Book of Exodus 20:
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.
...basicly don't worship graven images.
I'm wondering if worshiping graven images of things that represent heaven/God is against 2nd commandment, then why are Chrsitians sold rosery beads and crucifixes to help with prayer ( a form of worship)? Why are their churches are cover is stained glass windows and staues of heavenly people like Jesus and the Saints. All these acting as symbols to help facilitate a heavenly or religious experience while visiting such places. Please correct me if I'm wrong but to me this is a case of practice what you preach. I also don't intend to directly offend any Christians with this question. I'm curious as to what kind of reasoning could accountant of this contradiction.
2007-09-06 11:53:24 · 20 answers · asked by heattrap 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well first off rosery beads are mainly only for the catholic religion, which is just one part of Christianity. They use them to pray, not worship eaither so its not bad. My church has no saints, we don;t believe in them again that is only Catholics. The cross, I don't worship it I use it as a symbol to remember what Jesus did for me, and why I should devote my life to him.
Basically that verse is saying don't make anything to worship, only worship the lord. You need to read the whole thing and the whole thing is don't worship anything but God. I don't I use it as a reminder of how much God loves me.
2007-09-06 12:04:28 · answer #1 · answered by Ally... 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The thing you have wrong is this. We Catholics do not actually worship the image! We pray to the person that the image represents. And even that is not worship. The only person we worship is God. When I pray to the Blessed Mother I am not worshiping her. I am asking her to intercede to Jesus for me. I have found that that is a common misconception among Protestants.
And if it were true that all statues and images are wrong then why did God order the Israelites to make the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:8?
Hope that helps. God bless.
2007-09-06 12:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by Catholicgal 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus has come.
Christians are not under ANY law.
Christians do not make graven images for worship.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 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:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
The law describes graven images as those which are worshiped.
Christians do not make or worship theses images.
let's consider hat you might call a graven image as opposed to what God calls a graven image.
Would a photograph or a painting be a graven image any statue of anything?
God refers to those images that are worshiped. Merely making these graven images is sin.
You yourself conclude that meaning is not to worship graven images. Christians clearly do not worship graven images nor do they make them.
2007-09-06 12:11:47 · answer #3 · answered by djmantx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You asked to be corrected if you are wrong, so I will try to do that for you. The key is, "to bow down and worship them."
Based on what you have written, I think you may have a skewed idea of what it means to worship. Are you saying that merely looking at something is an act of worship? Some church buildings do have beautiful stained glass windows. They are nice to look at and admire the craftsmanship that went into creating them. Doing so may even remind us of the beauty of God's creation and His worthiness to be worshipped, but I do not think that looking at or admiring anything equates to worship. Now, about things like beads helping with prayer or stained glass windows giving some kind of experience, I would disagree that they are being viewed as an object of worship any more than someone looking at the tv guide is worshipping it. God is still the object of worship, not the beads or the windows. If we were to throw out all of the things that may help us to focus on God and worship Him I guess we would have to throw out the bible too. So, obviously that is not God's intent in the 2nd commandment. His intent has to be that He be the only object of our worship.
I agree with you that some denominations seem to violate the 2nd commandment, but I will let God deal with that and only be concerned with my own house.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!"
God bless you.
2007-09-06 12:16:32 · answer #4 · answered by the sower 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are so right and what about the first commandment thou shall have no other gods before me. All the Christian churches have Jesus in the first position, hardly ever speak of God. But then this is the Christian Church. Is there a way to get a religion going for God alone! Wonder if I am speaking of JW here. I don't know of it and from what little I know I don't think this is what I have in mind.
2007-09-06 12:04:44 · answer #5 · answered by plyjanney 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been to hundreds of "Christian Churches".
I have never seen graven images, or idols in a Christian Church.
Roman catholics have statues, which they will claim do not violate 2nd Commandment. HOwever, there was this little event called the Reformation, in which Christians broke away from Rome - partly because of this, and today still are critical of Rome for allowing it.
So, your question is based on a flawed assumption.
2007-09-06 12:03:03 · answer #6 · answered by TEK 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You've made a fundamental error in your quaint argument. Christians are not a party to the old covenant law. Only Israel was. Secondly, Scripture points out that Jesus was the God of the old covenant incarnate, and that He came to reveal the Father. So there is no case of worshiping another God/god. If you are going to bash another religion, the least you could do is your homework so you know what you are talking about.
2016-04-03 07:40:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cross can be a symbol without being an idol. Yes, most churches have crosses, paintings, etc in them. What would make those things idols is if the congregation knelt down in front of them and worshiped. I have not been in a church that has done that.
2007-09-06 11:57:59 · answer #8 · answered by The Apple Chick 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am not a Catholic, but there is a difference between Catholics having those things and worshiping those things. Nothing wrong with a statue of Jesus. Idolatry is in the heart!
2007-09-06 12:01:49 · answer #9 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the ark of the covenant in the old testament contained gold cherubim angels-"images from above". Christians aren't supposed to worship anything but God. Statues, etc. are only meant to guide and direct our senses to our prayer-To God, that's all. God bless.
2007-09-06 11:59:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋