Why do Christians/Catholics create and worship idols, symbols, or images of their savior (Jesus) or God...?

Question

When their Bible's second commandment concisely states:

"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."

This prohibits the construction or fashioning of "idols" in the likeness of created things (beasts, fish, birds, people) and worshiping them.

People includes "Jesus."

I mean, why, and what do you think you as Christians or Catholics should be doing about this?

Also, just to add, those are actually interpretations of what was actually written in the Bible. It is an interpretation of, "You shall have no other gods before me."

But "worship" aside, are there not supposed to be idols?

Answer 1

There is a difference between wearing a cross and worshiping it!

Answer 2

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 3

Yes, Christians should not create or have images in their churches. The Catholic Church even took that commandment out of their catechism! And then they split the last commandment in two so they would still equal 10. Not all Christian religions accept images and have icons of Christ around their sanctuary. The ones that do have it, have taken that custom with them when they protested against the Catholic religion. (many don't even realize.) The Lutheran religion claims to have broken away from Catholicism because they were selling indulgences for the forgiveness of sins. They forgot to look into the other things the Catholic religion has twisted regarding the Bible. The Lutheran Catechism still has the Catholic commandments instead of the ones in the Bible!

Statues are not acceptable in the eyes of God... even ones fashioned in His image. ( Amazingly no one knows what Jesus looked like. Most of the saints and Jesus were statues of pagan God's that the catholic church took and put Christian names on them to get the masses to accept their religion over the other pagan religions of the time.)

Answer 4

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.


ADDITION: You say, "But "worship" aside, are there not supposed to be idols?"

NO, worship not aside! Worship (of fallacious gods) is NECESSARY for idolatry to take place. Think about it. If a false god is not being worshiped, it is then NOT a false god, hence no idolatry taking place.

Can't blame you for trying to save face though.

Answer 5

In worship there are a number of signs which signify what we are doing such as water, wine, bread and so on. Amongst these are the sign for Jesus which is a cross or a crucifix. We don't worship these signs. They just help us when we reflect on the mystery of the extravagant love of God. Nor, do I think, are they images of what is in heaven but the whole question of what is heaven is beyond this answer.

Answer 6

The Catholic church declares unto all that are of her church to embrace and gather as many statues, medals, relics, and artifacts to themselves as a sign of holiness unto the Lord God. However, the Creator specifically states...

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:"

Deuteronomy 29:17, "And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)

The Catholic church teaches it's followers to bow down before statues when in prayer. Anyone can walk into a Catholic church and see kneelers before every statue place within. However, the Creator specifically states...

Leviticus 26:1, "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."

The Catholic church proclaims loudly that Jesus is dead and unable to help you. Walk into any Catholic church and you will see a DEAD Jesus on a cross, a DEAD Jesus in the arms of His mother, or an INFANT Jesus in the arms of His mother. However, look at the MEN and WOMEN depicted in statues. Look at Mary, Joseph, Peter, Anthony, and hundreds of other saints. They are all displayed as alive and well and very capable of helping you and hearing your prayers.

Romans 1:25, "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

The Catholic church declares that all should pray unto Mary, Joseph, Therese, and hundreds of other saints. The Catholic church even goes so far at to declare Mary as your Saviour!

However, Jesus said rather plainly... John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

The Catholic church demands that all it's members wear medals, crucifixes, scapulars, etc. Even the demons that appear unto them masquarading as Mary and Jesus state...

If only the Catholics would open their Bibles and see that what these demons are saying, and what the Word has penned are two different things! For it is written...
1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

The Catholic church declares that Jesus Christ incarnate is in the Catholic Eucharist that is made with human hands. It also states rather boldly that...

Answer 7

if you think catholics are christians, you are dead wrong..They go against the teachings of the bible, and they think when they take communion, that they are literally eating Jesus's body and drinking his blood..so so...wrong..they worship idols and hold the priest up as their God.. There's no such thing as a Eucharist...and a priest is a man just like any other man and will be accountable for all his actons one day.And yes they do worship idols..one of them is a stone of the likeness of mary.

Answer 8

Just because you have something that may look like something from Heaven don't mean you are worshiping It. I have whatnot's but I don't worship them I only Worship GOD!

Answer 9

Symbols and religious icons are not worshipped they are used to aid in the worship of God. Not the same thing as an idol.

Answer 10

Christians don't have any idols, that's just the Catholics thing.