Why DOES the Roman Catholics allow icons?

Answer 1

They are "windows into heaven", physical reminders of sacred events and people. They are not worshiped; it is a great sin to the ancient Christian, catholic faiths (Roman, Eastern Orthodox, etc.) to worship any but God in Holy Trinity.

The purported prohibition of images in the 10 commandments is not that at all. In typical Hebrew fashion, the thought builds. The commandment really is no not worship images as if they were gods. If God banned all images, how do you explain all the images that festooned the tabernacle, including the images of the cherubim on the holiest of holy items in the Holy of Holies? Clearly, God wouldn't command that there be no images and then demand them. Your interpretation is thus flawed.

The Seventh Ecumenical Council outlined the proper worship of God and the proper theoogy and use of icons. Just as when you honor a photograph of your parents, the real honor that you mean is to them, not to the photographic emulsion on paper, nor to wood and paint.

If you're so against having any images at all, why do you have an avatar? Why do you visit places that make you have them?

Some consistency in your outrage would be nice.

Forgive me.
/Orthodox

Answer 2

Do you or does anyone you know have pictures of loved ones around the house? Or have you been in a museum and seen paintings of people that used to be in their homes? Why? The picture is not the person, so why keep a picture of that person?
The answer is the same reason we have icons, images, and statues. The world was not blessed with photography at the time of Jesus, so paintings, icons, and statues will have to do. But they are there in order to see an image of our loved ones.
The Israelites made a statue of a cow and worshiped it as a god. They didn't make a statue of the God of Abraham who led them out of Egypt, no, they made it into a cow as a retaliation against God for leading them into the desert. They purposely made an idol into something other than God.
Now, back then, God didn't have a face... Jesus hadn't come yet, so how would they be able to even make a statue of God to begin with? But we do have an image of Christ now, and we have the image of Mary and the saints. We love them and just as we would have a picture of a loved one, we have pictures and images of them.
And to reiterate the far overdone accusation of Protestants, Catholics do not, I repeat do NOT worship Mary and the saints. We venerate them and ask for their intercession because they are already in heaven and can see God face to face. Do you not ask your friends to pray for you? Then why not ask your friends (or your grandmother) in heaven? Cannot they plead for you better than anyone here on earth?

Answer 3

They think it's acceptable to God. They pray to them or they think they are the means to get through God. But, Jesus is our only Mediator to get to God, and not the icons or saints.

And no one, no icon or images or saint can compare to God.

God forbids any other type or worship.



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Exodus 20:4;5:
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”

1 John 5:21: ":..guard yourselves from idols."

Acts 17:29: "Therefore, since we are the children of God, we should NOT think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and design of humans."

Answer 4

Once Jesus Christ took on flesh and became the God-man the entire question of idols instantly became moot, since Jesus himself became the true, flesh image of the (up to that time) eternal, unknowable God. Long before that, God himself commanded the Israelites to build the Ark of the Covenant and furnish the Tabernacle and Temple with graven images of various types.

Answer 5

The Commandment states: 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God

Many people want to make those two verses two different thoughts, but they are not... they are ONE thought. As a result the proper understanding should be that you are prohibited from worshiping a THING as a god. That is NOT what Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic and other Christians do. Such things are a REMINDER of who ever is portrayed in the statue or icon and what that person did in service to God. NO ONE is praying to the statue.

Answer 6

They do that in blatant disobedience to the 10 Commandments. It is just one example of the contempt they hold towards God's Word.

Answer 7

Icons and religious art uplift and inspire the observer to ponder what is good and the things of heaven, and give a visual representation to the mind's eye of the abstract. It does not go against the first commandment. Period.

Answer 8

As with any icon, they're merely meant for inspiration.

Answer 9

A portion of history seems to have rich like implements, ornaments, crosses and the like.
It just never seemed to vanish as art brought wealth.
I cannot speak for them.
Yet somehow the holy Spirit takes some of the lust of the eyes from his own so the Lord is not jealous of hand made gods, images, icons, idol;s and the like.
Thanks God and Jesus Christ for opening our eyes to the truth.

Answer 10

Why not?

Icons are NOT the reality, just a symbol that can help one pray or meditate. It's when people allow the icons to assume power that they become dangerous.