Someone explain to me why I can bow to and serve a graven image

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CampionTheChampion

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I walk into an eastern rite chapel, bow before an icon of the Theotokos and kiss it.

I’ve just bowed to and served a graven image.

How have I not broken the 1st commandment?
 
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Well even if I didn’t serve it…I still bowed to it. Wouldn’t that still be breaking the 1st commandment?
 
no; people salute flags; is that breaking the 1st commandment?
 
Your profile indicates that you are a convert. Are you seriously confused about veneration vs. adoration? Have you not venerated the Cross on Good Friday before?
 
There is a distinct shift in the theology behind images in the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in Platonic and Neoplatonic thought where as modern Catholics subscribe mainly to Aristotle. For Catholics, an image of a saint is first and foremost an image. It only shares the attributes of the saint and serves as a sign through which our minds are drawn to the saint. The Orthodox Church primarily sees the sign of the saint/Christ/Mary in the icon as the spiritual presence of the person it signifies. So Orthodox Christians are not venerating a piece of wood, they are instead directly venerating the person who is represented on it. Think about it this way. If Mary appeared bodily in front of you right now, would you bow and kiss her feet with respect to her place within the history of Salvation as the Mother of Christ? This is what our Orthodox brothers and sisters are doing.
 
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I’m joining this Easter. I’ve independently come into agreement about everything the Church teaches doctrinally except when it comes to icons and intercessory prayer. Even Marian dogmas like the assumption make sense to me and I’d probably still believe it if I stayed Protestant, but I can’t stand what feels like idolatry to me. Veneration of icons just seems so wrong. I don’t understand it.
 
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If you intended to worship the image, you did. If you intended to worship God, you did not. The icon is merely a spiritual help. It is no different than a cross.
 
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Long ago the church resolved this dilemma and you see images of one sort or another in not only Catholic churches but Methodist and Episcopal churches, etc. We do not worship icons or statues. Worship – that is sacrifice – is only offered to God primarily in the Mass.

There is a context to those Old Testament prohibitions and they are radical, in that they overturn the practices of the neighboring pagans. They were aimed at such practices. Of course, these statues and commandments apply today as well.

Icons and statues can be inspirational and point to heavenly realities, to expand our spirituality.

Yesterday I was reading Dt 6:6 in my Bible in a Year bible from Augustine Institute: “And these words which I command you this day shall be on your hearts.” RSV-2CE

God has given us his love letter, the Bible, and we are to focus on that. The statues, icons, and painting, etc. serve the spirituality of others and we need not be led down the path like a herd to conform to others’ ideas of what is required. Focus on the words and you yourself become an icon of Christ to others.
 
It is just human nature to venerate, salute, or show affection towards things that represent something dear to us. Others gave the example of saluting the flag. Also, a soldier deployed overseas might kiss a picture of his wife he has with him out of love for her. Is he worshiping the image there?
 
then don’t stand or kneel before icons; if it really bothers you

as mother angelica had said “these are holy reminders”

if it is not “your thing” ; well then it isn’t…
 
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An icon is not a graven image. Graven means carved, i.e. a statue. As to images in general, this was dealt with at Nicaea II.
 
You need to learn the difference between veneration or showing honor to, and worship, which is due only to God. There’s a big difference.
 
How can you serve a graven image, anyways? What can you do for them? i guess you can polish and dust them.
 
CampionTheChampion said:
I walk into an eastern rite chapel, bow before an icon of the Theotokos and kiss it.

I’ve just bowed to and served a graven image.

How have I not broken the 1st commandment?
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Here’s the simplest one-line explanation, in my opinion: a sin of idolatry is an act of the interior heart, not the exterior body.

So, if you were to walk up to the statue, bow and kiss it, saying in your heart: “Oh, almighty statue, I worship you alone and relinquish all the powers of my being to your will” - then yeah, that would definitely be a sin of idolatry, because in your heart, you would be directing your worship toward the statue itself.

But on the other hand, if you were to walk up to the statue, bow and kiss it, saying in your heart: “Oh, almighty God, I worship you alone and relinquish all the powers of my being to your will” - your worship is directed towards God, not the statue, thus no idolatry has been committed. The statue merely functioned as an instrument for assisting your devotion.
 
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Bowing to a statue is like kissing a photograph of your wife, mom, or one of your children.
 
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I have photos on the wall of my house which are representations of my much beloved grandparents among many other family members, whom I love dearly. Sometimes I stop on my way past them, bow to them in homage and remember them in my prayers, also desiring that they remember me. We should find this perfectly acceptable, Catholic Orthodox or even protestant, since they will be always be cherished more than a golden calf.
 
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