@fluffy Why have a book at all then?

society

@fluffy @matrix well I think originally that was a literal prohibition. They understood that man-made images have power.

@matrix the entire old testament really explains why jews are incredibly anal about their various rabbinical legal opinions. It's basically a thousand years of constantly deviating and then getting shat on by god.
Some people went a bit astray when you didn't actively intervene in their lives for generations? That's another 40 years in the desert for you and your kids.

@kline They are generally anal about everything

@orekix Oh right, I don't remember that from school. I remember that it was mainly about priests taking money for absolution of sin.

@matrix

a lot of things happened tbh, not just sola fide arguments

@orekix I remember the historical events, but not the religious arguments.

@Zergling_man A ton of churches have Jesus on a cross right behind the speaking stand or on it. Looks like worshiping to me imho.

@matrix @Zergling_man worshipping the idea, not the symbol. Were that symbol to be replaced by another, would the faithful care?

@MrNobody @Zergling_man I'm quite certain they would care

I think you might be wrong about that.
>you shall not bow down to them nor serve them
Implying that they think that the statue or symbol is the divine itself, not just a mere representation. Who really thinks that the cross with Jesus on the church is the actual Jesus? I've never seen this. Replace that cross by any other, and most people won't complain.

Compare with pic related

@MrNobody @Zergling_man "a carved image—any likeness of anything"
No I don't think they meant literally worshipping the item

@matrix @Zergling_man

>you shall not bow down to them nor serve them
This part implies that such an image already exists (or it would be impossible to perform those actions), therefore someone already carved them. If we take your interpretation for it, the commandment has, therefore, already been violated and there would be no reason to expand on it. That it is written means that the two should be read in conjunction: "do not carve them and then bow down to them", ergo, "do not build yourselves false gods and worship them"

Your interpretation, on the other hand, literally reads as: "drawing is a sin".

@MrNobody @matrix How many of the idols that Israel worshipped were made by them?
I don't disagree with your point, but that's a retarded argument and you know it.

@MrNobody @Zergling_man No, my interpretation is: Making an item representing a spirit (God) and then worshiping it as if it represents God is a sin.

@MrNobody @Zergling_man Or to be more general, making and worshiping any item, even with intention of worshiping a true God, will always mean worshiping a false god, which is forbidden.