in order to not be accused of worshiping statues? I mean how far away from it do you have to be in order to be SAFE?
2007-10-06 04:54:07 · 5 answers · asked by Midge 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If you realize that you are praying to God and not the statues then go ahead and pray (but then I am Catholic).
Statues and paintings of Jesus and the saints are just like pictures of the people we love and respect.
The King James Version of the Bible states in Exodus 20:4: "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"
Why were the Jews commanded not to make graven images? Graven images were the standard method of pagan worship. They were representations of false gods.
This is a very clear command.
However God commanded the Jews in Exodus 25:18 and 1 Chronicles 28:18–19, "And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them"
And in 1 Kings chapter 7 Solomon made bulls and other images out of precious metals.
It seems obvious that the Jews did not worship the cherubims and Solomon did not worship the bulls he had made. These images did not violate the command of God. Therefore, an image not made for worship is acceptable.
In Numbers 21:8-9, "And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered."
And in John 3:14-15, Jesus says in correlation, "And just as Moses lifted up the [image of a] serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
How can a statue of our Lord Jesus Christ dead on the cross be considered an idol to a false god? A crucifix is the message of the Gospel without words held up for all to see, a visual reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus, no different from a painting, a play, or a movie.
How can a nativity set set up in your house to constantly remind you and teach your children of God's love for use be idolotry?
Catholics do not worship statues but the almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
With love in Christ.
2007-10-06 05:12:41 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. Just like statues of saints, they are not for worship, but for reverence. Only the Holy Trinity can be worshiped.
2007-10-06 12:02:50 · answer #2 · answered by Tasha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You do what you feel right about worship and prayer.
You are not worshipping an idol when you glorify the birth of the greatest man who ever lived.
Stay in the house.
He will understand.
2007-10-06 12:00:13 · answer #3 · answered by Stupidity Personified 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the worshipping of idols that is warned against in the Bible, not using representations of God and His Family as a visual aid to think and meditate on God's wonder and love.
2007-10-06 12:00:44 · answer #4 · answered by Raymo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you EVER have to leave to pray?
People can (and should) pray everywhere and anywhere.
In the car, while waiting for a light, when good things happen, when good things happen for others, any time, any where.
You are not praying to statues. You are praying, period.
2007-10-06 11:59:10 · answer #5 · answered by chris_at_lucas 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋