What is the diiference between statues and stained glass windows?

Question

I have seen many times on here that the catholics are accused of worshipping false idols because they have statues and pictures of Jesus, Mary and saints in their churches.

I just asked the question "Do protestant churches have stained glass windows? What do they depict?"

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvtV37LFkEo_kspOkXXk0dTd7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20071029141956AATfmOv

Most of the answers were yes, they depict saints, biblical scenes etc.

Can someone explain to me what the is difference please?

Answer 1

Of course, there is no difference between the two except the style that the representation uses.

The difference, however, is enough to get different sects at each others throats as usual over the most stupid and mundane issues.

Answer 2

In the foundations of Christianity, the majority of Christians were not literate. The only way to be literate for a long period of time was to become a priest or lawyer. So, in order to help the people who were more visual instead of aural listeners, they used statues and windows to depict important figures and Biblical scenes. This way, the laypeople would still know about their beliefs without having to go through the hassle of learning how to read.
Why they're still used today is more of a tradition and beautifying process than anything. Individuals may seem like they're worshiping these depictions, but churches tend to get people to worship or just learn who/what is depicted instead of the image itself.

Answer 3

Both statues and stained glass windows can show religious images, and both elicit a puritanical zeal to iconoclasm in those who have not understood scripture.

There is no biblical prohibition against creating images in stained glass or by sculpture. The injunction is against making idols (man-made gods) and worshiping them.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ex%2020:3-6;&version=31;

In the Old Testament, the Lord commands the making of statues: "And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. . . .The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be" (Ex. 25:18–20).

Was God an idolater?

Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the actions of Jesus and the saints. Just as it helps to remember your spouse or parent by looking at his or her photograph, so it helps to remember the work of Jesus and the saints by looking at pictures, sculptures, and stained glass. Protestants understand this idea when they put up sculpted nativity scenes at Christmas.

Catholics worship only God, in the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They ask for intercession from, but do not pray to saints, including Mary, the Mother of God. Prayer in the sense of adoration, confession, supplication, and praise is directed only to God.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 4

Catholic here. I suspect the difference is that protestants never pray to the saint or Blessed Virgin depicted in the stained glass.

Answer 5

One is three-dimensional, while the other is not. I'm Catholic, so I supposed the 360-degree viewpoint of a statue makes me a false-God worshiper.

The thing to remember is "Thou shalt have no graven images" was referring to replicas of other, false Gods. As a Catholic, I view a beautiful statue of Christ as a way of paying homage to him. When I kneel before it, I'm not praying to the stone - I'm praying to the spirit represented by it.

And besides, I really don't give a rat's a*s what anybody else thinks. People need to learn to mind their own business every once in awhile.

Answer 6

Protestants don't revere/venerate/ pray to or light candles to stained glass windows--they're just for decoration.

Answer 7

Well what happened was God said, "Let there be no other God before me." Then the Christians started to praying to Jesus and made him into a god. The Catholics started praying to some women they all claimed gave birth even though she was a virgin, and somet weird invention called the Holy Ghost, whatever. Then again not even sure that the Holy Ghost phenomonen is Catholic. It may be some other denomination, praying to lots of different things even though their god said, "There shall be no other God before me, unless it's a virgin woman, a stained glass window or someone claiming to be my son."

No he didn't give you that leeway, did he. He said, no other Gods. And what do you do. Go inventing as many things to pray to as you can, and hardly ever mention god.
Hope that helps you to understand

Answer 8

statues are 3 dimensional.

Answer 9

The only difference i know of is one needs a stone the other a sledge hammer!!!!

Answer 10

Statues can come alive at night and get you if you don't keep them in your sight...that's the difference.