? Catholicism must have their devotees under some kind of weird brain lapse, as the Bible clearly states:
American King James Version
And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (Matthew 23:9)
Matthew 6:9 instructs us exactly to whom we should pray.
Here's a picture of the Prime Minister of Australia bowing before Queen Elizabeth II. Does this mean she's worshipping the Queen?
Do you object to calling George Washington the father of his country?
Do you object to the "father" line on a birth certificate?
Consider the words of our Lord from Luke 16:24: And he (the rich man) called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.”
Abraham is clearly a “religious leader.” And Jesus is not alone in referring to him as “father.” St. James refers to Abraham as “father” in James 2:21, while St. Paul refers to Abraham as “father” seven times in Romans 4:1-18. If you believe in the inspiration of Sacred Scripture, St. James and St. Paul cannot be contradicting Jesus in Matthew 23:9.
Your interpretation, I think, fails to take adequate notice of a big number of Scripture passages.