A Dialogue On the Issue of Religious Images in the Church

Born Again: 

Catholics are quick to defend themselves, pointing out that there were good traditions in the Bible,,,Instead of obeying the commandments of God, the Catholic Church teaches the TRADITIONS of men.

Response: 

when Catholic say something about tradition we do not talk about traditions of men we talk about the Apostolic Traditions:

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. [2 Thessalonians 2:15]

I praise you for remembering everything I told you and for holding to the traditions that I passed on to you. International Standard Version (©2008) [1 Corinthians 11:2]

Before you make sweeping accusations I suggest you read or listen to our stand because your making yourself a liar in the end...

Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. [Proverbs 18:13] New Living Translation (©2007)

Born Again:

"You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth”. In the Hebrew, the phrase 'graven image' comes from ‘pesel’, w...

Response:

That is the point of what I am posting above. If God forbids ALL as in ALL images then He has contradicted Himself because in other instances He even COMMANDED MAKING GRAVEN IMAGES:

 

"And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be". [Ex. 25:18–20]

 David was given the plan of the temple which included IMAGES of ANGELS:

and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and shelter the ark of the covenant of the LORD. [1 Chronicles 28:18]

Similarly this is the vision of the idealized temple of God as seen in a vision by Ezekiel:

In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees. Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces: the face of a man toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple. From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary. [Ezekiel 41:17-20]

What do you think these are? Are these not graven images? The question is not about the ABSOLUTE FORBIDDING of IMAGES it is the PROPER RELIGIOUS USE of them. Please use your head on this one & let not your prejudices & biases hinder you from acknowledging the truth.

Born Again:

No image, no idol, no idea will totally encompass our Great, living, transcendent, Almighty God.

Answer:

So when did the Catholic Church taught that images are to be considered IDOLS & where in the Bible did it say that idolatry is limited to graven images? However let me address your point. While it is true that we cannot put the glory of God in our hands God nonetheless provided Imagery of Himself so we can imagine Him & we may be given idea of His greatness. As an evidence God has provided images of Himself in which we can remember Him:

 

-As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. [Daniel 7:9]

-The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove [Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32] 

- The Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of Fire [Acts 2:1–4]

-Most importantly when God entered creation He revealed HIMSELF as a man who we can see & remember either through stories or through images. He revealed HIMSELF in the image of Christ:

//He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [Colossians 1:15]//

Now is this not what God is? He became man & how can we make representations of God is it not through the image of a MAN ON THE CROSS? The moment you will say it is demonic is the moment you will deny Christ.

Again before you accuse without even having an information of what we believe here is what the Catholic Church teaches:

The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, "the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype," and "whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it." The honor paid to sacred images is a "respectful veneration," not the adoration due to God alone:

Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. the movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is.

Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2132

Born Again:

How do you draw God?mr.Gregor Alfonsin C. Pondoyo and Teewee Diego? Is God left-wing or right-wing? Male or female? Judgmental or merciful? Does God oppose all the things you oppose, and agree with all the things you find agreeable? If so, that’s an idol.

Answer:

If you do not agree with the testimony of early Christians who saw Jesus & painted him on the walls then that is up to you. For the mean time cling to the IDOL that is in your mind because you cannot pray to a God without even having a PROTOTYPE/REPRESENTATION of something or someone in your mind. You’re a hypocrite.

Born Again:

I plead with you, obey the Gospel by acknowledging your guilt of sin for breaking God's Laws, turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, trusting solely upon His work of redemption to wash away your sins Gregor Alfonsin C. Pondoyo Teewee Diego

Answer:

I plead with you to use your common sense & listen before you make rants & accusations about our doctrines. Either way you have shown your GROSS ingnorance of the BIBLE.

Born Again:

You need Christianity friend, NOT churchianity. You need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, not your own self-righteousness.

Answer:

You need Christ & Christ is in His Church because the Church is HIS BODY:

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. [Ephesians 1:22-23]

if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth [1 Timothy 3:15]

By your ignorance of the Church & its teachings you actually ended up persecuting it & therefore you persecuted & bore false witness in front of Christ because the Church is Christ's body.
 

Ergo, you are a MASSIVE ignorant of the scriptures & ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ [St. Jerome]

Sources:

Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7F.HTM

Catholic Answers on Do Catholics Worship Images: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/do-catholics-worship-statues

Bible- All verses are taken from the New International Version (1984) unless otherwise indicated.