Alright here is a question that has baffled me for quite some time.....
Catholics in particular I have noticed that have many shrine like statues and images in their churches. They kneel and pray to these different saints, wear rosaries and have pictures of saints which they treasure and worship...now my question is....
Do Catholics not read the Bible? Is their Bible different?
I ask because I read the Bible and it clearly and repeatedly states:
(Exodus 20:4-5) - "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me."
(Leviticus 26:1) - "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God."
(Deuteronomy 5:8) - "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth."
(Deuteronomy 27:15) - "Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’"
Shall make graven images
I checked different Bibles but they all say the same thing, can someone explain this to me?
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"La cura es mas cara que la enfermedad" Frankie Ruiz
My family is Catholic...or at least they were before I was born. I've attended a few catholic services. They do read the bible, but not as much as other Christian faiths. I've never seen a catholic carrying around a copy of the bible with a bible cover or anything like that. I've also never been in a service where they read out of the bible or anything. They do believe in patron saints...like Saint Frances is the saint of animals and people will pray particularly to that saint if their pet is ailing or something of that sort. So, they believe in one God with many helpers...and his helpers as something like the alternate believe of angels. I don't understand it. The Catholic faith is really confusing in a lot of ways...like that whole thing they do about carrying around relics (aka BONES) of dead saints. If I'm wrong about any of this, please correct me. I'm just trying to explain this based on my minimal knowledge
Of course CathOlics read the Bible. There are three readings from the Bible in every Mass. I can't think of a Catholic sacrament that does not include readings from the Bible.
As for the 'idols', this is a very common misperception. Of COURSE Catholics don't pray to 'idols'. Are you idolizing the picture of Jesus if you look at it while you pray? When you pray in front of a crucifix, are you praying TO the crucifix and making it an idol? The statues are just a visual to remind you of the individual to whom you are praying.
Andreautick's explanation about 'helpers' is as good as any. Catholics believe that Jesus' mother and father as well as the saints can intercede on our behalf; i.e. put a good word into God's ear . So Catholics will ask the saint to petition God for whatever they want. They may look at a picture or statue of the saint. This is not 'worshipping idols'.
To correct another misapprehension, the Pope is NOT infallible in everything he says. Infallibility is restricted ONLY to Ex Cathedra pronouncements made by the Pope. These are pretty rare and have quite a process which must be followed before they are made.
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I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to my fellow creatures, let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
(Leviticus 26:1) - "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God."
That is so clear to me yet you say:
Quote:
So Catholics will ask the saint to petition God for whatever they want. They may look at a picture or statue of the saint.
Quote:
(Deuteronomy 27:15) - "Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman,
This suggest to me that those statues shouldn't be made in the 1st place, never mind put them on display for people to use in any form to reach God even less to serve as "Reminder".
Location: Alberta (Born in the Hometwon of the Calgary Flames!!)
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i just may get chastized for saying this..... however costume i was always in belief and explained that this....
Quote:
(Leviticus 26:1) - "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God."
was referring to other religions such as buddhaism, cows, etc.. a cow does not represent God... however people idolize it..... when there are statues of jesus and mary and such they arent diols of anything other than meant to be the image referring to god or jesus christ himself.... i dont believe (in my opinion) they are idols... other than a visual object of God and anything that pertains to him.
(Leviticus 26:1) - "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God."
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are catholics biblical literalists? i'm not sure...
i would assume the warnings against objects for worship was more because they distract from other more important tenets like helping others, helping the commmunity, feeding the poor, etc?
i mean, i think it was a spiritual guideline, not a rule?
but, i don't really know, and it would depend on whether or not the person followed the bible as a literal text, i think.
I suggest you refer to some theological experts so that you will understand the proper interpretation of that passage.
By the way, Leviticus also says that if your son disobeys, you should stone him in the street. It says that menstruating women should not be touched and that anything they touch has to be washed. It says that all adulterers have to be stoned to death in the street. I could go on, but basically the whole chapter has rules in it.
I would just think that since it is described as such an offense to God that one would be very careful about such a thing.
Quote:
(Deuteronomy 27:15) - "Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’"
Quote:
It says that all adulterers have to be stoned to death in the street. I could go on, but basically the whole chapter has rules in it.
The Bible says that when Jesus came to earth he liberated us from those laws. He changed those laws, "an eye for an eye" for example Jesus did freed us from those laws. That is also clearly stated in the Bible.
The Bible says that when Jesus came to earth he liberated us from those laws. He changed those laws, "an eye for an eye" for example Jesus did freed us from those laws. That is also clearly stated in the Bible.
ROTFL!!! Well, then, dearie, why are you quoting them???????????????????????
Location: Alberta (Born in the Hometwon of the Calgary Flames!!)
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oh boy!!!! lmao!!!!!! ok... read what you just posted here...
Quote:
(Deuteronomy 27:15) - "Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman,
Ok the part that is bold, underlined, and italicized... abomination is defined in dictionary.com as well as other resources.... as:
Quote:
abomination
\A*bom`i*na"tion\, n. [OE. abominacioun, -cion, F. abominatio. See Abominate.] 1. The feeling of extreme disgust and hatred; abhorrence; detestation; loathing; as, he holds tobacco in abomination.
2. That which is abominable; anything hateful, wicked, or shamefully vile; an object or state that excites disgust and hatred; a hateful or shameful vice; pollution.
n : hate coupled with disgust [syn: abhorrence, detestation, execration, loathing, odium]
abomination
This word is used, (1.) To express the idea that the Egyptians considered
themselves as defiled when they ate with strangers (Gen. 43:32). The Jews
subsequently followed the same practice, holding it unlawful to eat or drink
with foreigners (John 18:28; Acts 10:28; 11:3).
(2.) Every shepherd was "an
abomination" unto the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). This aversion to shepherds, such
as the Hebrews, arose probably from the fact that Lower and Middle Egypt had
formerly been held in oppressive subjection by a tribe of nomad shepherds (the
Hyksos), who had only recently been expelled, and partly also perhaps from this
other fact that the Egyptians detested the lawless habits of these wandering
shepherds.
(3.) Pharaoh was so moved by the fourth plague, that while he
refused the demand of Moses, he offered a compromise, granting to the
Israelites permission to hold their festival and offer their sacrifices in
Egypt. This permission could not be accepted, because Moses said they would
have to sacrifice "the abomination of the Egyptians" (Ex. 8:26); i.e., the cow
or ox, which all the Egyptians held as sacred, and which they regarded it as
sacrilegious to kill.
(4.) Daniel (11:31), in that section of his prophecies
which is generally interpreted as referring to the fearful calamities that were
to fall on the Jews in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, says, "And they shall
place the abomination that maketh desolate." Antiochus Epiphanes caused an
altar to be erected on the altar of burnt-offering, on which sacrifices were
offered to Jupiter Olympus. (Comp. 1 Macc. 1:57). This was the abomination of
the desolation of Jerusalem. The same language is employed in Dan. 9:27 (comp.
Matt. 24:15), where the reference is probably to the image-crowned standards
which the Romans set up at the east gate of the temple (A.D. 70), and to which
they paid idolatrous honours. "Almost the entire religion of the Roman camp
consisted in worshipping the ensign, swearing by the ensign, and in preferring
the ensign before all other gods." These ensigns were an "abomination" to the
Jews, the "abomination of desolation." This word is also used symbolically of
sin in general (Isa. 66:3); an idol (44:19); the ceremonies of the apostate
Church of Rome (Rev. 17:4); a detestable act (Ezek. 22:11).
IN OTHER WORDS.... God was referring to ANYTHING OTHER THAN Himself or anything that has to do with him eg:Jesus, Mary... etc....
My understanding is you can have statues in HIS IMAGE or Jesus Image or Marys Image..... But not that of another religious Symbol or Idol. such as a cow etc.......
Um… Many different authors with different ideas, agendas, audiences, and at different time periods wrote the Bible. The authors even disagree and contradict each other on some issues.
You can even say that there are two gods. God of the New Testament, and God of the Old Testament. God is forgiving in the New Testament, and God is punishing in the Old Testament.
Ask yourself, do you agree with the author of Deuteronomy? He didn’t write about Christianity or even about Jesus. Who is his audience and what is he addressing? In what context? For example, Paul wrote the letter to Galatians because he was upset over some missionaries that were undermining his authority.
The salient point is this: Commandment #1 in both Old Testament and New: Love God with all your hearts, all your minds, and all your souls. PUT NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM.
This does not mean you can't have photos or statues or shrines or anything else to saints, cows, or pop stars. It means that God is supposed to be Numero Uno in your love and your belief and that you're not supposed to have another God.
Buddhism doesn't have a God BTW. It has a prophet who led the way to love/nirvana/god/whatever you want to call it. Same with Islam; same God, different prophets. Really, if you take a look at all the religions, all believe in the identical tenets at heart - and then diverge in how to go about expressing that belief. However, if you do a study of world religions, as I have, you find out that every one of them believes in two truths:
1. There is a Divinity which should be honoured above all
2. You must be loving towards your fellow humans
The fact that all these religions came up with the same two premises independently, despite their geographic separation, is to me the most persuasive argument that these are the tenets by which we are to live and that these must be recognized as universal truths.
Please note: The suggestions and advice offered on this web site are opinions only and are not to be used in the place of professional psychological counseling or medical advice. If you or someone close to you is currently in crisis or in an emergency situation, contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency number.
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