Sometimes I hear fundies saying that Catholic artwork (statues, paintings, etc.) is "idolatry", which I know is bad scripture interpretation to put it nicely, or a load of crap to put it bluntly. But I purchased the movie "The Agony and the Ecstasy" starring Charlton Heston as Michaeangelo, and I thought about the love and the toil that he and others put into their art for the sake of beauty and for the glory of God. It made me wonder if people really know what they are saying when they denounce such beauty. I know it was just a movie, but it was very moving.
Has anyone ever seen "The Agony and the Ecstasy"? If not, I highly recommend it. The best parts are at the end. Here is a link to it: http://www.amazon.com/Agony-Ecstasy-Charlton-Heston/dp/B0006GANX2
Also, here is a Youtube link to video of Michaelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RvQG_X0fL9g
If any of you have seen the movie, I'd like to hear your comments
2007-09-05 10:00:03 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm sure there are some who see it that way (as idolatry) but then I also see quite a few evangelicals put up a Nativity scene at Christmas (including a figure of Mary!). I wonder how many spend a few minutes contemplating the figures and thinking about our Lord's birth -- certainly isn't worship, so how they differentiate between that and how a Catholic sees a religious statue is beyond me.
Then there are all of the really nice, inspirational posters and wall plaques and figurines in places like the Family Christian Bookstores. Do people buy these images for their homes but scrupulously avoid looking at them, lest they cross that line into worshipping images? I doubt it, and if so then why have them in the first place?
They're reminders ... oh, that's right.
And so it is with the religious art and statuary in my own home.
2007-09-05 13:59:25 · answer #1 · answered by Clare † 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Haven't seen the film, so I can't comment there. But Christian art is certainly not "idolatry". Christian art has been recovered in rather early archaeological digs, suggesting that the early Christians weren't exactly opposed to it. It seems as if some people these days are obsessed with removing anything that's even remotely aesthetic from their churches. If it's beautiful, out the window it goes. I'm very spiritually inspired by Christian art and the works of the Christian classical composers. I feel that beauty in the arts is a gift to mankind, and there's no shame in using it to the greater glory of God.
2007-09-05 10:09:29 · answer #2 · answered by solarius 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, those who say that our use religious art is idolatry are like the Pharisees who criticized Jesus for what He did and never stopped to think why Jesus was doing those things. Those people only look at actions and then make judgements about a person's motives. They think they are godlike for being able to tellwhat is in a person's heart by looking at his hands.
The reasons the protestants removed the religious art from their places of worship was because the Catholics had those things. They also discaded 5 sacraments, 7 books from the Bible and the Real Presence of Jesus Christ from their Communion.
So sad.
2007-09-05 10:10:47 · answer #3 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i haven't seen the movie, but i know that Michaelangleo was so dedicated that he almost drove himself insane painting it.
then he had a back problem or something, so he had to hoist himslef or something?
2007-09-05 10:03:57 · answer #4 · answered by Quailman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋