I’m not a Roman Catholic I’m orthodox but let’s talk idolatry. In the Bible there is a clear differentiation between worship and veneration. For example when Moses meets with some family he bows and kisses them much like we bow and kiss an icon, family member, or a priest. It’s an ancient sign of respect that’s in the Bible and not listed as worship.
And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. -Exodus 18:7
Genesis 44:14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him
Exodus 11:8 All these officials of yours will come down to me, prostrate themselves to me, and say, "Get out, you and all the people following you!' After that I'll go out." Then Moses angrily left Pharaoh.
Now as an orthodox we do not use statues in worship (we are commanded against it in rare cases some people disobey it) but if you want to go after iconography there’s biblical Old Testament verses for that too that our Lord commanded imagery in His Temple and on the Ark of the Covenant.
Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room; and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. - 1 Kings 6:27
The two doors were of olive wood; and he carved on them figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees. - 1 Kings 6:32
There is a clear distinction between worship and veneration, and there are not only permitted but commanded imagery by God in the Old Testament.
As orthodox we think Roman’s take some of these issues too far, but I must add there is an appropriate level of veneration and imagery in worship according the the Word.
I’m not a Roman Catholic I’m orthodox but let’s talk idolatry. In the Bible there is a clear differentiation between worship and veneration. For example when Moses meets with some family he bows and kisses them much like we bow and kiss an icon, family member, or a priest. It’s an ancient sign of respect that’s in the Bible and not listed as worship.
And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. -Exodus 18:7
Genesis 44:14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him
Exodus 11:8 All these officials of yours will come down to me, prostrate themselves to me, and say, "Get out, you and all the people following you!' After that I'll go out." Then Moses angrily left Pharaoh.
Now as an orthodox we do not use statues in worship (we are commanded against it in rare cases some people disobey it) but if you want to go after iconography there’s biblical Old Testament verses for that too that our Lord commanded imagery in His Temple and on the Ark of the Covenant.
Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room; and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. - 1 Kings 6:27
There is a clear distinction between worship and veneration, and there are not only permitted but commanded imagery by God in the Old Testament.
As orthodox we think Roman’s take some of these issue too far, but I must add there is an appropriate level of veneration and imagery in worship according the the Word.
I’m not a Roman Catholic I’m orthodox but let’s talk idolatry. In the Bible there is a clear differentiation between worship and veneration. For example when Moses meets with some family he bows and kisses them much like we bow and kiss an icon, family member, or a priest. It’s an ancient sign of respect that’s in the Bible and not listed as worship.
And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. -Exodus 18:7
Now as an orthodox we do not use statues in worship (we are commanded against it in rare cases some people disobey it) but if you want to go after iconography there’s biblical Old Testament verses for that too that our Lord commanded imagery in His Temple and on the Ark of the Covenant.
There is a clear distinction between worship and veneration, and there are not only permitted but commanded imagery by God in the Old Testament.
As orthodox we think Roman’s take some of these issue too far, but I must add there is an appropriate level of veneration and imagery in worship according the the Word.