by jayhawk1 13 Replies latest jw friends
Guys, thanks for the links and thoughts. For that matter, thanks for setting me strait about what a cherub likely is. I said Angel based on pictures of the Ark of the Covenant, which appear to look like just another form of an Angel.
As far as the origional Ark of the Covenant being a radio transmitter or some sort of energy conductor, it is hard to imagine, but anything is posssible.
In response to Inkie...
Strait from the NWT
Exodus 20:4 "You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth." 5 "You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them..."
I can see your point about the important part is not worshiping them. How about this though...
I have several Buddha statues in my kitchen. I have never once worshipped them. I never plan to either. However, if a JW Elder was to step into my kitchen, a Judicial Committee would soon be formed. It would have nothing to do with me, but because somebody else worships those images! Images that inspire reverance in the form of worship often come in the form of heavenly creatures, which again surprises me that Jehovah God would want two Cherubs on top of the Ark of the Covenant.
So for the sake of keeping his people clean and acceptable to him, it surprises me God would want an image on the box.
I would have to say that an idol is an object of excessive devotion as read in my websters . The ark was placed out of site and mind most of the time so that they did not use it in a way that would give it any type of veneration or undue homage like they did the golden calf , it was used in worship but not worshipped as a God . IMO even angel worship is forbidden so that is a good thread starter there . The only angel that accepted worship was jesus .
JayHawk:
A lot of people give away their personal power (I did at one time). There was a sister in the congregation that I was once in who had the statue of the Venus di Milo in several rooms of her house. The elders attempted several times to do what you described would happen concerning your images of Buddha. She, however, stuck her high heels into the ground and affirmed that these were statues of art regardless of the fact that this image was once worshiped by people. She made it very clear to the elders that what was contained in her house (and its reasons) where none of their damn business. She stuck to her guns and after several attempts the elders stopped bothering her. And she used to have parties in her house often with all of the brothers and sisters attending. One time though, a brother wrapped a napkin around one of the Venus's. LOLOL. She pulled it off.
Nevertheless, it is OBVIOUS that God has no problem with images or sculptures of any kind as he commanded their creation. God's problem with them is when we worship them as is evidenced not only by the command but by the need to destroy the copper/bronze serpent that Moses made (and which God commanded be made), but when the people BEGAN to worship it.
--Inkie
