Exodus 20: 4-6 "020:004 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. 020:005 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 020:006 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. " please excuse the KJV annoying writing.... ok, i know lots of people defent the making of images of Jesus and such by useing the last two verses, and saying that we can make them, but not worship them...but if you look at the first part, it clearly says to not make a graven image [nothing against looking at them already made] but really...am i the only one that still sees this?
I have seen a cathedral in europe (can't exactly recall where now, somwhere in Germany) which was smashed up by Iconoclasts during the reformation. All the heads have been smashed off the statues of angels and saints. The impression it leaves in the mind is that these people were fanatics, philistines with no appreciation of fine art. It is hard to believe that they were acting in concord with any Divine will when they acted in this destrucive way. But I suppose they thought they were. If someone is actually worshipping a statue then clearly that's not right. If they are using the statue as a focus to direct their mind toward Christ, Mary or whoever else the statue represents, then I don't really see a problem. Why shouldn't humans use their capacity to create art and beauty to emphasize religious devotion? Does God really want us just to go to an empty building to commune with Him?
Nobody ever actually worshipped a statue...it was always just a representation of a more abstract concept. Perhaps God does want you to go to an empty meeting hall. In the Bible, what does it say about going to church? I know it says Honor Thy Father and Keep Thee the Sabbath Day and all that, but these are things that can easily be done on a personal level at home....
but it's still a 'graven image or likeness of a thing in heaven above'. so i wonder if it's OK to make an image of a cross as long as the figure of jesus crucified upon it is not made? *shrug* i should ask some of my xian friends what they think about it; i'm sure one of them has a jesus-on-the-cross pendant.
I was at a catholic wedding, unfortunately, and the bride and groom strolled arm and arm to the statue of mary and placed a rose, or some type of flower at the foot of it....seemed like worshipping to me.....not that I care as I am not christian. I think that all of the graphic images and statues of Jesus on the cross are detrimental to the religion as a whole.
Jesus also said in Mathew 6 to not do as the Pharasses, and if you are gpoin to pray, lock yourself in your closet and pray... to me this seems totally anti-church...but He was never anti-congegration Any group of 2 or more gathered in My name, and God will be there [or something like that]
