Raised as one of Jehovah's Witness I was taught that Christmas was pagan! One reason was the miss use of false images of Jesus and Mary. The Catholic church members bowed down to the image of Mary and Jesus. However, how about the images ones sees in a most Jehovah's Witnesses homes? I know that the Hebrews' decorated their walls, so I do not call a picture an image or a group of flowers on the wall. How about dolls? They were first introduced as an image s to give to pagan's children so they would know their false gods. How about a sculpture of a woman in man? or a pair of birds, perhaps a humming bird? How abut image of angels? I think that an image is what God said in Exodus 20:
3 You must not have any other gods against my face.
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, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me; 6 but exercising loving-kindness toward the thousandth generation in the case of those who love me and keep my commandments.Most Jehovah's Witness claim that a sculpture they have in their house is not an image because they are not bowing down to it! therefore it has no purpose! Also they always state God's name but state we are not under the Mosiac Laws. They will mostly claim that it all has something to do with heart felt feeling toward an object, as well as the use of verse 3 which states "You must not have any other gods against my face" therefore it is a continuing statement and 4 should not be alone. Back to the subject, in Exodus 20:4 it is obvious like the kings who did not take down the idols from the high places if thesurrounding nations did not make them to begin with they would have never bowed down to something they did not carve or make. Explain this scripture to any Jehovah's Witnesses they will dismiss it. So, I disagree with Jehovah's Witnesses miss applying Exodus 20:4.
Jehovah's Witness will rebuttal and claim that it goes with Exodus 20:5 You must not bow down to them. Which gives them an excuse for owning idols! The main theme through out the OT is idol worshipping. Some of the kings did not worship in high places but they did not do what was right in God's eyes. It was simple they only had to take the images down.
There is nothing right about images, God just points out how much of a devotion he does expect from his people. I know it is hard and we as Christians are bon barded with Images! we even desire them. I was walking in the store and saw a cute figurine of a bird, that is how easy it is to get caught up and go against YHWH who is a invisible God who is not made of wood or stones!
In my view point, the Jehovah's Witnesses have committed the worse sin of them all and that is allow their children to play with dolls and owning sculptures and images in the likeness of heavens or earth.
All though, all are under the salvation of Jesus death! Does the Jehovah's Witnesses believe in images? I say Yes! dolls, images in their yards, images in their houses of heavens and under the earth like a fish sculpture.
Now, I am sympathic about how easy it was for the Levitical priesthood and the people of Israel,kings,who did not take the images off the high places but they had a good heart! Like Christians today, Israelite people had desires and enjoyed idols in the high places as well as idols in images of humans, dolls, and figurines for decorating their tables. Although, Christians do not have high places, we enjoy walking in store and desire ownership of cute figurines and dolls. How advanced are we if we know all the facts, but still can not even do one simple thing for YHWH!
JDUBS if you are reading this topic, How much are you paying attention to What God Wants? How can you draw close to God if you are still acting like twelve tribes of Israel and can not even take your images out of you homes!