Why there are so many Christians, especially the fundamentalists, where this issue (Idolatry) is so important in their writings, thoughts and speeches. We must go to Old Testament to see the major references about this issue, and in Exodus is where the MAJOR reference is, so in 20:4,6 we can read "Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. And shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments."
We must focus all this issue with temporal and historical context. Why can't we see in Jesus' words references about this issue and there are very few references in New Testament and the ones we can read are not so relevant. God words are very relevant about Idolatry in the context where God's invisibility and God as the CREATOR can't be worshiped by any image or figures, and can't be compared with all gods or any representations (astronomy or others) that others worshiped for thousand of years and even today. Try to read the resume that Wikipedia offers us about this issue.
I invite you if you are a Fundamentalist Christian to reflect about these questions.
- Do you believe that GOD would let their followers (All Christians until Protestant reform) to live so many centuries with no tips about this so important issue (Old Testament) versus not so important issue (New Testament). Jesus turned GOD visible, so, then, this Idolatry issue is not so important anymore.
Catholics have in Jesus, their center, but they have also some space to love Mary and all Saints that lived according GOD wishes.
- New Testament gives some references about this issue, 1 John 15:21 " Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." or 1 Corinthians 10:14 "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols." are some examples. Timeless words, so many people today that have as their idols, singers, some politic persons or others "gods" and put all them in first place in their lives. In Jesus time, the idols would be some gods, and all that could replace Jesus and be a competitor like today there are so many idols and visible ones that every day compete with Jesus for more space in their hearts. For some Jesus does not have any place, and is being replaced by so many things offered by this world.
- Why can't you see the difference from Old to New testament in some crucial issues, Does the early Christian traditions (Orthodox or Catholic) deserve to be sent to trash because some "Illuminati" (Reformists) suddenly discovered "new" and "fresh" ways how to read the bible.
- Doesn't Jesus be consistently refuted by many, because divergences in some Old Testaments words, and the way they should be interpreted, so my advise is to do not waste so much time with fundamentalisms.
For the past 500 years we are seeing so many divisions and new Christians ramifications with its thoughts and interpretations how to follow Jesus, that can scare the future for the next 500 years. There is no problem to have a picture of Jesus in your room, no matter the way He looks, with or without a face. Your spirituality is not weaker or will not be stronger, because of that picture. The most important it is the image you have in your heart and not the one your eyes can see.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
Let's see this beautiful video about Catholic and Orthodox Traditions.
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