because of Exodus 20:4 (Thou shalt not make . . . any likeness of any thing . . . that is in the earth"? I know when TV came out, it was sometimes called "the devil's box."
2007-09-04 11:08:00 · 6 answers · asked by Cee T 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
It probably never was widespread, but there are STILL religious sects right here in the USA who allow no photography. The Amish, for one, the Jehovah Witnesses, and probably others that I don't know about.
2007-09-05 02:09:51 · answer #1 · answered by Ara57 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am guessing that you want to know if it was a common perception that there was something wrong with photography among preachers and therefore a subject that they would commonly speak out on.
The answer is no. There are various reasons for that. One is that photography brought the possibility of life like affordable portraiture to the common man. Portrait painting was already culturally established as was religious paintings depicting the Saints and line art illustrations in the Bible of important events. Doesn't leave much room for speaking out against it.
Also, as was pointed out by another respondent, it is a prohibition against images that could be representative of a living thing and used for worship. The other religions of the time used animals to represent various gods and carvings and statues of them were worshiped.
There probably were some religious looney tunes who did preach against photography, just as there are religious looney tunes who preach against a lot of other stuff today. It was never significant or mainstream.
Vance
2007-09-04 22:43:46 · answer #2 · answered by Seamless_1 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wonder if they really did? They might have. I know that at one point in the 19th century there was an anti-dance movement. So all is possible.
But I think that that quote wouldn't really apply very much. I mean, in full the quote says that they shouldn't make any likeness of anything on earth (and bla bla...) and IDOLIZE it. Unless they twisted it in some way or another it wouldn't apply to just making pictures.
2007-09-04 13:45:13 · answer #3 · answered by dreamergirl_ks 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Loonies call it the "devil box" photographers call it a "camera". A reflection in a pond is a likeness, a shadow is a likeness and twin is a likeness
It is how you look at it, some people need to get a grip.
The A-bomb, now that's a devil box
2007-09-04 11:28:10 · answer #4 · answered by Mike 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I didn't want to answer this question because I think, as long as race and religion matter to us, there will alway be something the matter with us. But to answer your question, I'm sure it was. The church seems to fear anything it does not understand. Sorry I know this is not the answer you're looking for.
2007-09-04 11:57:38 · answer #5 · answered by positivevibes420 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to go back and re-read the verse. It says nothing like what you've typed.
It refers to making idols and worshipping them.
2007-09-04 14:41:05 · answer #6 · answered by gryphon1911 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋