We haven't redefined it is and Catholics can't grapple with it so they end up......
If you knew the English language you would not confuse worship with veneration.
Stop patronizing people as seems to be your custom when you have no intelligent response. Sheesh...
To further address the issue of Mary Worship/Veneration:
Nowhere do we see this practice in the New Testament, but we do have many warnings about it.
Nowhere does God approve of any type of worship toward objects that are even of Himself, neither the tabernacle which housed His presence, nor the ark which had the tablets, were to be worshipped. Yet these were some of the most sacred objects used toward God.
Remember when Moses lifted up the Brazen altar in the wilderness for people to be healed by the bite of the serpents. Later when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, they brought the bronze serpent with them and turned it into an idol. It was used until King Hezekiah finally destroyed it (2 Kings 18:4). ....We see that something that was used even by God can be turned into a superstitious idol.
This is why Paul stated that to worship an idol is pagan because behind every idol is a demon.
Paul states in 1 Cor. 12:2,...
“You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these ‘dumb’ idols, however you were led.”....
He does not give any precedence to the biblical way to use idols for the simple reason there is none.
In Ex.20:4-5 God forbids anyone who follows Him to make images for use in their worship. Within this context they are also not to bow down to them or do any reverence to them..... The Hebrew word for worship is to kiss toward or bow down.
Idolatry is described by God as an abomination ( Ezek.16:36), no matter who makes them or is worshipping them......“ Cursed is any man who makes any graven image or molten image it is an abomination to the Lord” ......(Lev. 26:1, Deut.27:15). While Catholics accept this practice of bowing in front of statues of Mary or saints.... God does not accept it,.... He forbids it!
Deut. 4:16..... “that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman”
Deut. 12:3-4: .....“And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and ‘burn their wooden images’ with fire; you shall ‘cut down the carved images’ of their gods and destroy their names from that place......”You shall NOT worship the LORD your God with such things.”
Revelation 19:10:.... “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God.” .......The Angel tells John that falling to his feet is an act of WORSHIP!
The whole idea of Christ coming was ‘to restore people to a relationship with himself and deliverer people from vain worship’, ....which was given to idols.
I Cor. 10:19-20 says:
“What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?.... But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God:....... and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”
....Paul states that the idol is nothing, just as Psalms 115 said. The true spirit behind every idol is a devil. So the Catholic unknowingly is praying to devils as he prays before an image made by men’s hands!
Ps 135:15-18 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.”
Those who worship them will become like them, they become blind just as the idol . They are conformed into their image since what they are doing is a spiritual practice. People involved in Idolatry cannot hear the word of God they become like the idol that can’t see or hear.
Today we see the promotion from the Pope to thank the pagan religions and that we can even learn from them. The very ones that promote idolatry he finds unity with.
When one has a relationship they don’t need the pictures or statues to remind them of who they love. If I see my wife each day I don’t need a picture to look at and pray before to remind me or to help me get closer to her. I need to talk and hear from her personally. Pictures and statues replace this type of relationship. The Bible teaches us that we walk by faith not by sight.
http://www.letusreason.org/rc2.htm
If you knew the Scriptures...
venerate - To regard with deep respect or reverence.
Latin venerātus, past participle of venerārī to solicit the goodwill of (a god), worship,
Synonyms: revere, worship, deify, glorify, adore, idolize
revere - from Latin reverēri, from re- + verērī to fear, be in awe of
We haven't redefined it is and Catholics can't grapple with it so they end up......