Members hannah Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 [quote="Jerry"] I agree that someone else's idol cannot harm us - but the Bible does forbid believers themselves having anything to do with idols. Deuteronomy 4 and 7 are good passages on that. I won't let someone's crucifix hinder me from witnessing to them - though I would certainly have a problem if someone was visiting and they wanted to bring their idols in my house. [/quote] What would you do if they came for a visit and they were wearing a crucifix or a scapular? Or wouldn't you let them visit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jerry Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 I am sure I wouldn't know if they were wearing holy underwear (and wouldn't want to know...). But I wasn't referring to a crucifix - I was referring more to little Mary statues and pictures, things like that that you can see all over a Catholic's house. God says not to bring an idol into our houses, so I would not let them bring those kind of things in when they come for a visit. I had never given much thought to someone wearing a crucifix - just was thinking more of the lines of ones you see around their houses and cars, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bakershalfdozen Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 [quote="Jerry"] I am sure I wouldn't know if they were wearing holy underwear (and wouldn't want to know...). [/quote] [u][b]Holey[/b][/u] underwear is a fact but [u][b]holy[/b][/u] underwear? :saywhat :? :shock: :lol: Oh, the things the Catholics come up with. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hannah Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 [quote="Jerry"] I am sure I wouldn't know if they were wearing holy underwear (and wouldn't want to know...). But I wasn't referring to a crucifix - I was referring more to little Mary statues and pictures, things like that that you can see all over a Catholic's house. God says not to bring an idol into our houses, so I would not let them bring those kind of things in when they come for a visit. I had never given much thought to someone wearing a crucifix - just was thinking more of the lines of ones you see around their houses and cars, etc. [/quote] Well, I would differ with this. I fully expect devout Catholics to wear medals and to not leave home without their rosaries. I would expect the same of anyone who was serious about their religion. I wouldn't allow them to perform a church service or a study in my home but I would never tell them that they would have to leave their rosaries outside of the house. I don't expect them to act like Christians. How do missionaries handle these kinds of matters? Are there any missionaries on this board? They have to run into this all the time. People wearing amulets or small bags of magic powders, etc. I can't imagine them not inviting them over for dinner even if they were wearing things depicting their relgions. But I could be wrong. It's been known to happen a lot! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members preacher_gary Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 Hey--Let's step bac just a second here!!! I think some of us may be confusing idolatry with symbolism! I changed my avatar because some were upset with my choice of SYMBOL--to me that's all it is now. I haven't been a practicing Catholic in almost 40 years, but the symbology still tends to stick. Trust me, please, all the statues and candle worship and palm fronds over pictures of Jesus, etc, etc, oh, and rosaries in the pocket offend me just as much as the next good Baptist. I am so sorry I apparently started a lot of bickering among real believers and freinds. The Roman Catholic Anti-christ association has absolutely no power or authority over me--in fact after seeing that slide-show yesterday I'm more terrified of them now than ever. I will try my best not to EVER show anything else like that stuff again, OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jerry Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 Gary, I am not sure of your distinction between idolatry and symbolism. The Bible forbids us of making statues, pictures, idols, etc. of God or false gods - so whether someone considers it a symbol or not, a picture of Jesus or a statue of Jesus is still an idol, which both the NT and OT forbid us from making or using, or even having in our houses. I don't sense any bickering in this thread - just several posters attempting to clarify their positions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 We were taught it was wrong to have images of Jesus. We were also taught no one knows exactly what Jesus looked like so any image, which would be made by mans imagination, would likely be inaccurate. We were also taught it was disrespectful and promoted a false view of Jesus to show Him still hanging on the cross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jerry Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 [quote="John81"] We were taught... [/quote] Now that you know what the Bible says, would you say what you were taught is also what the Scriptures teach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted April 9, 2006 Members Share Posted April 9, 2006 [quote="Jerry"] [quote="John81"]We were taught... [/quote] Now that you know what the Bible says, would you say what you were taught is also what the Scriptures teach?[/quote] Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hannah Posted April 10, 2006 Members Share Posted April 10, 2006 [quote] I don't sense any bickering in this thread - just several posters attempting to clarify their positions. [/quote] Yes, this is my sense of it also! :D Just off the top of my head it seems that the only thing that the bible states as okay to have displayed in the house would be the Word of God, right? So we can have as many bible verses on our walls or carved in stone, or around our neck, etc. At least that's what I've always thought. Am I right on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jerry Posted April 10, 2006 Members Share Posted April 10, 2006 Yes, the Bible does teach that we should put the Word of God on our walls, doorposts, etc. I do not believe that pictures are wrong - even God commanded the OT priests to carve pictures of cherubim, palm trees, bells, etc. What they were forbidden to do was have pictures or carvings represening false gods or the true God because no one knows what He looks like (also a "picture" of God Himself could only represent God physically, not morally, spiritually - not represent His love or holiness, His righteousness or His mercy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samer Posted July 8, 2007 Members Share Posted July 8, 2007 I thought this would be appropriate here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members matie-k Posted July 8, 2007 Members Share Posted July 8, 2007 We were taught it was wrong to have images of Jesus. We were also taught no one knows exactly what Jesus looked like so any image' date=' which would be made by mans imagination, would likely be inaccurate. We were also taught it was disrespectful and promoted a false view of Jesus to show Him still hanging on the cross.[/quote'] @John - I'm glad I found this topic today so I could ask you a question or two.. Would you say then that using Sunday School materials for small children should not have "pictures" of Jesus or God? We have a 2 year old, and we're wanting to get materials for teaching her, however it seems like so much of the materials have Jesus or God pictured on the coloring pages, or books or flannel graph materials. We definitely would NOT get the sort that has Jesus with long hair, but we're not even sure that there should be any type of picture of Jesus or God and leave her with the impression that Jesus/God looks such and such a way. I would think if one would ask the average joblo on the street what Jesus looks like - he would say that he has long hair and sort of puny, and that's because of the pictures that we've all grown up seeing. Could/Should we try to avoid that as much as possible with our children? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted July 8, 2007 Members Share Posted July 8, 2007 I absolutely prefer material that doesn't show images of God or Jesus. When I first encountered Chick tracts, I remember taking note how when they show God on the throne, the picture is more of an outline of a figure without any facial features. It's very difficult to find childrens items which don't have some image of Jesus. These can be used, but it's helpful to let the children know that the pictures are not actually Jesus, and in some cases to explain to them how we know Jesus didn't actually look like some of the pictures. Make sure the concentration is upon the biblical content and lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lettheredeemedsayso Posted July 8, 2007 Members Share Posted July 8, 2007 With regard to the catholic plan of salvation chart there. I noticed there was not one scripture given for one aspect of their chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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