People take things out of context?

[JohnB445]

I would like to study the different views. I myself have a cross, but I don't use it in worship or think is possess special powers. Its just a symbol

Some associate just having an icon of a cross as idolatry, or pictures of Jesus, statues, etc.

As long as they are not being worshipped it is not idolatry?

If so then would it be hypocritical if you have a picture or imagery in your home if you claim it is?

 

[WESTOZZIE]

a woman refused to come to our home church once because she said we had too many pictures of our children and family members on the walls of our lounge room....she equated that with idolatry. hhahahahaha....
But in India in my hosts home, they had a picture of a goddess who represents healing in the Hindu religion. and they also had a little shrine to the same deity with food offerings. I said to the husband, brother, you know these things will allow demonic attacks to come against you and your children? He said yes brother, but they are my wifes idols....as I preached in villages for 2 weeks...many times the Holy SPirit had me challenge the people to turn fully to Jesus for all their needs and turn fully away from their idols and other gods. My interpreter told me what I said was great because he said that no one ever challenges them. So many of them suffered migraines and back pain and other pains. As I preached against these things and they repented...then hands were laid on them and the pains would vanish.....
We must be careful not to give the enemy a foothold in our lives.
As for you brother....it is really between you and God....It can be simply a symbol to remind you of what God has done....but some make it more than that gives the enemy a legal reason to be able to attack us. You cannot break God's law without consequences

 

[JohnB445]

As long as I don't worship it, or use it in worship.

But yes I agree we should be careful.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Idols have to fit some basic criteria:

01- An image
02- Of something in Heaven or on earth
03- Which is believed to literally be the thing which it depicts
04- And is then worshiped as though it is God.

If what you're doing fails those criteria then whatever you're doing is not idolatry. The above items are the characteristics of idols and the worship of idols.

Now, it's customary for Bible-only types to add to sacred scripture by claiming that any practice which fits just one of the above characteristics is "idol worship". I'm not sure if that comes from ignorance or a desire to virtue signal. But the fact remains that if what you're doing does not meet those conditions then what you're doing is not idolatry.

Pretty simple, really.

 

[WESTOZZIE]

oh you mean like the eucharist?

 

[thecolorsblend]

oh you mean like the eucharist?

Not following you.

 

[Dan the deacon]

As long as I don't worship it, or use it in worship.

But yes I agree we should be careful.

Be careful? Do you or anyone you know have an issue with giving worship to objects?
I use icons. I have never even considered worshipping them. When you worship you are calling the object of worship you God or master. I see some churches have no decoration at all as they see such as idolitry. Seems some do not either understand what idolatry is or their faith is lacking greatly.
It is not icons that should concern us but humans. We all have issues with idolatry with spouses and children. And especially those we are persuing to be mated. Usually after a couple years of marriage we fully understand that our spouse is nothing close to being God.

 

[Hank77]

Usually after a couple years of marriage we fully understand that our spouse is nothing close to being God.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

03- Which is believed to literally be the thing which it depicts

This statement is completely false. It is unsubstantiated both by history and scripture. I know I've told you this before, but pagan idolaters the world over have always considered the idols to be only representations of the gods, even if the gods were believed to inhabit the idol. No one who ever offered gifts to the idol of Athena thought that a mere statue was the same thing as the actual Olympian god. Tribute to the idol is a symbolic tribute to the god, in the same way that a prayer or kneeling or tribute to a statue of Mary is a symbolic tribute to Mary, herself. If you kneel, pray or burn incense to any physical object, then you honor an idol (that's not an exhaustive list).

 

[Not David]

I would like to study the different views. I myself have a cross, but I don't use it in worship or think is possess special powers. Its just a symbol

Some associate just having an icon of a cross as idolatry, or pictures of Jesus, statues, etc.

As long as they are not being worshipped it is not idolatry?

If so then would it be hypocritical if you have a picture or imagery in your home if you claim it is?

People use musical instruments in worshipping, are those idols?

 

[Not David]

This statement is completely false. It is unsubstantiated both by history and scripture. I know I've told you this before, but pagan idolaters the world over have always considered the idols to be only representations of the gods, even if the gods were believed to inhabit the idol. No one who ever offered gifts to the idol of Athena thought that a mere statue was the same thing as the actual Olympian god. Tribute to the idol is a symbolic tribute to the god, in the same way that a prayer or kneeling or tribute to a statue of Mary is a symbolic tribute to Mary, herself. If you kneel, pray or burn incense to any physical object, then you honor an idol (that's not an exhaustive list).

Are you really comparing pagan gods to icons?