Why are Catholics embarrassed to answer this question?

Question

Where WOULD Exodus 20:4,5 apply to your faith?


You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. 5 You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them

They avoid to answer. I know why. They have no answer other than they do not apply the scripture anywhere. That is the answer.

Shinigami, so you do not apply it you just circumnavigate around it.

mommanuke, no you have not answered any, I checked. Please do not lie that is not Christian.

Okay 9 replies so far and yet not one answer to the question.

Answer 1

We are not embarrassed to answer this question.

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.

Answer 2

I am Catholic, NOT the least bit embarrassed to answer your question:

Images and Statues
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.


Now, why are you so embarrassed to consider the Biblical evidence I have just shared with you?

Answer 3

The line between representational art and a graven image is one that differs from culture to culture and religious practice to religious practice. Some Muslim sects tolerate no representational art at all. Mormons claim Christianity yet avoid the cross. Sometime the comfort level has to do with centuries of tradition.

Answer 4

I dont know any catholic embarased bout that. Actually im an orthodox, and I dont keep images or statues in my home (forbidden) but to answer that question, catholics know that these pictures and statues are not the right pictures of Jesus or Mary (that time there were no artists, photographers, etc.). This is just a sign to say that “this is a church” or “this is a Christian land” or a Christian home. So unless they dont intend to WORSHIP it or treat it sacredly, they dont violate the first commandment. Merry Christmas

Answer 5

Riiight - like Protestants dont make "a form like anything that is in the heavens above " nor commit idolatry by worshipping a man.

Theses quotes are from the Old Testamant - do you think Jews think what Christians believe about Jesus is OK?

Answer 6

I think you expect this question to embarrass Catholics because you see a Catholic bowing down before a statue and believe the Catholic is worshiping the statue.

This is what I have heard from Catholics that may clear up the matter for you. For them, the statues are aids to faith; that is, the statue reminds them of someone to pray for or someone who will help them pray, and they bow down in front of the statue to pray to God (not to the statue).

This is similar to a Protestant putting pictures of people on a wall to help remind her to pray for those people. If she happens to kneel before the wall and pray at that time, it does not mean she is worshiping the pictures, but is interceding for the people. If she kneels before a cross on a wall, she is not worshiping the cross, but it reminds her of Jesus and she is praying or worshiping Jesus.

Answer 7

I'm not a Catholic, but I answered your question lucidly and logically. As far as being embarrassed, they're most likely bored with a question that has been asked so many times.

Edit: If you look at your previous question, I am the third answer on the list. Now who's not being Christian?

Answer 8

someone said they feel closer with the images cant they read wait amin cait they think god said nono no so i guess they just dont follow god the way they should and um this mystic or what ever your name is shut up

Answer 9

Hm, that's weird I have Never met a Catholic who is embarrassed by that question or cannot answer why they use images.
Perhaps you should do more research and talk to a priest or someone who knows their faith well before thinking that they're all embarrassed to answer this question.
Besides, I don't believe that they have to answer to you anyhow.

Answer 10

Religion is not about scripture per se. It's about interpreting scripture until you are right and the other fellow is wrong.