The Golden Cow

[Ancalagon]

I have always been interested in understanding the concept of religion and the need to have a representation to which its members may worship. For example, should religions that have Golden Cows, multi-armed Elephants, the Virgin Mother herself or whatever other finely decorative statuette they choose to place before themselves to pray to..should these people not be accepted for the simple fact they are praising God, even if thru a medium? If it becomes the choice of the people to use representations of their god, does this detract from the fact they are living a life of servitude to an honourable god..or does the figurine aspect mean their god is not honourable?

[Ciryaher]

I don't think it detracts, so long as one has the personal realization that the figure itself is not God. If something helps one focus one's prayers to God, then it is perfectly acceptable.

[Thorin]

The whole iconoclastic controversy was over this very thing. The Catholic Church felt that the people needed some tangible realization of their faith. However, these icons became abused (i.e. relics like hairs from the beard of Christ and splinters from the cross) and people were worshiping the relics as powerful. People paid good money to buy these relics which was then put into the church coffers. This was idolatry and superstition at its worst.

I think there is a difference between having a cross as a symbol and reminder of what Christ did for us and kneeling in front of a statue Virgin Mary to light candles and offer prayers. Some may feel that this is splitting hairs but I believe it. When we need something physical to help us relate to God and mediate between us and God, we are putting our faith in what we see (which is a meagre and sometimes misrepresented version of what actually IS), and Jesus said, "Blessed are they who believe and don't see"). I also feel that the commandment "thou shall not make any graven image" (which you won't find in the Catholic commandments, at least not the ones I grew up with) doesn't just apply to worshipping stone Gods named Baal, but bowing down and praying to a representation, even when people feel they are praying to what it represents.

Lets look honestly at the children of Israel worshipping the golden calf. Were they honestly worshipping the golden physical form? What did they say, "The golden calf has delivered us". Obviously they knew that this physical statue did no such thing, but they created a representation of what they experienced: the power of God manifested in the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, the parting of the Red Sea. Do you think that they thought there was another God outside of the Red Sea/Fire/Cloud God that had any part of their deliverance? No. They wanted to make God who delivered them tangible. How is that any different from what we see in cathedrals? We don't know what Mary, Jesus or the apostles look like. To the Israelites, the calf was the best thing they knew of.....We all know what happened to the Israelites, don't we?

I think it is a borderline issue and can be defended from both angles (and I'm sure our Catholic brother Eriol and sister Maggot will be able to defend the pro-side. :) )