They aren't. They are not "graven." Nor are they idols.
You're entitled to think as you wish. However, the scriptures stand as God's word regardless. The word Icon means, "image".
The Church is built by God, and by men in cooperation with God. Individuao temples of the Orthodox Church are built by men to glorify God, and it is fitting they are splendid; just as it was meet that the Magi should honour our saviour with gold, frankincense and myrhh, we likewise honour him with these things in our holy temples consecrated to the proclamation of His Gospel, in which He himself dwells among the faithful and in the Eucharist.
Acts 7:48-51 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50 Hath not my hand made all these things? 51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Acts 17:24-25 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
It does actually, although not exclusively and not in the manner of a purely localized presence.
If it did I'm sure you'd have shared the scripture where it does.
Jeremiah 7:1-14 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever. 8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. 12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spoke unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; 14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
He is also fully man by virtue of the incarnation of the Word. As such we can depict Him according to His assumed humanity.
You argue that icons are not graven images and then argue this? Share with us the scripture that states exactly what you say there.
Whereas one can worship God in the woods, as it were, it is proper and fitting to build temples for the worship of the faithful.
Walled in gold and bearing graven images and statuary everywhere? Post the scripture that says that so that the churches under discussion are proven to follow those scriptures.
2 Corinthians 6:16-17 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
The Church is the visible, sacramental body of Christ united Eucharistically.
In your belief system that's what is taught. But what do the scriptures tell us? Remember that Jesus said, where two or three are gathered in his name there is he also. That is the visible church.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Acceptable, perhaps, but not desirable. They should I think be avoided owing to the proliferation of cults.
Acceptable unto God is all that matters.
It's not a question of my ideal church. My ideal church would have reclining flatbed seats with cupholders and goose down duvets; I would be served foie gras and kir royale while enjoying a splendid liturgy as long as Wagner's entire Ring Cycle.
Rather, its a question of which church is actually the Church described in the New Testament. And house churches with no apostolic succession and no history before the 21st century are not that church.
Yes, well besides cloaking a condemnation of all here that are not EO, you're wrong.
There is actually. See 1 and 2 Chronicles, for instance.
No, actually. You are speaking to Christians here. Not Jews.
