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IN PRAISE OF IDOLS
by Erik Dutton Abram
tried to convince his
father, Terach, of the folly of idol worship. One day, when Abram was
left
alone to mind the store, he took a hammer and smashed all of the idols
except
the largest one. He placed the hammer in the hand of the largest idol.
When his
father returned and asked what happened, Abram said, “The
idols got into a
fight, and the big one smashed all the other ones.” His
father said, “Don’t be
ridiculous. These idols have no life or power. They can’t do
anything.” Abram
replied, “Then why do you worship them?” - Jewish midrash, also recounted in
the Qur’an
(quoted from Jewfaq.org) I have seen
this story quoted
approvingly many times over the years, generally either in a spirit of
spiritual one-upmanship or in apologetics/conversion literature, by
people who
apparently feel that it proves something, which it actually
doesn’t (unless
ancient Near Eastern pagan religions were radically different from
those that I
am familiar with). Unfortunately, the message I always take away is
that the
person quoting this believes that pagans are idiots who can’t
tell the
difference between symbol and referent. To them, I can make no better
reply
than those given by Celsus and Ioanna Salajan: For
who, unless he be utterly
childish in his simplicity, can take these for gods, and not for
offerings
consecrated to the service of the gods, or images representing them? - Celsus (as quoted in Origen, Contra
Celsum 7.62) Tourist (to
Old Monk, who is
bowing to statues of Buddha) : I thought Zen freed you from
all that
bowing?! Why, *I’m* freer than that - I could spit on all
these statues! Idols
(icons, God-images,
whatever term you prefer) and “idolatry” have a
long and honorable history in
many of the world’s religions. Statues and paintings serve as
focal points for
worship, as spiritual aids, as teaching and mnemonic devices, and as
constant
reminders of the Ones to whom we give our devotion. They beautify our
homes and
enrich our lives in countless ways, and our religions would be much
poorer
without them. Pagan religions may be many things, but generally
speaking they
are not aniconic. When I
stand to pray before a
shrine adorned with carefully selected images of the Gods I am
instantly
brought into a more reverent frame of mind, and am readier to enter
into that
conversation that is the lifeblood of a living faith. When I pass, and
sometimes pause to touch or acknowledge, an icon as I go about my day,
I am
reminded in the midst of my daily life that I am not alone, that the
Gods are
always here. In remembering the care and piety (and, occasionally,
financial
sacrifice) that we invested in selecting them, I am encouraged in
continued
piety. Their physical beauty tells me more clearly than words of the
spiritual
beauty that inspired the artist. The
near-infinite variety of
images also teaches important lessons - first and foremost, that the
Gods are
separate, individual beings; and that They have many aspects, only some
of
which may be known to us. Hermes Eriounios (luck-bringer) is not
generally
represented in the same manner as Hermes Psychopompos (soul-guide) or
Hermes
Angelos (messenger), for instance, but all these are merely aspects or
roles
and are still Hermes. Even if (as
many philosophers
believe) divine reality is ultimately One, the collected wisdom of
humanity
clearly shows that it has chosen to manifest itself to us in many
distinct
forms; and who are we to ignore them? |