OldTimeRadio said:My theologiy's a little rusty these days, but as I recall there's usually a distinction made between "idols" and "representations."
I've met some pretty weird Christians over the years but I've never yet come across a single one who's maintained that Jesus Christ was made of plaster.
i·dol·a·try (ī-dŏl'ə-trē)
n., pl. -tries.
Worship of idols.
Blind or excessive devotion to something.
[Middle English idolatrie, from Old French, from Latin īdōlolatrīa, from Greek eidōlolatreiā : eidōlon, idol; see idol + latreiā, service.]
i·dol (īd'l)
n.
An image used as an object of worship.
A false god.
One that is adored, often blindly or excessively.
Something visible but without substance.
[Middle English, from Old French idole, from Late Latin īdōlum, from Greek eidōlon, phantom, idol, from eidos, form.]
OldTimeRadio said:I was raised Roman Catholic, in the old days before Vatican II, and in parochial school we were taught from the First Grade on that the statues in church were "just plaster 'rememberances'....like pictures in a book."
The pastor of the Southern Baptist church in my home town said something which fits here:
"Catholics have statues of Christ all over the place. We have framed prints and paintings of Christ on almost every wall. What in the world is the difference?"
coldelephant said:"Instead of God becoming an all permeating, omipresent and omipotent being which is present and affects all things etc - it becomes an old man with a white beard which throws down lightning from clouds. Like Odin, or Jupiter, or Zeus."
OldTimeRadio said:My own visualization - as erroneous as any other, of course - is of a great foggy mass of dark-colored hydrogen-like gas, infinitely larger than the physical universe, stuffed to the gills with flashing "Christmas tree" lights.
Madonna defends mock crucifixion
Concert footage
Madonna has defended a controversial mock crucifixion in her stage show, saying it is part of an appeal to the audience to donate to Aids charities.
"I don't think Jesus would be mad at me and the message I'm trying to send," she told the New York Daily News.
UK and US church groups condemned the stunt after the singer began a 51-date world tour in Los Angeles.
A Church of England statement asked why Madonna felt "the need to promote herself by offending so many people".
Madonna performed the ballad Live To Tell while suspended from a giant mirrored cross on Sunday's opening night.
Images of poverty in the developing world were shown on video screens, while numbers ticked away to represent the 12 million African children orphaned by Aids.
"Jesus taught that we should love thy neighbour," Madonna told the newspaper.
Upset
David Muir of the Evangelical Alliance accused the singer of "blatant insensitivity".
"Madonna's use of Christian imagery is an abuse and it is dangerous," he said.
"She should drop it from the tour and people need to find their own means of expressing their disapproval."
This is not the first time the pop star's concerts have upset the Church.
In 1990, the Pope called for a boycott of the Blond Ambition tour, in which Madonna simulated masturbation during Like A Virgin.
The video for Like A Prayer also brought condemnation from groups claiming it was blasphemous.
The Confessions world tour will reach Britain in July.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5013812.stm
Writer cleared of goddess charges
The High Court in the east Indian city of Calcutta has quashed a case against a leading Bengali writer for allegedly defiling a Hindu goddess, Saraswati. Author Sunil Gangopadhyay was quoted in a newspaper saying that he kissed an idol of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, to satisfy his desire.
The novelist says he is relieved the legal proceedings are over and that his comments had been meant as a joke.
Gangopadhyay is Bengal's best known poet and novelist with over 250 books.
The case was brought against him by a former chief of police who said that the writer had hurt his religious sentiments.
Bhibhuti Bhusan Nandy a former chief of border police, said in a complaint to the police that Gangopadhyay's comments had defiled a goddess who is worshipped by Hindus.
Saraswati is regarded as the goddess of knowledge and the arts.
Controversial
Correspondents say Gangopadhyay is no stranger to controversy.
Two years ago there were demonstrations outside a newspaper office in Calcutta after he wrote about the sex life of Indian spiritual leader Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
Last year, the Bangladesh government banned an issue of an Indian magazine which carried a story by Gangopadhyay where he wrote about the sex life of the Prophet Muhammad.
A prolific writer, Gangopadhyay has authored novels, short-stories, poems and travelogues in a 54-year-long writing career.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/s ... 097726.stm
Published: 2006/06/20 09:24:40 GMT
© BBC MMVI
Jesus fancy dress kit 'is a crime'
From Nick Pisa in Rome
Last Updated: 1:19am GMT 02/02/2007
The Vatican acted yesterday to condemn the sale of Jesus Christ fancy dress kits, which can be bought within walking distance of St Peter's Basilica.
The "Jesus Party Wig", available across Italy to wear at the street festivities that precede Lent, costs €12 (£8) and comes complete with a flowing beard and a plastic crown of thorns.
Senior Vatican figures called it "blasphemous" and "shameful". One added that a similar Mohammed outfit would cause widespread outrage. "The vilifying of religion is a crime and this should be investigated by the police," said Bishop Velasio De Paolis, Secretary of the Apostolic Signature, the Vatican's Supreme Court.
advertisement"It's come to the point where the Catholic faith has no defence and it is something to be laughed at, to be made a joke of. The Christian doctrine is exploited but everyone is very careful to be respectful of Islam."
A Milan firm, Widmann, distributes the outfits, which are made in China. It also offers a luxury version, at €24, which adds a long white tunic and a plastic staff. Father Vittorino Grossi, secretary of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, said: "This is regurgitated paganism and is a shameful insult and blasphemous to millions of believers. It's worse than the Roman graffiti of 1,800 years ago that showed Christ with a donkey's head."
No one at Widmann would comment yesterday. But one stockist, who would not give his name, said: "I don't see what the problem is. To me it's just a novelty wig and beard."
He added: "Listen, I don't want any problems. It's stock that just turns up. It's left over from last year."
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml ... esus02.xml
I didn't know b3ta even existed then.It's worse than the Roman graffiti of 1,800 years ago that showed Christ with a donkey's head."
witchflame said:I agree with what many are saying. You cant take the piss out of christianity (good lord no!) , but its ok for christianity to take the piss out of a lot of other religions by nicking whatever they fancy for there own and just making up another name for it.
Bunch of Tits.
rjmrjmrjm said:witchflame said:I agree with what many are saying. You cant take the piss out of christianity (good lord no!) , but its ok for christianity to take the piss out of a lot of other religions by nicking whatever they fancy for there own and just making up another name for it.
Bunch of Tits.
Why do you think that christianity takes the piss out of other religions? Christianity didn't steal anything, what happened is called intergration and adpotion. Not stealing.
rjmrjmrjm said:Ramon, again that is a point of contention - with no real way of explaining how much christianity was influenced by existing cultural groupings. But I do not see it as stealing.
I was more annoyed by the idea that Xtianity 'takes the piss' of other religions? How exactly?
techybloke666 said:you know what we need ?
fire and lots of it
witchflame said:Im a bit of a pyromaniac at heart
rjmrjmrjm said:Christianity didn't steal anything, what happened is called intergration and adpotion. Not stealing.
I made an egg curry last night. Curry is not a Scottish dish. Do I admit I stole curry from India? No I don't, I haven't stolen anything, curry is just something which has been integrated into our culture. And I'm quite sure that my egg curry bears about as much resemblance to something made in India as St Brigit does to your triple goddess.ramonmercado said:It doesnt admit that it took these things. Thats why its regarded as stealing.
min_bannister said:I made an egg curry last night. Curry is not a Scottish dish. Do I admit I stole curry from India? No I don't, I haven't stolen anything, curry is just something which has been integrated into our culture. And I'm quite sure that my egg curry bears about as much resemblance to something made in India as St Brigit does to your triple goddess.ramonmercado said:It doesnt admit that it took these things. Thats why its regarded as stealing.
gncxx said:Did anyone else see Stewart Lee's documentary on blasphemy on Channel Five tonight? Very interesting, some good points being made about freedom of speech, the necessity of reasoned debate and the climate of fear that fundamentalism breeds. I also noticed there was nobody willing to advertise in the commercial break.
Alan Moore was on it, too. Best thing on C5 in ages.