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From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Idolatry
Message-ID: <381@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 11:30:43 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.381
Posted: Thu Nov 29 11:30:43 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 06:49:05 EST
References: <1766@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 21

> * Yiri responds:
> * Whether it is for the purposes of worship or not is not the
> * distinguishing factor. It is an image of something which is
> * worshipped. That is idolatry. I don't know how many different ways
> * this will have to be said for it to be understood. The prohibition
> * of idolatry is against the making of any kind of image/painting, 
> * etc. of an entity of worship. Not even angels can be depicted.

An image of something which is worshipped by whom?  If druids worship trees,
I don't think that it would be idolatrous for most of us to have pictures
of trees around.  (Maybe chuqui is an exception.)

Along the same line, would it be idolatrous for a jew to use said stamps,
since the nativity scene contains no entity of worship for him or her?

Since the federal government is (supposedly) areligious, it is not
apparently idolatrous for it to issue those stamps, but for christians
to use them.

Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j