Christianity QA

Question:

                                                                    JMJ Fundies worship the Bible and not God.  They are idolatrous heathens and will rot in hell for eternity.  In the meantime, they are confined to trailer parks. Fundamentalists do not worship the Bible. At least they are not supposed to.  Seems to me that people of all kinds worship all kinds of things. And,  fundamentalists and other protestants do have "icons". They have pictures of Jesus, and the cross. There are other religious decorations in thier churches.  Catholics do not "worship statues", and protestants do not worship the items I  just mentioned.

Well said here is a post I recently found concerning the oft repeated charge that we as Catholics are idolaters. It is thought provoking. I reprint here the work of Sister Laurel.   ~~~  Actually, idolatry is a significant subject, and one which is rarely given the time or consideration it deserves. Idolatry consists in putting ANYTHING in the place reserved for God. We expect all life, all meaning, all strength to come to us from God, and when these thing are given we experience a peace that the world cannot give. As my primary theology prof and (now) colleague and mentor put the matter, when we put God first and live from his grace, we are enabled to "live in joy and die in peace." Unfortunately, we all ALSO look for these things in other places and often put those things in God’s place.       Some examples of idolatry include Biblicism, Dogmatism and the quest for absolute certainty. For some even the Tradition of the Church, and the Church herself become idols instead of realities, even Sacramental realities, that point beyond themselves to God and (his) Kingdom. For others business, or science, success, money and knowledge become idols. (Actually the list is endless. Idolatry occurs whenever any non-ultimate reality is raised to ultimacy and thought to promise that which only God can give). No one is exempt from the danger of idolatry because each of us yearns for that peace the world cannot give. We trivialize the reality if we simply point to the use of icons and statues in our devotional lives. Sincerely. Sister Laurel

Response:

Fundies worship the Bible and not God.  They are idolatrous heathens and will rot in hell for eternity.  In the meantime, they are confined to trailer parks.

Fundamentalists do not worship the Bible. At least they are not supposed to. Seems to me that people of all kinds worship all kinds of things. And, fundamentalists and other protestants do have "icons". They have pictures of Jesus, and the cross. There are other religious decorations in thier churches. Catholics do not "worship statues", and protestants do not worship the items I just mentioned. "Living well is the best revenge"

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Why do Catholics worship statues in violation of Exodus 20:4-5? Catholics do NOT worship icons.  Statutes, etc. are "symbols" – nothing more – of the elements and objects of faith – Just as the American flag, the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence are symbols of all that defines the character of the American republic – or, perhaps, just as the Bible is a symbol of the Word of God to a fundmentalist Christian.

Fundies worship the Bible and not God.  They are idolatrous heathens and will rot in hell for eternity.  In the meantime, they are confined to trailer parks.

Response:

Why do Catholics worship statues in violation of Exodus 20:4-5?

Catholics do NOT worship icons.  Statutes, etc. are "symbols" – nothing more – of the elements and objects of faith – Just as the American flag, the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence are symbols of all that defines the character of the American republic – or, perhaps, just as the Bible is a symbol of the Word of God to a fundmentalist Christian. Regards – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Catholics certainly don’t worship statues, or anything created. The Catholic Church teaches that only God is to be worshipped: to worship anything created is to commit the serious sin of idolatry. In Ex 20:4-5, God prohibits the making of images for the purpose of worshipping them. But God does not prohibit image-making altogether. In Ex 25:18-19, God commands Moses to make statues of angels (cherubim). In Num. 21:8, God tells Moses to make a bronze serpent (seraph), which the Israelites had to look upon in order to be healed from the stings of the Serpents. The Jews also used many carved images in the Temple, including cherubim, oxen, lions, palm trees and flowers (1Kings 6 and 7). Catholics use statues and other images to call to mind the holy people they represent: Jesus, the angels, and the saints. For the same reason, Protestants use Christmas nativity scenes to depict the same holy people: Jesus, the angels, and the saints.  Catholics simply use statues and images in devotion all year around. The rejection of statues and other images in Church devotional life is a heresy known as "iconclasm." It was first seen in Christianity in the eighth century when the wicked Emperor Leo the Isaurian, influenced by the new religion of Islam (founded in 622 A.D.), began attacking the use of statues and icons in the Church.  In the Second Council of Nicea in 787 A.D., the Church condemned this heresy. It did not resurface in Christianity until the Reformation. (Source: San Juan Catholic Seminars) In Christ Jesus, Mark — " The men of our days are little disposed to believe but as soon as they have any religion, they immediately find in themselves a latent instinct which urges them unconsciously towards Catholicism. Many of the doctrines and practices of the Roman Church astonish them; but they feel a secret admiration for its discipline and its great unity attracts them." — French sociologist De Tocqueville

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Response:

Why do Catholics worship statues in violation of Exodus 20:4-5? Catholics certainly don’t worship statues, or anything created. The Catholic Church teaches that only God is to be worshipped: to worship anything created is to commit the serious sin of idolatry. In Ex 20:4-5, God prohibits the making of images for the purpose of worshipping them. But God does not prohibit image-making altogether. In Ex 25:18-19, God commands Moses to make statues of angels (cherubim). In Num. 21:8, God tells Moses to make a bronze serpent (seraph), which the Israelites had to look upon in order to be healed from the stings of the Serpents. The Jews also used many carved images in the Temple, including cherubim, oxen, lions, palm trees and flowers (1Kings 6 and 7). Catholics use statues and other images to call to mind the holy people they represent: Jesus, the angels, and the saints. For the same reason, Protestants use Christmas nativity scenes to depict the same holy people: Jesus, the angels, and the saints.  Catholics simply use statues and images in devotion all year around. The rejection of statues and other images in Church devotional life is a heresy known as "iconclasm." It was first seen in Christianity in the eighth century when the wicked Emperor Leo the Isaurian, influenced by the new religion of Islam (founded in 622 A.D.), began attacking the use of statues and icons in the Church.  In the Second Council of Nicea in 787 A.D., the Church condemned this heresy. It did not resurface in Christianity until the Reformation. (Source: San Juan Catholic Seminars) In Christ Jesus, Mark — " The men of our days are little disposed to believe but as soon as they have any religion, they immediately find in themselves a latent instinct which urges them unconsciously towards Catholicism. Many of the doctrines and practices of the Roman Church astonish them; but they feel a secret admiration for its discipline and its great unity attracts them." –French sociologist De Tocqueville

Response:

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