Evangelical Protestant Churches & Crèches

[onel0126]

Honest question here--what is the thinking behind displaying manger scenes during the Christmas season in your churches whether inside or out but deemed idolatrous any other time of year to have statues?

 

[jesj]

Idolatry is not the act of having a statue. Idolatry is the act of worshiping the object as the being.

 

[onel0126]

Idolatry is not the act of having a statue. Idolatry is the act of worshiping the object as the being.

Your response was exactly what I was looking for...Catholics everywhere thank you. I can only hope you are Protestant!

 

[b23hqb]

Honest question here--what is the thinking behind displaying manger scenes during the Christmas season in your churches whether inside or out but deemed idolatrous any other time of year to have statues?

Who exactly are you referring to concerning "any other time of the year" and being deemed idolatrous? Has anyone actually told you that? I personally know of no churches that deem them as such. Idolatry is worshiping anything, any object, other than God, as a god.

 

[onel0126]

Who exactly are you referring to concerning "any other time of the year" and being deemed idolatrous? Has anyone actually told you that? I personally know of no churches that deem them as such. Idolatry is worshiping anything, any object, other than God, as a god.

Does your place of worship have any icons, portraits, statues?

 

[b23hqb]

Does your place of worship have any icons, portraits, statues?

No. But we have no problem with those that do, but will disagree with those that pray to such icons. Churches that do have those items and choose to worship them or not is their deal. If you want to pray to a statue, go for it. We pray and worship to God either directly or through the name of His Son, or both. They sure ain't statues.

 

[onel0126]

No. But we have no problem with those that do, but will disagree with those that pray to such icons. Churches that do have those items and choose to worship them or not is their deal. If you want to pray to a statue, go for it. We pray and worship to God either directly or through the name of His Son, or both. They sure ain't statues.

Perhaps then the bigger question is why doesn't your church have any of these items?

 

[b23hqb]

Perhaps then the bigger question is why doesn't your church have any of these items?

A fair question.

We see no need for them. Those who believe see God in every aspect of life and nature.

We have a table in front of the pulpit with the "In Remembrance of Thee" carved out that we use weekly for our memorial breaking of bread remembrance, and an about 7' x 7' very nice stained glass cross elevated about 4' behind the pulpit, and in front of the baptismal tank that we can slide for baptisms. Our focus is on God and His Son, not items, from our hearts.

 

[Radiant1]

Our focus is on God and His Son, not items, from our hearts.

Interesting. So, how many items such as your stained-glass cross and Remembrance plaque does one have to have before you deem their focus is no longer on God?

 

[onel0126]

A fair question. We see no need for them. Those who believe see God in every aspect of life and nature. We have a table in front of the pulpit with the "In Remembrance of Thee" carved out that we use weekly for our memorial breaking of bread remembrance, and an about 7' x 7' very nice stained glass cross elevated about 4' behind the pulpit, and in front of the baptismal tank that we can slide for baptisms. Our focus is on God and His Son, not items, from our hearts.

I was with you right up until your last sentence.
You know the RCC also focuses on God and his Son. Do you really believe, I mean really believe that the RCC teaches/preaches/encourages idolatry? Again, I'm asking about the Church, not what you see/think/or have heard individual Catholics doing.

 

[b23hqb]

Interesting. So, how many items such as your stained-glass cross and Remembrance plaque does one have to have before you deem their focus is no longer on God?

Do you have a problem with a stained glass window with a cross on it, or on an engraving with "remembrance" on it? We don't. We don't worship those items, or pray to them for something They are simply a reminder of who we are, where we were, who saved us, and why we remember.

Would you consider the Bible to be in the same category?

 

[Radiant1]

Do you have a problem with a stained glass window with a cross on it, or on an engraving with "remembrance" on it? We don't. We don't worship those items, or pray to them for something They are simply a reminder of who we are, where we were, who saved us, and why we remember.

Would you consider the Bible to be in the same category?

I don't have a problem with it all, but you're not answering my question.

 

[b23hqb]

I was with you right up until your last sentence.
You know the RCC also focuses on God and his Son. Do you really believe, I mean really believe that the RCC teaches/preaches/encourages idolatry? Again, I'm asking about the Church, not what you see/think/or have heard individual Catholics doing.

onel - check the definition of icon and portraits - we don't have that. If you want to called a stained glass a portrait, so be it. It is certainly artistic. We certainly no statues or icons.

And, no - I believe that way too many in the rcc, as well as other religions, including Protestantism, focus on preachers and teachers, including your pope and what he says, and not what the Bible preaches. It is a world-wide problem that affects everybody that calls themselves Christians.

You will not see it that way, and therefore, our differences will continue.

 

[b23hqb]

I don't have a problem with it all, but you're not answering my question.

I answered your question.

 

[Radiant1]

I answered your question.

No, you didn't. If anything, you dodged it. You're certainly not obligated to answer, but let me rephrase anyway:

How many religious items is too many before you consider the focus no longer on God? Since you have three -- your bible, plaque, and stained glass image -- I'm assuming you think it more than three?

 

[onel0126]

The premise behind my original post was that I think it it is completely hypocritical to display a manger scene on your church's property (including the BVM) and refuse to have any such items displayed any other time of year...

 

[b23hqb]

No, you didn't. If anything, you dodged it. You're certainly not obligated to answer, but let me rephrase anyway:

How many religious items is too many before you consider the focus no longer on God? Since you have three -- your bible, plaque, and stained glass image -- I'm assuming you think it more than three?

The Bible that I have is not your Bible? What part of my Bible doesn't jibe with yours? Don't assume anything. I answered your question. You just didn't like the answer.

 

[Midnightrider]

The Bible that I have is not your Bible? What part of my Bible doesn't jibe with yours? Don't assume anything. I answered your question. You just didn't like the answer.

you didn't answer her question at all.

But the OP raises an interesting point, if you don't think statues are appropriate the rest of the year what makes them OK at xmas?

 

[Radiant1]

The Bible that I have is not your Bible? What part of my Bible doesn't jibe with yours? Don't assume anything. I answered your question. You just didn't like the answer.

No, you didn't, but no matter. Dodging is close enough to an answer. Heh.

 

[b23hqb]

No, you didn't, but no matter. Dodging is close enough to an answer. Heh.

It was answered, but in your condescension and smarminess, you fail to comprehend. Are you Abraham bargaining with God on what the right amount is?