Blaine: the problem with graven images has always been that sooner or later, people get (got) around to worshipping them and ascribing living qualities and magical powers to them. This gave the priests of such images power to make up new rules, and doctrines such as sacrificing children, committing whoredomes, etc., which was the real problem, more than the image itself.
Moroni is no threat along these lines, because a) we do not ascribe living or magical powers to the statues, and b) we do not worship them. The statues are simply there to remind us synbolically that the scripture in the Book of Revelations concerning "another angel" flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people was fulfilled when Moroni (the angel) appeared to Joseph Smith a number of times, and eventually committed to him the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. The BoM is believed to contain the everlasting gospel in its original purity, as believed in and practiced by the early saints. By the way, what about the crosses most Christian Churches have? Are these not "images" of things on earth? Yet you don't seem to worship them , although some people seem to ascribe magical powers to them, as they wear these symbols around their necks. Is this correct? Some beliefs even go so far as to assume the crosses themselves can ward off evil spirits?? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Perry Locke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 8:44 PM Subject: [TruthTalk] Graven images > Blaine and DavidM, > > Can help me to understand the following? > > Exodus 20:4 states the second of the commandments: " Thou shalt not make > unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven > above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the > earth." > > Now, on every LDS temple I have seen there is a gold statue of Moroni on > one of the spires. Doesn't this violate the "any graven image, or any > likeness of any thing that is in heaven above" part of the second > commandment? > > If not, why not. Isn't the statue a "graven image", or "likeness"? Isn't > Moroni "in heaven above"? > > Thanks, > Perry > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee when you click here. > http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 > > ---------- > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. > ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
