S
ShowersofRoses
Guest
Funny how you are quoting verse 4 but omitting verse 5, which states:
God restricted the making of carved images IF the purpose of making them was to fall down and worship them. Wisdom devotes a few chapters (13-15) to describe the follies of worshipping false idols, but has nothing to say against carved images themselves.
Later on after Exodus 20, God commands the Israelites to construct the Ark of the Covenant with two carved angels upon it. Then He commands them to build the molten sea, which rested on the backs of 12 carved oxen.
Was God contradicting Himself when He commanded the people to make these carvings? No, because they were representations and not idols.
People have beautiful figurines and knick knacks all over their houses: animals like bears, deer, or eagles, or little Hummel figures, or Precious Moments figurines, or Willow Tree figurines. None of these give anyone a moment’s pause, because no one worships them. But they are ALL carvings. Are they sinful?
If we have a carved reminder of Jesus and it reminds us to ponder His crucifixion or meditate on His mercy, then you would condemn it. Or if we have a statue of Mary and it reminds us to ask for her intercession, then you would also condemn that.
Suddenly those particular carvings are WRONG, even though they lift our hearts up to God, when other figurines like Precious Moments or Willow Tree never cause an outcry, even though they do nothing but bring a passing smile.
Statues of Jesus, Mary, and the other Saints, however, are powerful visual reminders of His Mercy and remind us to pray and to draw closer to God. They are not an invitation for idolatry.
It is presumptuous to assume that Catholics are in grave error or sin by having a carving in their church or home. We know the difference between Jesus, the King of Kings, and a humble, simple carving representing Him.
You can’t take one verse out of context to prove a point.
God restricted the making of carved images IF the purpose of making them was to fall down and worship them. Wisdom devotes a few chapters (13-15) to describe the follies of worshipping false idols, but has nothing to say against carved images themselves.
Later on after Exodus 20, God commands the Israelites to construct the Ark of the Covenant with two carved angels upon it. Then He commands them to build the molten sea, which rested on the backs of 12 carved oxen.
Was God contradicting Himself when He commanded the people to make these carvings? No, because they were representations and not idols.
People have beautiful figurines and knick knacks all over their houses: animals like bears, deer, or eagles, or little Hummel figures, or Precious Moments figurines, or Willow Tree figurines. None of these give anyone a moment’s pause, because no one worships them. But they are ALL carvings. Are they sinful?
If we have a carved reminder of Jesus and it reminds us to ponder His crucifixion or meditate on His mercy, then you would condemn it. Or if we have a statue of Mary and it reminds us to ask for her intercession, then you would also condemn that.
Suddenly those particular carvings are WRONG, even though they lift our hearts up to God, when other figurines like Precious Moments or Willow Tree never cause an outcry, even though they do nothing but bring a passing smile.
Statues of Jesus, Mary, and the other Saints, however, are powerful visual reminders of His Mercy and remind us to pray and to draw closer to God. They are not an invitation for idolatry.
It is presumptuous to assume that Catholics are in grave error or sin by having a carving in their church or home. We know the difference between Jesus, the King of Kings, and a humble, simple carving representing Him.
