—Hi, Joan! Where are you going?
—Hi, Louise, to the parish; we are praying to God for our country. Would you like to come?
L —Impossible… well, I would like to pray with you, but I would not set foot in your church even if I were dizzy.
J —I do not understand you, Louise… why do you say that?
L —And why else would I say it?! Haven’t you seen that there are many images in your Church?!
J —…Yes…. And what does that have to do with it?
IMAGES AND IDOLS
L —The thing is, I do not agree with that. Why do you Catholics use images if the Bible forbids them? Look at what God says here in my Bible, in Exodus 20:4: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth.
J —Well, Louise, here the Bible is not referring to every kind of image; it is speaking about idols. Do not get confused. Tell me: for you, are an idol and an image the same thing?
L —Of course they are the same thing!
J —That is the mistake. They are not the same thing. There is a great difference between an image and an idol. An IMAGE is any kind of figure or representation of someone or something. An IDOL, on the other hand, is a being or thing considered as a god, believed to have life and power (Isaiah 44:9-20), and put in the place of God. It may be represented in an image or not.
WHAT ARE IMAGES FOR?
L —In any case, images are useless, as we clearly see in the Bible.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. (Ps 115:4-5).
J —Exactly; here it is speaking about the beliefs of the pagans, who thought that a statue was a god, with life and power. They had many gods whom they worshiped. These beliefs were a danger for the People of Israel because the Jews were tempted to imitate the religious practices of the peoples around them. Especially to carve images of the Canaanite gods (as in the case of the golden calf in Exodus 32:1), to whom worship was offered through sacred prostitution (immoral rites). That is why God forbade them to mix with (marry) these peoples, so that they would not be contaminated by their mistaken beliefs.
As you can see, in reality those idols reflected the VICES of man himself. ON THE CONTRARY, the images we have reflect CHRISTIAN VIRTUES, because the Virgin Mary, St. Rita, St. Cajetan, etc., are examples of love, humility, and surrender to Jesus. Do you see the difference?
Today no one thinks, as in the time of the Jews, that an image or a statue moves its eyes or walks. If that ever happened, we would all run! Quite simply, images are like photographs of a loved one. They help us enter into the presence of God and concentrate on the invisible realities they represent.
Think a little! A few months ago your daughter got married. Then she went to live in the South. The other day you showed me the photos and the video. What beautiful IMAGES! What lovely memories they bring you! But… watch out!!! Were we committing idolatry by looking at them? Or were we only remembering absent people and past moments represented in those images?
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH IMAGES?
L —Yes, but what the Bible says about images is very clear. They must be burned. For my part, I burned them all. You shall burn the carved images of their gods (Deuteronomy 7:25).
J —The same thing again! Is it possible that you do not realize that here it is speaking about idols? In any case, are you sure you really burned “all” the images you had? Why did you not burn the photos and video of your daughter’s wedding, which are also images? And the bills of money you have—do they not perhaps bear the image of some national hero? We ourselves are the IMAGE OF GOD (Genesis 1:26). What? Are we supposed to set ourselves on fire?
L —…Huh…? … Well… actually, those images I have are not religious…
J —Aaaah! But they are images. From now on we can understand each other. Look carefully: the biblical passage you quote to me in Ex 20:4 is being interpreted out of context. That verse is connected with the previous one, which clearly speaks of “other gods.” Come on, let us read it in your Bible: You shall have no other gods before me (Ex 20:3). God does not forbid making images as religious signs. Rather, he CONDEMNS IDOLATRY. That is, TURNING images into idols or false gods.
L —But in the Bible we do not find any religious image.
J —That is not true. The Bible presents cases in which God himself ordered an image to be made. For example, in the same book you quoted, in Exodus 25:18, we read here: “And you shall make two cherubim (angels) of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat, one on each side.” Does God contradict himself? First he forbids, and then he commands one to make them?
In Numbers 21:8 we read: “Moses spoke for the people, and the Lord answered him: ‘Make a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who looks at it shall be healed.’” Is God commanding idols to be made?
In 1 Kings 6:23-30; 7:29; 9:1-3 we see that Solomon and the Jews placed images in the Temple of Jerusalem, and it PLEASED God: “My eyes and my heart will be there always.” In the house of God, in the holiest places of the Temple, two giant angels of gold were placed (something that is in heaven), as well as other images of oxen, palm trees, and lions (all images of things that are on the earth). I imagine you would not enter the Temple of Jerusalem (where Jesus did enter), because it was adorned with many images and statues. Were those who entered there idolaters?
ARE WORSHIP AND VENERATION THE SAME?
L —Well, all right, on that point you are right. But the issue is that Catholics give worship to their images, imitating the pagans. They carry them in procession, kiss them, put flowers and candles before them, kneel in front of them, etc. And this is wrong, because in this way they are worshiping them. The Bible says: They are foolish who carry about a wooden idol and pray to a god that cannot save them (Is 45:20).
J —Let us not mix things up; you have another confusion. WE DO NOT WORSHIP THEM; rather, WE VENERATE THEM. Tell me: for you, are worship and veneration the same thing?
L —Yes, they are the same thing.
J —You are mistaken. If you look in your dictionary, you will see that they are not the same; to WORSHIP means to recognize a being as God, as the supreme being, creator and lord of all; it is to recognize his divinity. VENERATE, on the other hand, is simply to respect or give honor to a person or thing for what they are or represent. For example, the Flag represents the country (it is not the country); if someone burned it, that would be a serious lack of respect. In this sense, Catholics WORSHIP ONLY God and VENERATE (respect) everything related to God, such as the images of Jesus himself, the Virgin, and the Saints. We also venerate the Bible itself (cardboard and paper), which is not God but contains his Word.
The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred object that contained the Tablets of the Law and the Manna, signs of God’s love for his chosen people. IT WAS NOT GOD, but it represented God. Yet in 2 Samuel 6:12-16 you will see that the Israelites carried it in procession, offered sacrifice before it every six steps, and David danced before it. Would you dare accuse David of idolatry for that?
Like them, sometimes we Catholics carry in procession something that REMINDS us of God or is related to him, without believing that we are transporting a god or a goddess.
As for the practical way of carrying out “worship” or “veneration,” everything depends on the culture of each people and on each person’s way of understanding. For us, for example, kissing, offering flowers, or carrying in procession is not the same as worshiping. Have you never kissed someone or given flowers?
L —Yes, but Catholics kneel before images, and this is forbidden by the Bible. You shall not bow down to them (Ex 20:5). When Peter entered, Cornelius came to meet him and fell down at his feet. But Peter lifted him up, saying: “Stand up; I too am a man” (Acts 10:25-26).
J —Everything depends on the INTENTION one has when kneeling before a sacred object. Obviously, if one intends to make an act of worship, as in the case of Cornelius, who was a Roman and confused Peter with a god, then it is wrong; however, if by that act one wants only to show respect, then it is not wrong.
All this is very clear in the Bible, where we find cases of people kneeling before other people as a sign of respect, because they are people of God or kings. Or we see them carrying the Ark of the Covenant in procession and prostrating themselves before it. She came to the man of God and caught hold of his feet (2 Kings 4:27). Then Joshua and all the elders of Israel remained prostrate before the Ark of the Lord until evening (Joshua 7:5).
Tell me, Louise. When you see a person kneeling and praying before an image of Mary, do you think he is worshiping her?
THE INTENTION OF THE HEART
L —Honestly… yes.
J —You are still mistaken; worship or veneration depends on an INTERIOR ATTITUDE. And I need to correct you about this. But so that you understand me, let us return to an example. How can I know that you were not worshiping the images in the photos of your daughter’s wedding?
L —It is simple, Joan; you know very well that I did not intend to worship those images; I was only looking at them as a memory of her, since she is far away now.
J —Good. And how would you feel if I still accused you of being an idolater? And on top of that, if I did not listen or pay attention when you tell me what your true intentions are in having and looking at those photos?
L —Well, it would hurt me because you would be judging me wrongly.
J —Do you see? You must correct your attitude and not do to others what you do not like done to you. DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS BY APPEARANCES. In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord teaches us that man sees only appearances, but God sees the heart. Jesus told us, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Mt. 7:1), and James says: “Who are you to judge your brother?” (Jas. 4:11-12). How can you condemn someone as an idolater (a grave sin), judging only by appearances and without the least interest in the intention? Does your attitude not seem rash and unjust to you?
Let this be clear to you: THE SIN OF IDOLATRY IS BORN FROM THE HEART OF MAN, like all other sins. Read what Jesus says about this in Matthew 7:20-23. That is why the INTENTION one has when kneeling before an image matters so much. The Catholic Church taught me to believe in one God alone. And in him I believe with all my heart. We do not believe in or worship any other god. The Church NEVER taught the worship of images; that is only a fantasy in the minds of some people, totally CONTRARY TO THE TRUTH. Just as the cherubim were not considered gods by the Jews but artistic REPRESENTATIONS of SERVANTS of God, so today the Church approves images of the Virgin and the saints because they are artistic representations of servants of God.
Ask anyone whether they think the statue of St. Thérèse is a goddess and whether they worship her; you will see what they say.
We venerate images, that is, we respect them FOR WHAT THEY REPRESENT. For example, the statue of St. Thérèse reminds us of a young woman who gave her life to Christ (a true testimony of the power of God that worked in her life).
In the case of your daughter’s photos, if someone, seeing them, says “what an ugly creature!”, surely you would be very offended. And if that person says to you, “what does it matter, if it is only a photo?”, you would say that yes, it is only a photo, but it represents someone you love and therefore demands respect.
When I VENERATE a religious image, I do not worship it; I only respect what it represents. Do you understand me?
L —Yes, now I understand. I had not analyzed this topic better before. I was very sure of what I knew.
REAL IDOLATRY AGAINST THE TRUE GOD
J —Louise, do not look for false gods or idols in Catholic churches. The gods of this present world are not there; rather, they are powers that dominate modern man from within. Saint Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, “Flee from idolatry.” We should not look for idols or false gods in things of wood or plaster, in images or paintings, but in our heart. Look at Colossians 3:5-6, how Paul defines idolatry: Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you: lust, impurity, disordered passion, evil desire, and also greed, which is a form of idolatry. These things provoke the wrath of God.
Think of these idols or false gods: MONEY; POWER, FREE SEX, SELFISHNESS, FAME, CONSUMERISM; etc. Reflect on the CONSEQUENCES that idolatry of these idols brings: manipulation and oppression, lies, violence, corruption, lack of respect for human dignity, drugs, lack of commitment, broken families, abortion, lack of meaning in life and depression, lack of ethics, unemployment, practical atheism, bulimia and anorexia, malnutrition, alcoholism, individualism, pornography…
L —Now that you tell me this, I start thinking about TV, which in a certain sense is the sanctuary of idolatry. There, at every hour, appear those idols you mentioned, alive and with the power to corrupt the hearts of those of us who “prostrate” ourselves for hours before it and absorb the images it presents.
J —Very good, now you understand me! With the worship of these idols we profane our heart as the Temple of God. That is why Argentina is as it is. Because of that authentic idolatry that draws us away from the true God. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:21) …But anyway, Louise, I have to go.
L —Thank you, Joan; now I realize that I was questioning without really knowing the subject. I am going to accompany you to your Church so we can pray together for Argentina. And I would like, when we return, to have mate at my house and for you to explain to me the reason for the saints.
J —With great pleasure, Louise, let us go.
Author: Children of the Light Apologetics Ministry
Source: Apologetica.org
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