biitar

Hello!

This is more some question of depicting god and saints.

1.Is there any law or ban in the Bibel or Toran/Talmud about depicting god? Is it a sin or is it ok? I was allways under the impression that it was(at least earlier) forbidden to depict god? (But much (religious)art depicts god, so how is it?).

2. Is there diffrent "laws" in say, catholicism and the Russian orthodox church about idols(picture of saints)?

I have heard that the (Russian) orthodox church has many paintings of saints and such that is prayed to while in other churches this is a no no!

Is this true or have I mixed something up?

/Joel

Amaleq13

It is Commandment #2 of the 10:

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:" (Ex 20:4, KJV)

hatsoff

That passage is talking about idol worship, not paintings. Moreover, a lot of Christians believe OT laws are no longer applicable under the New Covenant.

You can see it in context...
"3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
"4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
"5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;"

Toto

The Eastern Orthodox Churches venerate (but do not worship) icons icons.

biitar

But does this clash with other churches belifes? Doesn't the catholic(How do you spell it?! ...) church and protestant church have some fuss about something being removed/added in the bibel that has something to do with this?

biitar

But isn't the face of god often replaced by a ray of light?(in some religious pictures and such)

Toto

Yes, other Christians think that the Orthodox worship idols and worse. And the Protestants think that the Catholics are practically pagan polytheists because of their veneration of Mary and the Saints. And the Orthodox think that the Catholic Pope is akin to the anti-Christ, and JP2 is burning in Hell right now.

And so it goes.

Amaleq13

By what rational argument are paintings disqualified from being considered "any likeness"?

hatsoff

The clear context defined by "other gods" and "worship" in adjacent verses. You know,the "big picture"? "Forest for the trees"? All that?

Amaleq13

I'm well aware of the context but you have not explained how that eliminates a painting of a God from being considered a forbidden "likeness".