Do Catholics Worship Statues?

God commanded images

Critics cite the commandment against graven images (Exodus 20:4-5), and Loraine Boettner says God forbade images in worship. But searching the Scriptures (John 5:39) shows God forbade worshiping statues, not their religious use. He commanded golden cherubim over the mercy seat (Exodus 25:18-20), inspired David's plan for the Temple's cherubim (1 Chronicles 28:18-19), and Ezekiel's vision of the Temple shows carved cherubim (Ezekiel 41:17-18).

Religious uses

God told Moses to make a bronze serpent; those bitten who looked at it lived (Numbers 21:8-9), a ritual use. Catholics use images to remember the saints, as a photo recalls one's mother, to teach (especially the illiterate), and to commemorate, as Protestants use Bible pictures and nativity scenes. God is angered only when images are adored as gods: when Israel worshiped the serpent as "Nehushtan," Hezekiah destroyed it (2 Kings 18:4).

Bowing

God forbids bowing to idols (Deuteronomy 5:9), but not all bowing is worship: the Japanese bow in greeting, and people kneel before kings. A Catholic kneeling before a statue is not worshiping or praying to it, any more than a Protestant kneeling with a Bible.

"Hiding" the second commandment?

Catholic catechisms list "You shall have no other gods" (Exodus 20:3) first and "You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain" (Exodus 20:7) second. Exodus 20:2-17 has fourteen imperatives, which must be grouped into ten. Because polytheism and idolatry went together, the Jewish numbering joins Exodus 20:3 and 20:4, as do the Catholic and Lutheran numberings. Summaries abbreviate, as all shorten the Sabbath command (Exodus 20:8-11). The Church is not dogmatic about numbering; the Catechism notes it follows Augustine's division, also the Lutheran, while the Greek Fathers' division is used by the Orthodox and Reformed (CCC 2066).

Images of God?

Some cite Deuteronomy 4:15-18: Israel saw no form at Horeb, so made no image. God still allowed images of creatures (cf. 1 Kings 6:29-32; 8:6-66; 2 Chronicles 3:7-14). Early on, Israel was forbidden images of God because he had not revealed a visible form and they might worship him as an animal or the sun. Later he did: the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9), the Spirit as a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32) and tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4), images Protestants also use. Above all, Christ is the image (eikon) of the invisible God, whom the Magi worshiped in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). Since God revealed himself in these forms, images of them deepen our knowledge and love of him.

The Church condemns idolatry

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) teaches that idolatry is worshiping images as God, or believing they have divinity or power deserving worship, praying to them or trusting in them. Honoring Christ and the saints with statues is thoroughly biblical.