Ok so first of all I want to nake a thing clear: I am not a christian for the art, but for the Lord, therefore, let's start:
1st: So since I was a young catholic I loved statues of Mary and Jesus, and would ask for one or more every birthday or Christmas possible, since anglicans use orthodox icons, I started collecting them, so for my next birthday I'm not sure if ask for an icon of Our Lady of Sorrows (one of my most beloved advocations of the Holy Mother) and a DΓ«esis, am I being avaricious?
2nd: When I was young I didn't understand the meaning of intercession, so I prayed to Mary, not to Her for pray for me, and most of my prayers were only for Mary, will I be forgiven?
3th: I love the history of St Mary of Egypt, so I don't know if I should pray for her intercession (maybe I wrote it wrong) I only pray to the Virgin Mary, so I don't know if this is ok
Another question: Who is the real strater of the anglican Church? Henry the VIII, Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer, or noone but Christ?
I shared at a meeting today with the topic from the daily meditation being "just for today I will take a deep breath and talk to God" and felt inspired to read a Psalm that I wrote on the inside cover of my Basic Text and shared how that morning I was listening to an audio excerpt from the book of Job to express how in my recovery I am learning how to be honest with God in prayer, even if that means expressing anger at God. Psalm 139 is a beautiful psalm, and in my experience, is a source of much strength and hope. After the meeting, one of the old-timers there came and told me that I am not allowed to share from any literature other than NA-approved literature, and so I should not reference the Bible. Obviously, I did not know that was a "rule" but immediately feelings of shame for "messing up" flooded my body and I wanted to disappear and never come back. I don't understand why it is against the rules for me to share from the bible if that IS my experience, strength, and hope. It's not like I was being preachy or telling people they need to ascribe to a certain religion, because that is clearly not okay, I was simply reading a poem that is really helpful to me (and thought might be helpful to others). Is this an NA rule across the board or is it just that meeting that isn't fond of it? I feel like if I had shared that at my home group I would not have gotten in "trouble" but now I am just afraid of sharing at all out of fear of saying something "wrong." I know NA is not a religious program, but I am starting to feel like maybe I do not belong there if my faith and my relationship with God is "too much" for some people. No matter what - NA does not come before my faith, and NA is not my religion. It seems like some members idolize NA and put their program before their relationship with God and I would never want to end up like that. NA is just one of many tools that God uses to connect with addicts, NA itself is not God. It seems like this was obviously the enemy trying to attack me and drive a wedge between NA and myself, as well as try to silence me for being vulnerable and sharing openly.
My faith is such a huge part of my identity, and God is solely and 100% responsible for all of the growth I have experienced in my recovery. I do not want to feel like I have to "hide" my love for Christ, especially at NA, nor do I want to lose NA because it is very important to me and my recovery, and I am so grateful for the ways that God speaks to me through t
... keep reading on reddit β‘I am just now catching up to what has been going on with SFM in the past week, but one thing I noticed is that a lot of the creepy worshipping and ass kissing that was going on with Papa seems to have shifted to John. That sets expectations way too high for any one individual, and organizations constantly shift through CEOs in the early stages of development.
Once the bootlicking begins, people will expect John to turn water into wine and when he deviates/doesn't deliver on community-generated rumors this will only negatively affect SFM as a whole. Be a realist with your expectations, have a healthy criticism, and just enjoy the ride. I know I am!
I wanted to reach out and share/warn about an experience I wandered into at a Diamond Way meditation center a few months ago.
I was traveling and found a group meditation on Meetup which I usually enjoy and they are a good way to meet likeminded people.
I showed up and stumbled into what I could only describe as a cult.
I was expecting rented space but found a very new, very nice, very expensive center. The meditation began more or less normal with guided breathing, but then it transitioned into Tibetan chants and bead rolling that seemingly everyone else in the room knew other than myself, there was probably like 80 ppl in there.
Basically at this point, the only weird part is that they all seem to know each other very well, and then I guess the chanting(but, I know almost nothing about Tibetan Buddhism so who knows)
But, then I was asked to stay for the βDharma talkβ.
During the intermission I realize that some people had flown half way across the world for this and hopes to meet some guy. Then, I slowly put together that the guy theyβre talking about is some Danish dude whoβs massive portrait was in the meditation room. The Dharma talk begins and Iβm not exaggerating it was 90% about and this dude and how fantastic he was. There was almost no mention of Buddhist ideas or concepts. At one point someone asked a panel member who had recently been in contact with the dude βhow his energy forcefield felt likeβ.
It was cringe at a minimum and in fact, extremely disrespectful to the Buddhist tradition. Itβs clear that Buddha didnβt want to be idolized himself much less a Danish man who did acid in the Himalayas in the 60βs.
It was very disappointing to see Buddhist iconography and meditation used to this effect and I wanted to warn people about it. I donβt know if thereβs much else that can be done.
While my guess was that the answer is a simple βyes,β Iβve spoken to a number of Buddhists who converted to Judaism but maintain some of their former Buddhist practice who disagree. They argue that in Buddhism, people are meditating only to a state they wish to achieve in the future, and therefore that Buddhist practices such as making offerings of fruit are not inconsistent with Judaism.
I would appreciate informed responses.
Im interested in what some of you scholars may know. I was going to post this in a Christian sub but it may be too abrasive there.
Ezekiel 16 and 23 in particular. I've posted about these before.
This repeating trope is one of the only consistent themes and messages of the bible so far I've noticed. Why is this insulting, hateful, dehumanizing and often violent illustration repeatedly used to get the point across that god is offended by "idolatry"? In fact the only times female sexuality is referred to in the bible at all so far I've noticed, is in this distasteful, insulting, and clearly condemning metaphor.
Was prostitution really the only thing the writers knew anything about at all? Did they really have no other way to illustrate their point without dehumanizing women?
These chaps appear to be bowing down and worshipping gold crowns.
Image taken from Watchtower March 2017, Give Honor to Whom it is Due
Ever since I've become a believer I've become very iconoclastic. I feel like making images of Jesus is wrong and it seems like a lot of mental gymnastics to get around the 2nd Commandment. I've heard some of the arguments like we don't actually worship the images but what they represent, but my understanding is that God's Command against images that depict Him is because they cannot truly represent Him and do Him justice as they are just the work of our hands.
Exodus 20:4 says you shall not make for yourselves any image. I understand the context to be about making images that depict God, so technically images of angels, saints etc. could be fine. But it seems like the images that have been made of Jesus have been made for ourselves, for us to have and enjoy etc. And I feel like when you make an image Jesus it's like creating a false messiah.
Then the images seem inaccurate to what Jesus would have actually looked like. I've heard people say that Jesus can be portrayed as any race depending on who draws Him but I think if I was an iconographer I wouldn't want to make Him look like myself. It seems arrogant and presumptuous.
That being said I do enjoy art and on the other hand I feel like I could be being too extreme in my position sometimes. Like people make cartoons of Jesus sometimes, they can be a good tool for teaching. I don' t know if it's wrong or not. Could you guys explain to me your thoughts and maybe if you know some of the history of iconography and like where the classic long hair short beard image of Jesus comes from?
Liturgy is important, but it, in itself, does not represent the fullness of the Christian faith. When some people get so caught up in one form of the liturgy, making more of it than it is, demanding all others follow it or suggest that there is something deficient in their faith, they risk making an idol of their liturgical preference, confusing the liturgy for the fullness of the Christian faith. If and when that happens, ecclesiastical authorities have to act as pastors, which might mean, they will have to forbid such liturgies so long as they generate such idolatry: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2022/01/liturgy-and-idolatry/
Iβve come across some Protestants that say worshipping the Eucharist is idolatry. When I say worship, I donβt mean necessarily Eucharistic adoration outside of the mass like Catholics. This is what the Catholic Church says : β"The only-begotten Son of God is to be adored in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of "latria", including external worship.β
The Protestants tell me orthodox donβt believe in worshipping the eucharist, and that Catholics are committing idolatry.
- So what do you guys actually believe? Do you show latria towards the Eucharist?
Also, they say after the consecration it is bread AND Christ at the same time which itβs why itβs idolatry.
- Do you guys believe the Eucharist after the consecration turns into Christ fully, or is it bread and wine at the same time?
They also say itβs only the body and blood of Christ, which are created things, so they say itβs idolatry to worship created things. The Catholic Church teaches the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ which is why we worship Him as the Eucharist. 3)What do orthodox believe about this? Is the Eucharist only the body and blood of Christ, so itβs idolatry to worship the body and blood?
My cousins in another country are committed JWs. They are K-pop fans.
One of my cousins was almost baptized until his parents found out he was idolizing some K-Pop artist. Not super sure how but I found out through another younger (non JW) cousin.
His younger sister is also a K-Pop fan. She reposts their stuff on Facebook, her Instagram username is literally βily[insert K-Pop artist]β but she hasnβt been told anything. She preaches regularly too so that could be why her parents are letting her off the hook.
So I guess my main question is: what extent is it considered idolatry?
Whatever you put before God is idolatry. This is true for addicts. They usually spend more time getting high or drunk or watching pornography or video games or sports or having sex and very little time if any reading the Bible and praising God. Therefore it's idolatry. The thing that they are addicted to becomes their god in God's eyes.
there is a woman in the mirror.
she slopes
and dances,
sinew building and flashing.
when i touch her chest,
it is cold, broad and flat;
trapped with dead light and
unlived yesterdays.
her kiss is frost, and i want her.
i want her like i have wanted nothing else.
i am her slave.
