Sin to the first commandment?

[followerofGod]

I wanted to know if anyone could tell me if having/collecting things is a sin to the first commandment. I have ceramic cat that people collect. it is actually an Asian figurine called maneki neko which translated means beckoning cat. It isn’t a worshiping symbol or anything but in Asian culture it is considered to bring good luck and there is a little cute story that goes along with them. its basically a grabber. I just wanted to know if it was considered sin. I don’t believe in any of it, It was given to me by a friend. I just like them for their artistic and cultural value because they are little pieces of art work.

this link can give you background to the story behind it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maneki_Neko

 

[Lorrie]

Laugh, I’m kind of an idiot sometimes. I read your post and I got the 1st commandment confused with the 1st amendment. I was reading along thinking, “How does this violate freedom of speech?”

Now to the topic at hand. I don’t think this is a sin since you aren’t worshiping the figurine. You stated it’s a good luck item. A lot (not all) of people tend to be superstitious in some form or another (throwing salt over their shoulder, knocking on wood, etc.) or they have items they think can possibly bring them good luck (rabbits foot, horseshoe, etc). I think that as long as you aren’t putting all of your actual faith into these things it isn’t a sin.

 

[Brooklyn]

In I Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul talks about meat offered to idols and whether it is sin to eat something offered to pagan gods. He says there is only one God and that the idols are nothing, so therefore to eat that meat is not a sin. So to use that example, just to have that ceramic cat, even if it is of pagan origins, is not sinful, as long as you are not worshipping it in place of God, which I’m sure you’re not. The only way it would be sinful, according to the Apostle Paul, is if it somehow offended someone else.

But chances are no one else is going to care, so just enjoy it!

Mary

 

[BobP123]

Art appreciation is not false god worshipping. You are praising the works of other hands, which may or may not have been God-inspired, but no matter. Contrast art appreciation with horoscope astrology, for example, and you can more easily see what defines worship of false gods.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

Art appreciation is not false god worshipping. You are praising the works of other hands, which may or may not have been God-inspired, but no matter. Contrast art appreciation with horoscope astrology, for example, and you can more easily see what defines worship of false gods.

Amen!

I’d love to have a replica of the statue of Athena from the Parthenon or Zeus from his temple in Olympia – but I’m not about to pour libations to it!

Peace,
Dante

 

[latinmasslover]

The only sin would be in getting a cat verses a wolf

Seriously, as long as you don’t worship it there’s no problem. I myself collect anything that has to do with God’s most beautiful creatures…WOLVES. It depends though on how you view it.