part 2 Catholic friends have you read the legend of the first icon?

Eza:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them..." (Ex. 20:3-5)

Initially, this verse appears to ban all "graven" things, which is often interpreted as statues. This further seems to apply to statues of the angels, saints, and Jesus, since it clearly says "heaven above". However, two things must be considered. First, the remainder of the verse bans adoring (commonly interpreted as "bowing down") and serving the images. Thus, it is clear that the images themselves are not problematic, but only the worship of the images. Second, pagan peoples in the time of Israel worshipped quite literally the heavenly bodies. (See Deut. 17:2-5) Thus, the reference in the commandment is clearly to things such as the sun, moon, and stars rather than Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Throughout the Scripture, examples abound of statues and images that do not violate the commandment. The most patently obvious are the arc of the covenant and the temple. (Ex. 25:10-22; I Kings 6). What is most fascinating about these examples is that they were adorned with enormous ornate angels and, in the case of the temple, 12 golden oxen. Naturally, it was God Himself who ordered the creation of these images.

Perhaps the most shocking example occurs when the Jews, wandering through the desert, began complaining against the Lord. God sent venomous snakes that bit the people for their wickedness. When they repented, God told Moses, "'Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.'" (Numbers 21:8) That is precisely what happened. This may be contrasted with the experiences of these same wicked people only a few years earlier. When Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people became impatient and made a golden calf to worship. God had many of them killed for this wickedness. (Ex. 32) Why should they look upon the image of a snake and live, but create a calf and die?

Not only are there various examples of icons and images, but also of venerated relics and objects. One of the most amazing examples is where some Israelites threw a dead man into Elisha's tomb, and when he touched the bones of the prophet, he was raised to life! (II Kings 13:21) Another example would be where the women touched Jesus' cloak and was healed. (Matt. 9:20-22) Perhaps more directly analogous to the Catholic use of relics, consider that the people used to take hankerchiefs and aprons that had merely touched the apostle Paul, and when they were brought to the sick, the sick would be healed! (Acts 19:11-12) There are innumerable Biblical examples of veneration of relics and miraculacous occurences associated with relics, but this will have to suffice.

Catholic life is filled with the richness of God's grace because faithful Catholics recognize that such grace is dispensed in so many ways. Through prayer, people, and even objects. The objects are decidedly not the summit of Catholic life. They are, however, conduits of that abounding grace, as clearly demonstrated by Scripture. The freedom to accept this grace without feeling stigmatized comes when you recognize that the object itself is not important, but rather the fact that God is using the object to bless people! Just as God uses individuals as instruments of His goodness (though individuals have intrinsic value), so He uses relics of His holy Saints to bless us. The next time you see a Catholic relic or icon, remember to whom it is meant to direct you, and freely accept the abounding grace that our Lord has to offer.

Idolatry. These books didnt make it nowhere near the bible because they were inspired by man and not by God. Anyone would write anything. Iconolatry is idolatry and it is not accepted by God. God is to be worshipped by Spirit.

No I haven't, nor have I read your long post. But many thanks for asking.