No the pictures do not speak for "itself." You're simply projecting your made up false interpretation of what's occurring in the form of a false assertion onto them as if it were true. In other words, knowingly or unknowingly, you are lying.
The statement was made based on experienced and a continuation of applying the logic of previous discussion that Catholics worship what the statue represents, in this case the statue of Mary. the present of the word "if" shows that the statement is conditional...It maybe an interpretation but it is not lying (knowingly or unknowingly)
I have a picture of a family member here. If I bow my head in front of the picture and pray to God asking Him to protect and bless my family member does that equate to me worshipping my family member as an idol in the place of God? Of course not.
as said before you can have any photos, pictures in your house as long as it is not a subject of worship or adoration.
Your example as having a family pictures in front of you....
the your family pictures does not represent the God you are praying to and the picture is the exact picture of your family.
comparing this to the calf:
The Israelites made a calf and as they worship God, They believe it represent God. totally different.
The pictures with the statue of a woman however, bear a similarity with the Israelites and the calf.
It is clear that they performing a religious rites and there is no doubt that what in the hearts of those who kneel before the statue that it represents mary...and as special devotion was given to mary by the catechism. The assumption is they were praying to Mary...
Though Catholics devote a great deal of their religious life to the worship of God through prayer, Catholics are not instructed to worship Mary or the Saints. They are instructed to worship God and Him alone. Despite Mary holding an exalted but not deified position in Catholic theology (e.g. she is able to approach the Son with requests and petitions), Catholic theology is perfectly clear that she is not to be worshipped and furthermore that only the triune God can be worshipped.
The Israelites are instructed to Worship God alone too. and yet they committed idolatry.
the catechism quoted by 7seven7 through para 969 shows that the Church have given mary the title that only belong to Christ...and thereby (silently) sharing the glory that belong to our Lord Jesus.
and to add, Nowhere in the bible you can find mary resurrection, but in this catechism it is clear that mary was already resurrected...
974 The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.
975 "We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ" (Paul VI,
CPG § 15).
Since that is explicit Catholic doctrine, not to be confused with your own misunderstanding and false assertions to the contrary, please provide empirical evidence from Catholic doctrine that Catholics are instructed to worship Mary.
A direct worship to Mary cannot be found in the catechism...as you cannot find the word trinity in the bible...
As you have stated..a SPECIAL DEVOTION WAS GIVEN TO MARY...
The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.
As previously said...a woman statue is good but a calf is too obvious...
