# Religious Symbols and Idolatry



## Reformedfellow (Apr 2, 2013)

What are your thoughts?


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## Tim (Apr 2, 2013)

Things by which Christians are to be known:

-our love, our witness, our good deeds, our mercy, our yes means yes, etc.

Symbols we are to use:

-bread & wine, during the sacrament of the Lord's Supper

There is no Biblically-prescribed trademark or logo for us, such as what is used by Mercedes-Benz (thrice-divided circle) or Nike (swoosh).


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## NaphtaliPress (Apr 2, 2013)

I don't have an absolute answer; certainly a crucifix is idolatry. The cross has been a symbol or shorthand for Christianity for a long time. At the point it may become, if it has not, over invested with superstitious or worse meaning then we should treat it no worse than the brass serpent which the Lord had made by His command and good King Hezekiah destroyed when it was subject to idolatrous use. So, not definitive but maybe a rule to go by.


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## Tim (Apr 2, 2013)

Reformedfellow said:


> Hi Tim.
> I think we all would agree there is (_edit: did you mean "is no"_) prescribed command for the use of icons. My question, with the 2nd commandment in mind perhaps, is are these things to be avoided?



As with so many other issues, I just think we should focus on doing what God says to do. There is quite enough in the Bible to fill our life with worthwhile labor. Why do we always feel like we need to add this little thing or that? That's my answer.


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## Kevin (Apr 2, 2013)

Hislop is not a credible source. 

Short of 2nd commandment limitations we should recognize that symbols are a part of language. A cross can be a symbol of faith and a fish on a car identifies the driver as a Christian. Frank Zappa once comment that when he saw a fish on a car he knew that that was the enemy.


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## Tim (Apr 3, 2013)

Reformedfellow said:


> Dearest Tim,
> If one NEEDS a symbol of a cross or the like as a means to fill their life with something then it's quite obvious there is idolatry there.
> I'm not sure if I'm making myself clear here or not... Let me try again to put it in another different way;
> In light of the 2nd commandment, forbidding images, does anyone have any source or info that would prove that this also would include the wearing of a cross or ichthus on a necklace for example.
> But I think Chris already answered this in part perhaps.



Acknowledged. Sorry for not answering your question specifically.



Kevin said:


> Hislop is not a credible source.
> 
> Short of 2nd commandment limitations we should recognize that symbols are a part of language. A cross can be a symbol of faith and a fish on a car identifies the driver as a Christian. Frank Zappa once comment that when he saw a fish on a car he knew that that was the enemy.



...which leads to the question, when does language (i.e., _words_) turn into _pictures_. Christianity is to be communicated in the former rather than the latter. Should we understand the cross symbol to be a part of the vulgar language of the people?


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