Idolatry

[Desert Snake]

This continually comes up in debates...
What is idolatrous, especially in regards to symbolic religious art, etc.

My personal view on it, I don't have pictures etc, crosses etc., but
I have NO problem with any religious symbolism in pictures statues whatever,
I really don't care how people decorate, it isn't 'idolatrous; in my opinion.
share you opinion.

cheers~disciple

 

[psychoslice]

idolatry can be even an image of how you believe Jesus or God looks, it can be the scriptures and how much you believe there God words.

 

[psychoslice]

Sorry, I thought this was a religious debate.

 

[Shiranui117]

It's cool, psychoslice. You contributed a valid possibility as to what idolatry could mean.

I would say that anything but God that we worship as a god or make our lives revolve around could be considered an idol--the former is surely idolatry, and the latter can depend. Mammon can definitely be an idol, as can our jobs, party life, studies, etc, etc.

From a Christian perspective, there's nothing wrong with statues/icons of Jesus, Mary, the Saints, angels, or anything else like that. Once we start worshipping them, that's when it gets not-kosher.

 

[seeking4truth]

Idolatry is to put faith/trust in material things which rightly belongs to God; to respect them and ignore God.

 

[Desert Snake]

idolatry can be even an image of how you believe Jesus or God looks, it can be the scriptures and how much you believe there God words.

Is..this what you believe? Not quite following your point here...

 

[Pegg]

This continually comes up in debates...
What is idolatrous, especially in regards to symbolic religious art, etc.

My personal view on it, I don't have pictures etc, crosses etc., but
I have NO problem with any religious symbolism in pictures statues whatever,
I really don't care how people decorate, it isn't 'idolatrous; in my opinion.
share you opinion.

cheers~disciple

idolatry is the giving of adoration or attention or devotion to an object.

If i make a pilgrimage to a certain temple/statue/relic and feel in awe of the it, and pray before it....its idolatry. God hates to see us expressing our devotion before such things. Its not natural.

 

[Timbo]

Idols are not identical to religious icons in the abrahamitic context. Idols are representations off different elements off the social and natural order, that are not necessarily worshipped by the people who regard the idols as sacred.

As for this endless argument where muslims and christians spit on polytheists and strawmanning their beliefs, I just think these people have to get over themselves.

 

[Desert Snake]

Idols are not identical to religious icons in the abrahamitic context. Idols are representations off different elements off the social and natural order, that are not necessarily worshipped by the people who regard the idols as sacred.

Hmm I don't think so.
By the way, Xians don't 'worship' the pictures.

 

[ZooGirl02]

As a Catholic Christian, I believe that images such as statues and such are only idolatrous if you worship them. I am not sure how to explain this very well so I will provide a link which explains it better than I can.

Do Catholics Worship Statues? | Catholic Answers

 

[2ndpillar]

As a Catholic Christian, I believe that images such as statues and such are only idolatrous if you worship them. I am not sure how to explain this very well so I will provide a link which explains it better than I can.

Do Catholics Worship Statues? | Catholic Answers

Dear girl,
The Catholics have changed the commandments. The commandment from Deuteronomy is as follows:

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Kneeling and praying to dead people in the form of images of carved wood, brass, stone, etc., might be taken as being in non compliance to this commandment to a reasonable person. To someone who has been indoctrinated into this way of life, it may appear as traditional behaviour.

You might want to ask why the church changed the commandments, and what is the source of their changes.

 

[dawny0826]

This continually comes up in debates...
What is idolatrous, especially in regards to symbolic religious art, etc.

My personal view on it, I don't have pictures etc, crosses etc., but
I have NO problem with any religious symbolism in pictures statues whatever,
I really don't care how people decorate, it isn't 'idolatrous; in my opinion.
share you opinion.

cheers~disciple

Anything that would derail you from your spiritual walk AND/OR anything that you value above God's instruction.

 

[Shiranui117]

Dear girl,
The Catholics have changed the commandments. The commandment from Deuteronomy is as follows:

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Kneeling and praying to dead people in the form of images of carved wood, brass, stone, etc., might be taken as being in non compliance to this commandment to a reasonable person. To someone who has been indoctrinated into this way of life, it may appear as traditional behaviour.

You might want to ask why the church changed the commandments, and what is the source of their changes.

The Catholic Church didn't "change" the commandments. They just number and group them differently.

And asking for the Saints to pray for us isn't idolatry. It's the same as asking your family or congregation to pray for you.