Fidei Defensor Posted July 15, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 18 Topic Count: 165 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,997 Content Per Day: 1.56 Reputation: 2,607 Days Won: 15 Joined: 04/29/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Knotical said: On the one hand if it is being used to focus the mind on what and how to pray to God, it may be a good thing. On the other hand it could fall under violating one of the commandments. It could be used as an idol, as can the crucifix, or any image of Christ. I would err on the side of caution and not use anything. If you have trouble knowing what to pray just write down your thoughts then let God lead you from there. How is a crucifix idolatry if it depicts Christ our Lord? God forbade making idols of the gods of people in the land of Canaan. But He had the Ark of Covenant constructed with Cherubim angels on it (Exodus 25:10-22 ). If the depiction is the Lord God and not some pagan god, how is it harmful? Edited July 15, 2020 by Fidei Defensor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotical Posted July 15, 2020 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 183 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 106 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/17/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted July 15, 2020 9 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said: How is a crucifix idolatry if it depicts Christ our Lord? God forbade making idols of the gods of people in the land of Canaan. But He had the Ark of Covenant constructed with Cherubim angels on it (Exodus 25:10-22 ). If the depiction is the Lord God and not some pagan god, how is it harmful? Something interesting to unpack, really. The commandment states: "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." In some Christian circles that could include any depiction of Christ as well. The church I attend currently does not have any specific symbols in the sanctuary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted July 15, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 18 Topic Count: 165 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,997 Content Per Day: 1.56 Reputation: 2,607 Days Won: 15 Joined: 04/29/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Knotical said: Something interesting to unpack, really. The commandment states: "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." In some Christian circles that could include any depiction of Christ as well. The church I attend currently does not have any specific symbols in the sanctuary. Ah, so your church observes a more rigorious Aniconism. Aniconism: “Aniconism is the belief that images should not be used in worship; it is opposition to icons but not necessarily to all images. There is a spectrum of aniconism. Rigorous aniconism insists that the natural or supernatural world should not be represented in any visible way.18 The ban on images may only apply to the divine or extend to “saints”; it may encompass all living beings, and even, at its most rigorous, include everything that exists. When this prohibition is enforced by the actual destruction of images, aniconism becomes iconoclasm.” (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/answering-eastern-orthodox-apologists-regarding-icons/) Edited July 15, 2020 by Fidei Defensor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotical Posted July 15, 2020 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 183 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 106 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/17/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted July 15, 2020 4 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said: Ah, so your church observes a more rigorious Aniconism. Aniconism: “Aniconism is the belief that images should not be used in worship; it is opposition to icons but not necessarily to all images. There is a spectrum of aniconism. Rigorous aniconism insists that the natural or supernatural world should not be represented in any visible way.18 The ban on images may only apply to the divine or extend to “saints”; it may encompass all living beings, and even, at its most rigorous, include everything that exists. When this prohibition is enforced by the actual destruction of images, aniconism becomes iconoclasm.” (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/answering-eastern-orthodox-apologists-regarding-icons/) Though, our church leaders do not allow symbols within the sanctuary they really don't say anything should we have them on our persons, in our vehicles, or in our homes. Though, I can't imagine any of our members would have a picture of Jesus at home, however, they could have a cross or two here or there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted July 15, 2020 Group: Royal Member Followers: 18 Topic Count: 165 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,997 Content Per Day: 1.56 Reputation: 2,607 Days Won: 15 Joined: 04/29/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 11 minutes ago, Knotical said: Though, our church leaders do not allow symbols within the sanctuary they really don't say anything should we have them on our persons, in our vehicles, or in our homes. Though, I can't imagine any of our members would have a picture of Jesus at home, however, they could have a cross or two here or there. If you’d like to discuss this more, I have a thread about images: https://www.worthychristianforums.com/topic/255390-the-controversy-of-images/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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