You say ToMAto, I say TOmato. You say Icon, I say Idol. What does the Bible say about Graven Images?

Question

Prirate AM - what do you mean it says not to have them around? God told His people to "Hew down" the graven images of the people the conquered. They were always instruced:

A. Not to make them.
B. Not to worship them.
C. To destroy them.

What Bible were you reading?

toogether -- Modern Day Catholics violate the scriptures on all three accounts.

The Latin word Venerate means to worship! It is the root meaning of the word.

They have the images everywhere.

They make them and sell them.

We can disagree, we can re-interperet to our hearts desire, but the text of the Bible has not changed.

So if the Bible has not changed, then what should change?

Uh Father K -- Since you know the Bible so well, why did you leave out the rest of the story?


II Ki 18:4
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
(KJV)

Sounds a whole lot like a Catholic service to me. It is time to break out the hammers and trash cans don't you think?

Jesus Christ is by far not the only image in a Catholic Church. People are burning candles (wax cleverly mingled with incense), kissing, weeping before, praying to the statues and images.

By the way, the whole argument about making an image of Jesus Christ being acceptable would be great except for one thing.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT JESUS LOOKED LIKE! Why is it that not a single drawing or carving of Jesus Christ has been preserved? It sure would help the case against those who claim He did not exist.

Answer 1

says not to even make them.........

Answer 2

Ah right Mr. Chick Flick.

Let's talk the Bible, Tradition, and the foundations of men.

Graven images....Exodus 20:4-5

Yet, Exodus also directs the construction of two cherubim of beaten gold! Exodus 25:18-19
Would God direct humanity to sin? I don't think so. So Mr Chick are you going to contradict God, again?

Let us continue...Moses is directed to make a graven image of a bronze serpent and place on a pole. Num 21:8-9
Would God direct Moses to sin? I don't think so. So, Mr. Chick are you going to contradict Moses compliance with God's command again?

Let us continue further...if you can face your bigotry against the Church that Jesus Christ built upon the Foundations of the Apostle Eph 2:20 Eph 4:11 Mal 2:7

1 Kgs 6:23-29 The Temple built as directed by God had engravened images of cherubims, trees, and flowers!

1 Kgs 7:25-45 The Temple built as directed by God had bronze oxens, lions, and pomegranates.

By the way, where's that Biblical quote where anyone states that salvation is based upon the Scriptures "Alone". I will take a quote from our Messiah Jesus Christ, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, or any biblical reference.

Bible "Alone" dogma is built upon the foundations of "men".

Maybe, you worship the ink on the page, and have forgotten the heart of the message of Jesus Christ. Sound familiar?

Answer 3

I am assuming you are discussing the statues in Catholic churches. The Bible says not to create graven images. But He also had the Israelites create gold cherubim. I think for many Catholics the statues are no more idols than a picture of your family is an idol. However I do believe some cross the line to idolatry. If you follow the link below you will see Catholics bowing to a statue of Mary. This really appears to be idolatry to me.

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/catholic_idolaters.jpg

Answer 4

Yes but we have to make an exception for all those poor christians that either can`t afford a bible or can`t read a bible.
Images are totally banned. Even trees must not be planted in the proximity of a place of worship.

The fiest recorded use of an image was on a christian jews grave in 64AD. It was a statue of isis placed there to protect the grave from the romans who desicrated the graves of jewish christians. This was later taken to be Mary with infant Jesus in her arms, and the roman christians adopted Isis as their Mary figure.

Answer 5

Abraham lived in a town where idols were prayed to and worshipped. The people of that time believed that the idol itself was a god or a way to talk to god to get the things you wanted. Abraham rebelled against that belief and broke all the idols in his father's house and then fled. This was the beginning of the admonishment in the Hebrew culture against making graven images. The modern day catholics do not do the same thing exactly. They do have sculptures and what some consider idols, however they do no worship them, they use them to facilitate focusing their prayers and thoughts to god. Not quite the same.
Incidentally, the fundamentalis christians who take Jesus and make him into an idol (not a sculpture, but a 'thing to be worshipped) are actually idolaters and in violation of the commandment. Jesus never taught people to worship him, rather he taught principles to live your life by. By ignoring those principles and instead spending all your time praising Jesus, touting Jesus, spouting Jesus and the like, you are worshiping Jesus and making of him an idol. Extremely wrong by bible standards. Interesting huh?

Answer 6

There's a difference between religious art that inspires people to worship God the Almighty, and idols that people think are gods in and of themselves.

Catholics are forbidden to practice idolatry. (It's in the Tend Commandments, after all.) We are NOT forbidden to be creative (seeing how we were created in the image of God the Creator) and use our artistic talents to create artwork that teaches spiritual truth and brings people closer to Jesus.

You might try (a) being creative and/or (b) bringing a little artistic beauty into your spiritual life. You might be a lot happier and less argumentative.

Answer 7

The Bible says 'Make unto you no graven images.' That is part of the second commandment. It means not to make any 'image' that you will 'worship' ... I know this commandment extremely well, because my husband is a fine artist, who doesn't use ANY 'figures' (people or animals) in his drawings because they could be seen as things to be worshipped. His are is extremely beautiful and 'supra-surrealistic' ... but 'graven images' are images that you can or would 'worship.'

Answer 8

Under the law Israeli's were afraid to even make images of animals or fish. But there were angel images on the Ark of the Covenant.

Don't make Images & bow to them or worship them because God gets mighty jealous. Images don't give God justice. But if God gives instruction to designe winged Cherebims on the Ark of the Covenant, then it is OK. Because God gave good accurate instruction.

Having images is OK. Like toy cars, etc... Unless toy cars are an idol in your life. As some can idolize all the different car models. But I think it would be a little difficult to bow down & worship them.

The picture in the other answer of the Catholics bowing down to an image of Mary for example. I would be embarrassed if I were caught on camera doing that. Because that image doesn't give Mary justice either. She doesn't look like that.


Exodus 20. The first 3 commandments are the most important. Jesus said that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul & strength. This is the 1st commandment(s).

Exodus 20 explains that our Lord God is God who delivers us from bondage. Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage. Christians are delivered form bondage of sin.

The LORD thy God Is One LORD.

To not make images of other things in heaven or earth or under the earth to worship them. Because God gets mighty Jealous. Not to make any images of the LORD God to worship the image.

To not use the Name of the Lord thy God in vain (as worthless, evil, etc.) because God doesn't just look the other direction. God will not be mocked & we will reap what we sow.

Answer 9

An idol is anything that takes the place of God,including Bible verses pulled out of context fro the purpose of damning others

Answer 10

Just say no the graven images. Consider for a moment: "graven" the grave, burial site, burial images, could that mean don't take pictures of the dead in that you might catch the spirit disembodying, as opposed to icons or idols; maybe this was a misinterpretation of the translated word way back when?

Creepy!

Answer 11

That is WRONG to put any Graven Images before God and that is what the world is doing today. Because there is only ONE God and no other.