OK as the resident theologian here on the list let me give you my
interpretation and knowledge on this issue.
Among the Hebrews and then the Jews of Jesus time, the interpretation
of this was that no image of any person or thing was
allowed. (remember their approach to Jesus with a coin of the realm
at the time and his famous render unto Caesar line. This coin was
not acceptable in the Temple as it bore an image of Caesar.) The
forbidding of images was because animism and objects of worship
(depictions of figures or shapes of people representative of
genitalia) was a common practice and the Hebrews were to be
different than those around them.
New Testament Christians are sometimes of two minds of
this. According to Paul we are freed from the law. (I am not
writing a theological treatise on this so bear with me.) Plus many
early Christians interpreted the graven image as an explanation of
commandment 1 (No other gods)
Among Catholics, plus their close neighbors, Lutherans (me),
Episcopalians and such, symbols and representations are OK as they
are not objects of worship. But they are merely symbols to remind us
and not objects to worship. (During the Protestant Reformation this
came up in the iconoclastic controversy which is where other church
bodies followed the lead of some and destroyed all symbols or objects)
That is why when you go into these churches you will usually find a
wealth of symbols and objects representing biblical scenes. (Plus
representations of Mary in Catholic, and Jesus in many protestant churches)
In the reformed churches they adhere to the separation of Graven
Images from the 1st commandment and do not believe in as much
symbolism or statuary in the church and you will not find it in those
churches. I believe among Muslims you will find similar dichotomies
of positions.
Remember most of the radicals we hear about are Shi'a's. 15% of
Islam is Shi'a and they tend to be the most conservative. Sunni
makes up most of the 85% of world Islam. Islam is also a follower
of the Book as they call it and look toward Jesus as another prophet of God.
Among Americans the reformed side of the Christian spectrum tends to
be quite large with conservative bodies some of the largest here in
America. However they are dwarfed by the number of Catholics,
Lutherans and Anglicans (the world body associated with
Episcopalians) in the world. So we too get a stilted view of things
among our own religions.
Stewart
At 01:00 PM 2/18/2008, you wrote:
>Islam (to my limited understanding) has a fundamental objection to "graven
>images" and depictions of the Prophet seem to be the most egregious form
>of this.
So does Judaism and Christianity:
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
prohibits the construction or fashioning of "idols" in the likeness of
created things (beasts, fish, birds, people) and worshipping them.
Rev. Stewart A. Marshall
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Prince of Peace
Ozark, AL SL 82
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