Veneration of the saints is acceptable and has always been done. However, none of your Scripture quotes deal with that issue, Hobie..
Do you think that you can respond to this rather straightforward point without diverting into statues or prayers to the dead or any of those other unrelated matters?
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/venerate
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Ok, lets think about it. Is Mary a idol of wood, stone, and made by man. Do people pray to Mary. Do they give adoration to Mary. Do they give reverence to Mary. Do they give homage and respect to Mary. And more..... Lets look at the definition of worship:
wor·ship
/ˈwərSHəp/
noun
noun: worship
the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.
"the worship of God"
Similar:
reverence
revering
worshipping
veneration
venerating
adoration
adoring
-olatry
devotion
praise
thanksgiving
praising
praying to
glorification
glorifying
glory
exaltation
exalting
extolment
extolling
homage
respect
honor
honoring
esteem
dulia
latria
laudation
magnification
•the acts or rites that make up a formal expression of reverence for a deity; a religious ceremony or ceremonies.
"the church was opened for public worship"
Similar:
service
church service
religious rite
religious act
prayer
prayer meeting
praise
devotion
religious observance
matins
morning prayer
vespers
evening prayer
evensong
•adoration or devotion comparable to religious homage, shown toward a person or principle.
"our society’s worship of teenagers"
Similar:
admiration
adulation
idolization
deification
lionization
hero-worship
•archaic
honor given to someone in recognition of their merit.
verb
verb: worship; 3rd person present: worships; past tense: worshipped; past participle: worshipped; gerund or present participle: worshipping; past tense: worshiped; past participle: worshiped; gerund or present participle: worshiping
show reverence and adoration for (a deity); honor with religious rites.
"the Maya built jungle pyramids to worship their gods"
Similar:
revere
reverence
venerate
pay homage to
honor
adore
I think that clears up the definition.. Now what does scripture say...
1 Corinthians 10:14
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1 John 5:21
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Colossians 3:5
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Isaiah 45:20
20 “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.
Jonah 2:8
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.
Judges 10:14
14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”
Leviticus 19:4
4 “ ‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.
Psalm 16:4
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
Galatians 4:8
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
Revelation 9:20
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
Galatians 5:19-21
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Psalm 135:15-18
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 17 They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Exodus 20:3-6
3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Isaiah 44:9-20
9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. 10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? 11 People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame. 12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. 13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. 14 He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. 15 It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” 17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!” 18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. 19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” 20 Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
I think the Bible is clear on this....
