PEDRITO B. PLACIO
IS THERE A DIRECT relationship between image worship and evil? Is the worship of images a cause of disasters, either natural or man-made?
Most people will answer negative, especially if such images are not the idols or false gods of old. They will violently oppose any statement saying or implying that the worship of the images of the saints, including the setting up of that gigantic and frightening image at EDSA, is the cause of the terrible natural and man-made disasters plaguing the Philippines today.
If one will only pause and ponder on the connection between disasters and disobedience, he will find it easier to see the relationship between disasters and image worship.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
God’s first commandments is stated in full in the Bible, thus:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 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: thou 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.” (Ex. 20:3-5, King James Version)
Catholic cathecism and books state only the first part of this commandment and omit the prohibition to make and worship any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven, on earth, under the earth, or in the water under the earth. They also omit the punishment that God will inflict to those who violate this commandment. Thus, they state on merrily that worship of images of saints, provided that they are not worshipped as gods, is part of this commandment:
“How do we sin against the First Commandment?
“We offend God in the First Commandment when
“a. we give worship of adoration due to God alone to some other creature;
“b. we worship God wrongly – e.g. through chain letters, chain prayers, false miracles, false relics;
“c. commit sin of irreligion;
“1) Sacrilege – profaning, desecrating sacred persons, places or things.
“2) Impiety or contempt for God and His saints;
“3) Irreverence – improper behavior or lack of respect towards sacred persons or things…” (Soriano, Domingo G. Understanding the Bible and the Church. Manila: National Book Store, Inc. 1986, p. 97)
A saint in Catholic parlance is a person who had died but had been proclaimed as saint by the Catholic Church. Hence, since they are dead, respect for them is done by worshipping their images. Catholics emphasize that they worship the images of the saints not as gods but as friends of God who are in heaven with Him and able to help the living. They distinguish between latria (worship due to God alone), dulia (worship given to the saints), and hyperdulia (worship given to Mary).
Let us make clear that the making of graven images and likeness is not wrong per se. There are instances when God ordered the making of images (cf. Num. 2:6-9). The prohibition is in worshipping and bowing down to and serving such images for this is idolatry. When people, started to worship the brazen snake by Moses on orders of God, the good King Hezekiah cut it to pieces. (cf. II Kings 18:4).
Even if Catholics argue that the saints are worshipped not as gods but as friends of God who are in heaven with Him, such action still constitutes idolatry. It is not true that the saints are already in heaven for only three men are in heaven now, namely Christ (cf. Acts 1:11), Elijah (cf. II King 2:11) and Enoch (cf. Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5). The rest of God’s people who died are still waiting for the return of Christ in their graves (cf. I Cor. 15:51-53) to be raised in the first resurrection and only then will they reign with Him for a thousand years (cf. I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:5-6).
Thus, all the hullabaloo rendered to the images of the saints will not reach them for they are unable to participate in anything that is done under the sun (cf. Eccl. 9:5-6) and since their thoughts perish at death (cf. Ps. 146:4), they are unconscious of any of these honors which Catholics heap upon them, honors that should have been rendered rightfully to God alone.
Now if the images of the saints are but of wood and stone, silver or gold or brass, and if the persons they represent are unable to do anything, then they are no different in status from the idols or false gods. “For the gods of the nations are idols” (Ps. 96:5, New International Version) and the gods are of nothing and anyone who chooses the gods are in abomination (cf. Is. 41:23-24). The dead saints in their status, before there resurrection are of nothing and worship of them is of nothing, making them no different from the idols who are of nothing and yet worshipped.
Worship and service that belongs to God alone should not be given to any images and not even the Catholic distinctions of latria, dulia and hyperdulia remove the fact that image worship takes away from God what is due to Him alone.
God should be worshipped in spirit and in truth (cf. Jn. 4:23), by obedience in His commandments (cf. Mt. 6:9), and by honoring His name (cf. Mt. 6:9). Christ should be worshipped by bowing to His name (cf. Phil. 2:10). There is prohibition to worship by means of bowing down to and serving images.
DISASTER AND IMAGE WORSHIP
Now that we have established the fact that image worship is really idolatry, prohibited by God and no amount of subtle arguments can dispute this fact, let us now look into the connection between natural and man-made disasters and image worship.
Since image worship is a prohibition, its practice is a crime. A crime leads to punishment, and punishment is a disaster.
Disobedience to the prohibition against image worship leads to something more than mere disaster.
It is surprising then that, inspite of the public worship (on television yet) done by our leaders to bring peace, unity, reconciliation, and prosperity to this country we see just the opposite of what we should expect? After such ardent public pleas and prayers, all we can see are natural disasters (earthquakes, typhoons) and scandals and anomalous dealings and disaster- including decisions. On prominent display during such public worship are images, the biggest of which is that of one along EDSA. God has prohibited such worship and violation of this command done under the name of religion and dedicated to God is like honoring a person by doing what he hates.
If we want crises to go away from us, let us go back to God. We can start by doing away with those worshipped images. Then look for the way, the truth, and the life, and ultimately be in Christ by being members of His body. The Church of Christ.
Sipi mula sa Pasugo