Give your unbiased opinion please.
2007-10-31 02:44:17 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The commandment about “graven images” is one of the most misunderstood scriptures. Consider Exodus 25: 18-19: “And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends.” Here, God is commanding that images be made!
So is God contradicting himself? First he say don’t make a graven image, and then he orders graven images to be made?
No, he is not contradicting himself. The problem is that folks have misinterpreted the words “graven image.”
According to Strong’s Concordance, the original Hebrew words that were translated into “graven image” referred to idols (Here is the concordance link: http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexic...
Therefore, also, statues in Catholic Churches are not a violation of the commandment either. They are not idols, because they are not false Gods. My Church has a statue of an angel, just like God commanded the Israelites to make. We have a statue of Jesus, who is CERTAINLY not a false God. We have statues of saints because they are heroes of the faith, not gods - just like America has statues of its heroes - Washington, Lincoln, etc. - and those are not idols either.
Bottom line: The commandments forbid images of false idols or false gods, but there is nothing wrong with beautiful artwork of Jesus, Mary, or angels.
The problem is one of bias and mis-understanding among Christians which in this day and age should be resolved.
2007-10-31 02:51:08 · answer #1 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Idols are things/persons one worships in the place of God. All the images that society has of God are from a human perspective....so if we depict God in a certain image and carry this image in our mind, i don't think we are idolizing necessarily, just carrying around a limited human perspective of God---which should be checked at all times....it becomes idolatry when that image/thing becomes God to the beholder.
2007-10-31 09:52:13 · answer #2 · answered by Neenie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how they're used. If someone worships a picture or statue, it's idolatry, condemned by the Catholic Church. If they use the picture or statue merely as a focus for prayer to the actual person (Jesus, Mary, etc.) it's useful. No more a sin than keeping a photo of grandma on the dresser.
2007-10-31 09:56:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Hebrew it describes how to make a tabernacle, including the iconic images.
2007-10-31 10:19:50 · answer #4 · answered by Cathi K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. I do not fall down and worship them as an idol..the are in the realm of art.
2007-10-31 09:47:09 · answer #5 · answered by PROBLEM 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. I'd be more worried about some "earthly" things like money, fame, power, etc. I guess if someone had an image that they coveted, craved, would do anything to have.
2007-10-31 09:52:25 · answer #6 · answered by Kay3535 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only when Jesus is a blue -eyed white guy with long straight hair. I hear all those from Palestine look like that. Well, when painted by blue -eyed white guys with long straight hair, they are.
2007-10-31 09:48:57 · answer #7 · answered by Captain Cod 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
No, we don't worship or pray to them.
2007-10-31 09:48:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i dont worship people. only God.
2007-10-31 09:47:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋