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How can the Church allow statues when Exodus 20 forbids it?
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Why does the Catholic Church permit the use of statues for religious purposes in defiance of God’s prohibition against the carving of statues in Exodus 20:4-5?
Answer
The Catholic Church does not defy any of God’s commandments. Your question reveals an ignorance of the biblical facts surrounding statues. In Exodus 20:4 God condemned the carving of statues for the sake of worshipping them as idols–a blasphemy the Catholic Church also condemns. In Exodus 25:18-20, on the other hand, God commands Moses to carve statues for a religious purpose: two cherubim which would sit atop the Ark of the Covenant.
Notice that these angelic images were to serve such an exalted purpose (not because the statues themselves were in any way intrinsically exalted but because of the use to which they would be put) that God was very exacting in the instructions he gave Moses as to the materials to be used and the posture in which they were to be carved. Similar divine commands to carve statues and embroider images of various religious objects are found in Exodus 21:6-9, Numbers 21:6-9, 1 Kings 6:23-28, and 1 Kings 7:23- 39. In each case, the statue or embroidered image was intended by God for a religious use.
Although the worship of anything, not just statues, in place of the True God is idolatry, there are times when statues are not just tolerable but recommended. Just as those Old Testament statues were ordered fashioned by God to reminded the Israelites of heavenly realities, Catholic statues of Jesus and the angels and the saints serve the same purpose.
Notice that these angelic images were to serve such an exalted purpose (not because the statues themselves were in any way intrinsically exalted but because of the use to which they would be put) that God was very exacting in the instructions he gave Moses as to the materials to be used and the posture in which they were to be carved. Similar divine commands to carve statues and embroider images of various religious objects are found in Exodus 21:6-9, Numbers 21:6-9, 1 Kings 6:23-28, and 1 Kings 7:23- 39. In each case, the statue or embroidered image was intended by God for a religious use.
Although the worship of anything, not just statues, in place of the True God is idolatry, there are times when statues are not just tolerable but recommended. Just as those Old Testament statues were ordered fashioned by God to reminded the Israelites of heavenly realities, Catholic statues of Jesus and the angels and the saints serve the same purpose.
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It’s not the statue which Catholics worshipping, statues and pictures are only a representation and no way Catholics worship them. When we stand infront of the statue of Jesus or Holy mother we are praying to them Only and not to the Statues.
It’s not the statue which Catholics worshipping, statues and pictures are only a representation and no way Catholics worship them. When we stand infront of the statue of Jesus or Holy mother we are praying to them Only and not to the Statues.
When we knew before a statue we are not kneeling to worship at the statue or to pray to the statue. It is merely a representation of the saint or the angel or blessed person that we are asking to intercede for us. It’s easier for most people to identify with saints and angels and even the holy family when they can put a face with their names. Doesn’t mean they’re praying to the statue or worshiping it.
When we knew before a statue we are not kneeling to worship at the statue or to pray to the statue. It is merely a representation of the saint or the angel or blessed person that we are asking to intercede for us. It’s easier for most people to identify with saints and angels and even the holy family when they can put a face with their names. Doesn’t mean they’re praying to the statue or worshiping it.
That’s God telling Moses what to do in 1 specific circumstance though. It doesn’t necessarily apply to us. I wish there weren’t so many glum statues and paintings in church. It doesn’t work to put us in a happy mood.
That’s God telling Moses what to do in 1 specific circumstance though. It doesn’t necessarily apply to us. I wish there weren’t so many glum statues and paintings in church. It doesn’t work to put us in a happy mood.
That maybe is the purpose of the catholic church but why does the church tolerate its people to idolize these statues? Most of the catholics kneel in front of these statues, willing to be hurt, just to touch the statue. It is definitely a blasphemy and the church is just ignoring it.
That maybe is the purpose of the catholic church but why does the church tolerate its people to idolize these statues? Most of the catholics kneel in front of these statues, willing to be hurt, just to touch the statue. It is definitely a blasphemy and the church is just ignoring it.