Is painting or sculpting an image of Jesus idolatry? Were Leonardo and Michelangelo idolaters? Is visiting an art museum an act of idolatry? I'm wondering where the modern-day puritans would draw the line.
Here what idol means:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idol
And here's what idolatry means:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idolatry
2007-10-11 11:35:19 · 16 answers · asked by Bruce 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Following Fr. K's many references, were the Hebrews idolaters when then made golden cherubim, bronze serpents, and images of oxen and lions to be place in the temple?
2007-10-11 11:54:58 · update #1
Well.....if they actually ARE Puritans and read their Scriptures...then they surely would have come across these:
Deut. 4:15 - from this verse, Protestants say that since we saw "no form" of the Lord, we should not make graven images of Him.
Deut. 4:16 - of course, in early history Israel was forbidden to make images of God because God didn't yet reveal himself visibly "in the form of any figure."
Deut. 4:17-19 - hence, had the Israelites depicted God not yet revealed, they might be tempted to worship Him in the form of a beast, bird, reptile or fish, which was a common error of the times.
Exodus 3:2-3; Dan 7:9; Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 2:3- later on, however, we see that God did reveal himself in visible form (as a dove, fire, etc).
Deut. 5:8 - God's commandment "thou shall not make a graven image" is entirely connected to the worship of false gods. God does not prohibit images to be used in worship, but He prohibits the images themselves to be worshiped.
Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31 - for example, God commands the making of the image of a golden cherubim. This heavenly image, of course, is not worshiped by the Israelites. Instead, the image disposes their minds to the supernatural and draws them to God.
Num. 21:8-9 - God also commands the making of the bronze serpent. The image of the bronze serpent is not an idol to be worshiped, but an article that lifts the mind to the supernatural.
I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67 - Solomon's temple contains statues of cherubim and images of cherubim, oxen and lions. God did not condemn these images that were used in worship.
2 Kings 18:4 - it was only when the people began to worship the statue did they incur God's wrath, and the king destroyed it. The command prohibiting the use of graven images deals exclusively with the false worship of those images.
1 Chron. 28:18-19 - David gives Solomon the plan for the altar made of refined gold with a golden cherubim images. These images were used in the Jews' most solemn place of worship.
2 Chron. 3:7-14 - the house was lined with gold with elaborate cherubim carved in wood and overlaid with gold.
Ezek. 41:15 - Ezekiel describes graven images in the temple consisting of carved likenesses of cherubim. These are similar to the images of the angels and saints in many Catholic churches.
Col. 1:15 - the only image of God that Catholics worship is Jesus Christ, who is the "image" (Greek "eikon") of the invisible God.
2007-10-11 11:43:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Answering your questions in order:
Is a painting or sculpture of Jesus an idol?
No, it might be a work of art, or it might be a sentimental image, but clearly not an idol.
Is prayer before a painting or sculpture of Jesus idolatry?
Almost certainly not. I have never heard of anyone praying TO an artwork or statue. Inferring idolatry on the basis of proximity sounds like bigotry to me.
Is painting or sculpting an image of Jesus idolatry?
Not at all. What better subject could an artist choose?
Were Leonardo and Michelangelo idolaters?
No. These Renaissance men were among the greatest artists in history.
Is visiting an art museum an act of idolatry?
Of course not. It is an act of aesthetics, though.
This has to be one of the silliest claims Puritans make.
CDF
2007-10-12 11:33:20 · answer #2 · answered by christiandefenderfaith 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Artwork, be it a sculpture or painting, is not wrong. These are simply physical representations of a person, place or thing.
Prayer before a piece of artwork, like a picture of Jesus, is not idolatry so long as the person is directly their prayers to Jesus and only using the picture as a reference point. Now, if I were to kneel in front of a painting of flowers, bow down and praise them in worship - "Ohhhh holy flowers" - that would be idolatry. I would be giving the adoration due only to God to an object or thing.
Praying to Jesus and simply using a crucifix, painting or statue as a reference point is not idolatry, because the prayer is to Jesus and not the object.
2007-10-12 03:29:08 · answer #3 · answered by Danny H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That depends on what you believe. When the mesopotamians were worshipping the golden calf, they believed that it was their god. It wasn't a representation of their god, it was their literal god. This type of believe has been very common in the near east. The Egyptians believed that the statues of their gods and goddesses would become animated at times and actually have the ability to walk and move around! If you were in a Church, and the crucifix fell and broke and you thought that meant that Christ was hurt, then you are using it as an idol. Otherwise, you are probably OK. A statue of any thing could be an idol, but only if you are worshipping the statue itself.
2016-04-08 03:54:54 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that worshiping icons or statues IS idolatry!
Artist create a sculpture or an icon, not necessarily worship it. Of course going to admire art treasures in a museum or a church is not idolatry!
2007-10-11 22:32:33 · answer #5 · answered by constantina B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only if that is your intention. In otherwords, it could have a picture of anything, or nothing and you came to worship the canvass or rock itself, rather than using the image as a reminder of Jesus, just as you could look at a photograph of your deceased parents and remember them with fond memories. It's not the photograph itself, but what's behind the image in the photograph of real people.
2007-10-11 12:04:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you were to pray to the painting and hoped that it did something for you, then that would be an idol and idolatry. Appreciating art is not idol worship.
2007-10-11 11:40:55 · answer #7 · answered by Future Citizen of Forvik 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I personally believe so. No one knows what Jesus even looked like. I see paintings all the time of Jesus with white skin and blue eyes. That is hardly possible! He was a Jew and he lived in the middle east!
And prayer before a painting or a sculpture IS idolotry.
2007-10-11 11:42:19 · answer #8 · answered by Petina 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
What can you say to those tv personalities? Are you not going to give any comment.?
Or maybe I prefer to build a Kingdom of God in which to destroy sin.
Face lift, bust lift, Sex change etc. What are your reaction on that? We need an help.
2007-10-11 18:58:15 · answer #9 · answered by arnie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok
here is what i think
you remember when jesus said take this bread and eat for rememberance of my body that was broken for you...(paraphrase)
so are you saying that every time we do this at church we idolize the bread?
no
so if you have a statue or a pic or a cross around your neck only for rememberance of him i think its cool
2007-10-11 11:40:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋