I'll take only yes or no....all else will be regarded as a lame justification attempt and scripture warping....
2007-10-31 08:10:30 · 14 answers · asked by Lex Fok B.M.F. 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yeah, they are. Of course, so was the Ark of the Covenant, the holiest object in all of Judaism - and that was supposedly made immediately after IHVH thundered "Thou shalt make no graven image" from Horeb. Solomon's Temple was covered with graven images - cherubim, trees, pomegranates, oxen, etc. I'm just saying, it seems like that was one commandment that was never actually honored.
2007-10-31 08:23:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
No.
Do you have pictures of your loved ones? Have you ever looked at the picture of someone while talking on the phone to them?
Statues and pictures of people we love are not idols.
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.
2007-11-01 18:25:32 · answer #2 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, they are graven images. A clear violation of the second commandment.
2007-10-31 09:20:58 · answer #3 · answered by mlcros 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wow catholics have been getting it hard lately, but YES you're right ...they are graven images...
2007-10-31 08:30:52 · answer #4 · answered by Undead 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes.
2007-11-01 04:08:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes
2007-10-31 08:14:52 · answer #6 · answered by Chris 4 · 2⤊ 5⤋
of course,,,their graven images,,they say these are merely,,helpful in their worship,,that's the same argument,,the isrealites had when they were released from Egypt,,when Moses went up to receive the 10 commandments,,they built a graven image in order to worship God,,God himself found this unacceptable,,in their worship to him,,
2007-10-31 08:16:12 · answer #7 · answered by lady 3 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Nope.
2007-10-31 08:22:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Of course they are. Along with pictures og Christ.
2007-10-31 08:15:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Love your avatar!
2007-10-31 08:14:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋