I read an article by Wali Shoebat:- The Most Powerful Evidence To Prove That Prayers To Saints Is Part Of Christianity and thought it would be good to start a discussion here on why as Christians we shouldn't pray to Saints?

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Colin Murray

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before the true God.
2. Jesus is Lord, the only mediator between God and man, the only high priest.
3. Jesus did not pray to saints.
4. Even angels refuse worship. Receiving prayer is receiving worship.
5. No biblical precedent exists, no biblical history exists, no apostolic teaching exists to suggest saints intercede, pray or have power to do anything.


Edit....and when I say saints, I mean dead Christians.

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Tim

This guy is probably a fake ex muslim turned catholic raking in the dough.
JP post exposed him as a pseudo former terrorist will no corroborating
evidence regarding his past life. The money send to him is money well wasted,

The article uses poor logic to make the case. It is more an exposition about praying FOR the dead, and adds things here and there that are NOT biblical to talk about praying TO the saints.

The obvious reasons that we should not pray to the dead have already been stated.

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Natalie

There is the subtle twist that I saw as well - He names it "The Most Powerful Evidence To Prove That Prayers To Saints Is Part Of Christianity" then uses verses about praying for the dead to prove the point, along with bits of clay from the catacombs, verses from the maccabees..

I will tell you one thing the moderators on here are angelic in there character compared to the Mods on that site..

Another thing I noted is that the spirit behind Catholicism is very unclean; there was times I was feeing physically sick - while researching to refute different points and I have stomach of steel after spending the last 14 years going back and forth to Africa.

However it was good to read what the reformers had to say - it was like a cool refreshing drink.

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Colin Murray

It seems to me the Catholic perspective is distinct from the Eastern Orthodox perspective.

Catholics pray to saints.
EO look to the lives of the saints/martyrs as examples what God's kingdom/way is like.

I could be wrong but it seems that the Catholics took an extreme stance on the model life of the saints but the EO took a healthier view.

Finally, when it comes to 'should we pray to them', my question is strongly 'what is the fruit in the lives of those that do'. Are you praying to them or to God as a scapegoat? Or are your praying to abound in love and the fruit of the Spirit?

With ignorance or with knowledge, prayer starts with the heart. Motives matter. God is big enough to answer your prayer whether we have an accurate belief system or inaccurate.