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Christians who kneel and bow before representations of Mary and the saints whom God created for His glory <ref>[http://biblehub.com/isaiah/43-7.htm Isaiah 43:7]</ref> and glorified <ref>Romans 8:30</ref> maintain that these representations are no more than representations, worthy of respect for what and who they represent and symbolize, and dedicated to God.<ref>See the following articles:

Christians who kneel and bow before representations of Mary and the saints whom God created for His glory <ref>[http://biblehub.com/isaiah/43-7.htm Isaiah 43:7]</ref> and glorified <ref>Romans 8:30</ref> maintain that these representations are no more than representations, worthy of respect for what and who they represent and symbolize, and dedicated to God.<ref>See the following articles:

*[https://joyintruth.com/do-catholics-bow-down-to-statues-and-worship-saints/ Do Catholics Bow Down To Statues And Worship Saints?, by Deacon Frederick Bartels (joyintruth.com)]

*[https://joyintruth.com/do-catholics-bow-down-to-statues-and-worship-saints/ Do Catholics Bow Down To Statues And Worship Saints?, by Deacon Frederick Bartels (joyintruth.com)]

*[https://lifeteen.com/blog/why-do-catholics-pray-to-statues/ Why do Catholics pray to statues? - Life Teen (lifeteen.com)]</ref> They are called "sacramentals", helps to devotional spirituality toward the worship of God.<ref>[https://www.catholicsacramentals.org/statues Catholic Sacramentals: Statues ''It is right to warn people against the sin of idolatry when they are committing it. But calling Catholics idolaters because they have images of Christ and the saints is based on misunderstanding or ignorance of what the Bible says about the purpose and uses (both good and bad) of statues.'' (catholicsacramentals.org)] The approved use of religious images commanded by God in the Bible, and at the same time the prohibition of ''worshiping'' them as gods.</ref>  

*[https://lifeteen.com/blog/why-do-catholics-pray-to-statues/ Why do Catholics pray to statues? - Life Teen (lifeteen.com)]</ref> They are called "sacramentals", helps to devotional spirituality toward the worship of God.<ref>[https://www.catholicsacramentals.org/statues '''Catholic Sacramentals: Statues''' "''It is right to warn people against the sin of idolatry when they are committing it. But calling Catholics idolaters because they have images of Christ and the saints is based on misunderstanding or ignorance of what the Bible says about the purpose and uses (both good and bad) of statues.''" (catholicsacramentals.org)] The approved use of religious images commanded by God in the Bible, and at the same time the prohibition of ''worshiping'' them as gods.</ref>  

According to what they have been taught, all honor and reverence shown to the representations and symbols of the saints of the Lord detracts in no way from the worship and honor of God who has honored them for their honor of Him <ref>"detracts in no way from the worship and honor of God". See [http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgies/cozby_honoring_God.html Honoring God's Work, by V. Rev. Fr. Dimitry Cozby, St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Church, San Antonio, TX - Orthodox Research Institute (orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)].</ref>, and is referred by the unseen intention of the heart to the person of the saint who honors God and is in heaven praying and worshiping with the adoration of ''latria'' before Him. They say that they are not [[Superstition|superstitiously]] worshiping the images themselves for their own sake as sacred objects ([[Idolatry|idols]]) to be stupidly and unthinkingly worshiped with the adoration of ''latria'', icons and mosaics and frescoes and paintings and glass windows and statues and "holy cards". The [[crucifix]] was shown to the Galatians by Paul to stimulate their reverence for Christ.<ref>See [http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-1.htm multiple versions of Galatians 3:1]</ref> And they have been taught to show devout reverence to the bodily remains of great saints who died for their testimony to Jesus.<ref>Revelation 6:9; 12:11. See [https://forums.catholic.com/t/how-is-praying-to-the-saints-not-necromancy/242146/7 How is praying to the saints not necromancy? (forums.catholic.com)]</ref> "''Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh upon the heart''"<ref>From 1 Samuel 16:7.</ref> They offer the [[analogy]] of a man or woman or child looking at a picture of their loved one. They do not love the piece of card stock on which it is printed for itself alone, they do not love the electronic device displaying the image as if it is alive, they love the person represented by these things. Yet they also treat with respect the picture they have because of their affection for what it represents, and are saddened if the picture is destroyed, damaged or lost. And there are people who go to a cemetery and sit or kneel next to the memorial marker and talk to their departed loved one as if they were able to hear them, even if only as symbolic act of love, and yet are not guilty of committing idolatry with the memorial marker.  

According to what they have been taught, all honor and reverence shown to the representations and symbols of the saints of the Lord detracts in no way from the worship and honor of God who has honored them for their honor of Him <ref>"detracts in no way from the worship and honor of God". See [http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgies/cozby_honoring_God.html Honoring God's Work, by V. Rev. Fr. Dimitry Cozby, St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Church, San Antonio, TX - Orthodox Research Institute (orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)].</ref>, and is referred by the unseen intention of the heart to the person of the saint who honors God and is in heaven praying and worshiping with the adoration of ''latria'' before Him. They say that they are not [[Superstition|superstitiously]] worshiping the images themselves for their own sake as sacred objects ([[Idolatry|idols]]) to be stupidly and unthinkingly worshiped with the adoration of ''latria'', icons and mosaics and frescoes and paintings and glass windows and statues and "holy cards". The [[crucifix]] was shown to the Galatians by Paul to stimulate their reverence for Christ.<ref>See [http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-1.htm multiple versions of Galatians 3:1]</ref> And they have been taught to show devout reverence to the bodily remains of great saints who died for their testimony to Jesus.<ref>Revelation 6:9; 12:11. See [https://forums.catholic.com/t/how-is-praying-to-the-saints-not-necromancy/242146/7 How is praying to the saints not necromancy? (forums.catholic.com)]</ref> "''Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh upon the heart''"<ref>From 1 Samuel 16:7.</ref> They offer the [[analogy]] of a man or woman or child looking at a picture of their loved one. They do not love the piece of card stock on which it is printed for itself alone, they do not love the electronic device displaying the image as if it is alive, they love the person represented by these things. Yet they also treat with respect the picture they have because of their affection for what it represents, and are saddened if the picture is destroyed, damaged or lost. And there are people who go to a cemetery and sit or kneel next to the memorial marker and talk to their departed loved one as if they were able to hear them, even if only as symbolic act of love, and yet are not guilty of committing idolatry with the memorial marker.