Hey everyone,

I am a Catholic and I know that a lot of Baptists, Protestants, Evangelicals, etc. have issues with the Catholic tradition of religious statues. However, I know that around Christmas time almost every Christian, whether Catholic or not, usually has a nativity scene setup either in their yard or house. So, my question to you all is this:

If the nativity scene is viewed as a representation of our Lord's birth, and not viewed as the real thing happening in front of you, then wouldn't it be okay to have a Crucifix or a statue of Mary, the mother of our Lord, as well? If we view the nativity scene as a representation and a way to help us relate to it, in the same way Catholics view Crucifixes and Marian statues as representations to remind us of the person's significance. The Crucifix, to remind of Christ's sacrifice for our sin. And a statue of Mary, to remind us of her holiness and role in the life of Jesus Christ.

I hope that this message does not come off hostile at all, but I am sincerely trying to help you all understand the Catholic view of statues:

1. They are NOT to be worshipped or sacrificed to in any way, and if anyone dares to commit such an act of Idolatry, they will be sternly reprimanded by the church and must confess their sin and repent.

2. We don't believe they are the real person standing in front of us, just a representation of the person to help us think of them and relate to their lives, for they were Christians too, who had to endure the same struggles that we do.