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Statues

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by Moriah, Jan 20, 2012.

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  1. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    The word of God warns us against idols, yet the Catholic religion makes statues to idolize. The Catholics call these statues and pictures “Holy Images.”

    Hosea 14:8. Isaiah 44:9. God’s word warns us no idols.

    1 John 5:21 Dear children, keep yourself from idols.

    1 Thessalonians 1:9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

    Exodus 20: 4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

    The Israelites burned incense to the bronze snake and the Catholic priest burns incense to the crucifix, and any images of Jesus and the saints. If the bronze snake that Moses had made was broke into pieces because the Israelites had been burning incense to it (see 2 Kings 18:1-4), then why is it okay for the Catholic priests to bow to and incense the crucifix?
    2 Kings 18:1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)

    There are many scriptures telling us not to make statues, not to have idols. Here is a passage to show why NOT to make statues. Deuteronomy 4:15-17 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,

    The Pope crowns the statue of baby Jesus. The Pope crowns the statue of Mary. This crowning by the reigning Pope represents the highest honor the Church can pay to an image of Jesus Christ or the Blessed Virgin Mary. The President of ACN, Father Joaquín Alliende, commented, “The gesture of the Holy Father is an expression of a profound truth. Even as a Child, Christ is already a King. The Child Jesus is the only King who can bring peace to the world." http://catholicexchange.com/2009/10/01/122340/

    This is ridiculous idol worship. This act is against the word of God.

    The following paragraph is part of an article that explains further the acts Catholics perform.

    In both East and West the reverence we pay to images has crystallized into formal ritual. In the Latin Rite the priest is commanded to bow to the cross in the sacristy before he leaves it to say Mass ("Ritus servandus" in the Missal, II, 1); he bows again profoundly "to the altar or the image of the crucifix placed upon it" when he begins Mass (ibid., II, 2); he begins incensing the altar by incensing the crucifix on it (IV, 4), and bows to it every time he passes it (ibid.); he also incenses any relics or images of saints that may be on the altar (ibid.). In the same way many such commands throughout our rubrics show that always a reverence is to be paid to the cross or images of saints whenever we approach them. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07664a.htm

    Every time a Catholic walks in a church for Mass, they bow to the altar with the statues and images placed there. This is against God. GOD TELLS US NOT TO BOW TO THE WORKS OF OUR HANDS!DID YOU NOT JUST READ EXODUS 20:4-5? No longer bow down to the work of your hands (see Micah 5:13)

    READ HERE WHAT THE CATHOLICS SAY ABOUT INCENSING.
    Catholics symbolism and manner of incensing:

    Incense, with its sweet-smelling perfume and high-ascending smoke, is typical of the good Christian's prayer, which, enkindled in the heart by the fire of God's love and exhaling the odour of Christ, rises up a pleasing offering in His sight (cf. Amalarius, "De eccles. officiis" in P.L., CV). Incensing is the act of imparting the odour of incense. The censer is held in the right hand at the height of the breast, and grasped by the chain near the cover; the left hand, holding the top of the chain, is placed on the breast. The censer is then raised upwards to the height of the eyes, given an outward motion and slightly ascending towards the object to be incensed, and at once brought back to the starting point. This constitutes a single swing. For a double swing the outward motion should be repeated, the second movement being more pronounced than the first. The dignity of the person or thing will determine whether the swing is to be single or double, and also whether one swing or more are to be given. The incense-boat is the vessel containing the incense for immediate use. It is so called from its shape. It is generally carried by the thurifer in the disengaged hand. new advent.org/cathen/07716a.htm

    Is there anyone who still thinks it is acceptable to have statues, or even go inside a Catholic Church after reading all that?
     
    #1 Moriah, Jan 20, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 20, 2012
  2. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    My friend, statues should be of the least of your concerns.
     
  3. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    YOU are not my friend. You got that wrong; along with thinking that you can give me advice.
     
  4. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    :eek:


    [​IMG]
     
  5. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    . . . Which is why the Orthodox Church only approves of ikons. The ikons are stylized so they are not humanly proportioned.
     
  6. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    I think we can be friends...just...believe!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLsyNBnE5M

    :love2: :wavey:
     
  7. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Awwwwww....now who could say no that?

    Just hug it out! :love2:
     
  8. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member
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    . . . . but they use TONS of incense. Suspect they might be on Moriah's list as well.

    I have seen statues in Anglican and Lutheran churches as well. Lets not just single out Catholics.
     
    #8 Walter, Jan 20, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 20, 2012
  9. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    God commands us not to make images in animal form either.

    The Orthodox Church also bows to the works of their hands.
     
  10. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member
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    "The word of God warns us against idols, yet the Catholic religion makes statues to idolize. The Catholics call these statues and pictures “Holy Images.”

    I need to ask. Are you suggesting that this is the intent of the Catholic Church? That they want people to use statues as idols? Everything I have read suggests otherwise.
     
  11. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    If you would like to talk about the statues in those churches too then please add to the information I have given by posting information you have about it.
     
  12. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    We should not be unwise to Satan and his schemes. Satan masquerades as an angel of light. God says do not make idols and bow to them, yet this is what the Catholic Church does.

    2 Corinthians 2:11 In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

    2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
     
  13. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    >God commands us not to make images in animal form either.

    >The Orthodox Church also bows to the works of their hands.

    Then why did God demand that his Tabernacle be decorated with carvings and castings of critters and other living things?

    Are you Islamic? Can any sort of decoration be placed in a Church? A home? How about cross? Didn't God tell the Jews to put a mezzuzah (sp?) on their door jamb? Do you have a photograph of your wife?
     
  14. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    God instructed what to put in His earthly temple, and God does not tell you to do that to your church. It is simple, you are not to make for worship what God tells you not to make. In addition, Catholics bow to these images. God says not to make images and bow to them. Are you going to obey God or not?
    Why would you ask me if I was Islamic?

    It is not so hard, why are you making it so hard to obey God? Do not make any image and idolize it. God says to watch ourselves carefully so we do not become corrupt.
    Are you making images in your home to represent God and other things spiritual? Are you idolizing them? Are you bowing to them? Are you burning incense to them?
    Are you praying to your wife’s picture? Are you burning incense to her picture?
     
  15. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    God never told us how to worship him in the NT. Why not? Because everyone was familiar with temple worship.
     
  16. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Really? Even the unsaved Gentiles who worshiped Greek gods? :rolleyes::rolleyes:
     
  17. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    Moriah, my church has a cross on the top of its steeple, as well as several crosses throughout the building. We also have two or three pictures of Jesus and at least one rendition of da Vinci's "Last Supper" scattered around the Sunday School department.

    The crosses are there somewhat for decoration, but mostly to make a statement that we are Christians. The pictures are there to show honor to Jesus in much the same way pictures of the President are placed in all federal buildings. Do you think that is wrong?
     
  18. DHK

    DHK <b>Moderator</b>

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    Do you have any guarantee that they are pictures of "Jesus"?
    Can you verify it somehow?
     
  19. Moriah

    Moriah New Member

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    I believe it is wrong. God says not to make an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. Why tempt yourself to feel even a little admiration for the object? Have you not heard of people wearing cross necklaces holding onto the cross for some kind of comfort? Have you not ever had a so-called picture of Jesus in your house, and you handle it with special care and respect, and even look at it while praying. Why would you look at the picture when Jesus is not in it, Jesus is in the hearts of the believer. That is not even a real picture of Jesus.

    I cannot stand it that there are those so-called pictures of Jesus, pictures we are subjected often to throughout our lives since childhood. The Catholics with their rendition of what they claim Jesus looks like, the Mormons have theirs, and so on. When I pray to God and Jesus, I have to resist the Catholic Jesus and Mormon Jesus that come to my mind. Those are not real pictures of Jesus. Why would you want to look at a fake picture of Jesus?
     
  20. David Lamb

    David Lamb Active Member

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    I disagree, Bill. He most certainly did "tell us how to worship him in the NT". In John 4.24, for instance, as part of His answer to a Samaritan woman's comments about where was the correct location to worship God - Jerusalem, or "this mountain" (i.e. Mount Gerizim) - Jesus said that God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth.
     
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