Does your religion have statues, crosses etc? How can that be okay in view of God's words at EXODUS 20:4,5?

Question

Dont say you don't worship them because they are in a house of worship and so God cannot be pleased with that can he?
Think about it - don't just accept it

Check up the Scripture in your Bible - it ISN'T okay to use any idols in our worship.

EVERYTHING in the Bible is there for a reason. Why would he have EXODUS 20 written down for us?
Incidently, these things are at the beginning of the list of commands

The Israelites claimed that they weren't worshiping the golden calf but were punished. That shows how God views this subject. They claimed they were worshiping God but just look at what happened to them.

Some people kiss their crosses, bow down to them or bow down to the statues making the sign of the cross - that is not right

When the Israelites made the golden calf they dedicated it to God. They would have said much the same as some of your answers (we aren't worshiping it, we just need it there) but they were punished by God. That's a lesson for us. Don't say you haven't been warned.

Also, 1 CORINTHIANS 10:14 says - Flee from idolatry.
It's a warning

To robespierres - where does it say that in the KJ version of the bible?
No - I didn't think so

Answer 1

Everyone keeps saying that just because these "symbols" or "reminders" or "objects" or, whatever you want to call them, are there that that doesn't mean you're actually worshipping them....and in fact are just there...like someone mentioned "carpeting...and lighting fixtures." But, it seems like most are just saying (in essence) well they're there, but whatever....we aren't worshipping them, so it's ok. Well, if they're not that big of a deal...then why have them at all? Why do they need to be part of the "decor"? One might say "because they serve as reminders" ...but one would think that once you know the story of Christs' death you wouldn't forget it.

By the way...Jesus Christ didn't die on a cross. The Greek word generally translated “cross” is stau·ros′. It basically means “an upright pale or stake.” The Companion Bible points out: “[Stau·ros′] never means two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle . . . There is nothing in the Greek of the [New Testament] even to imply two pieces of timber.” The apostle Paul said: ‘Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake [“a tree,” King James Version].’” (Galatians 3:13) Look it up.

Imagine you are a parent....and your child dies a very agonizing death...maybe he/she was stabbed to death many times over with a knife......would you wear a knife around your neck to serve as a "reminder" of what happend? If you wouldn't...would you want someone else to? Think about it.

I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses

Answer 2

According to Judaism, Idol worship is one of the 3 things that you should sacrifice yourself instead of doing it, along with murdering and prohibited relationships...
B.T.W- there was never a case of a disobedient child that had to be stoned,if you read the commentaries you will find that out. it is written in the bible but it has a lot deeper meaning than that.
and only a court of 71 old smart people was aloud to decide if to stone a man because not keeping the shabbat (by the way he did it in front of all the people because he sacrificed himself so everyone will see what happens to a person who doesn't keep the shabbat, and his 5 daughters were the only women who got a part in the land since land was given only to men) it says that if a court decided to stone someone in 70 years it was called a "murderers court", stoning didn't happen often as you can understand.
Peace.

Answer 3

There are also people in the church, yes? And carpeting?

I cannot speak for every denomination, but in my church we do not have any statues. There is a cross, but we do not worship it. It is a symbol and a part of the decor, much like the lighting fixtures.

Exodus 20 is talking about the creation of idols as a focus of one's life. It does not mean just the carvings we stick in a special place and bow down to. It would include anything we put before God; money, sex, work, even (and this is going to sound sacriligious) church. If people are praying to a cross or a statue, you have a valid point and they should correct that behavior.

Answer 4

Exodus is referring to anything "not of God". People in those days often had gold statues of cows or horses or even other gods they thought existed. The Bible refers to idols as anything that repesents the worship of something other than God. The cross is a reminder of the suffering and sacrifice Jesus endured for us. No one prays to the cross, and it is not worshiped. We pray in the name of Jesus. My church doesn't have a cross or statues of Jesus. It is decorated simply because it is a place of worship. I don't understand why so many people are offended by the cross though. Jesus died on the cross to save us all. It was God's will that He do so and I don't believe He would be offended by something that reminds us of His sacrifice and glory.

Answer 5

By your reasoning, the pews would be false idols or even the clothing people wear. I don't think God would be too happy with church nudity.

In all seriousness, the cross is a symbol not a God. It is a symbol of Christ's love for us and in that way the cross becomes a kind of worship of Christ by itself.

Answer 6

In my religion Islam it's forbidden to use any idoles or statues or any of those things, and we never but any statues or pictures of God or any of His prophets in our houses or Mosques (where the Muslims pray in)

Answer 7

You should read the St James bible. People do not worship crosses, but Jesus did say that images of him can be kept and God would bless people who have them. Don't be fooled by selective reading of the Bible that false preachers use to control their flock. Try to get the big picture.

Answer 8

yes we have statues of deities and celtic crosses and pentacles. In paganism this is not wrong, but we dont WORSHIP anything we HONOR instead. We use things such as athames and wands etc as a vechile to channel our energy and use it for a specific use.
the are just tools to help us humans reach the higher planes

Answer 9

"If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property"

So in your religion you would oppose punishment of someone who merely beat the **** out of a slave (just so long as it only took them a couple of days to recover)?

Answer 10

Islam has no idols or images of any sort. We worship God and god alone. Nothing more, nothing less. :)