I was browsing the internet (looking for a searchable site for Catechisms) and happened upon these two websites that seem to take on Catholics against the Bible. Has anyone read these before? Opinions?

*I read through both sites and the only thing I am confused about is the 'graven images' thing. It sounds logical but I have a strong belief in our faith and wont be swayed....

http://www.daveandangel.com/CRN/Catechisms.shtml http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/Catholicism/catechism.htm

-- Ima Catholic (imnot@home.com), July 05, 2004

Answers

The problem with sites supposedly discussing "Catholic beliefs vs. the Bible" is that they have no understanding of either Catholic beliefs or the Bible. What such sites actually offer is "My misconceptions about Catholic beliefs vs. my personal interpretations of the Bible". Anyone foolish enough to be interested in that can go right ahead and read it, thereby becoming even more ignorant of the truth than they already are.

As for the "graven images" thing, why don't these people attack the national govenment for erecting graven images of the great leaders in the history of the country? And if they don't, then what possible reason could there be for attacking the Church for having graven images of the great people in its own history. Every one of the twenty or so references to "graven images" in the Bible is clearly and directly connected with IDOLATRY - the WORSHIP of those images. These people, in their simplistic, uneducated personal interpretations, seem to overlook that essential point. Since the WORSHIP of images has no relevance whatsoever to Catholicism, neither do their silly criticisms. God condemns IDOLATRY, as the First Commandment clearly states. There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that God condemns STATUARY, especially since God himself commanded the making of graven images on several occasions ...

"You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat." (Exodus 25:18)

"And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived." (Numbers 21:9)

"Then they said, "What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?" And they said, "Five golden tumors and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all of you and on your lords. So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will ease His hand from you, your gods, and your land. (1 Sam 6:4-5)

These instances, and others mean one of two things - either (1) God contradicts Himself, or (2) God Himself commands the construction of graven images for use in His service - NOT as false Gods standing in His place, which is clearly condemned both by God and by His Holy Catholic Church ...

"man commits idolatry whever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons, power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. ... Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God". - Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2113

It's also rather curious that many of these fundamentalist churches have a cross in them, and many of the members wear a cross. Not the original Cross of course - just a graven image of it.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), July 05, 2004.

I believe that either the Amish or Quakers took the graven image thing so far that when they give their children dolls, the dolls have no facial features, to ensure they aren't playing with a graven image. LB

-- Lydia Byrd (oiseaumouche@aol.com), July 08, 2004.

A doll is a "graven image", with or without facial features. A graven image is, technically, a carved image, because carving was the only way to produce a three dimensional image in early times. Today three-dimensional images can be molded of various materials (as many statues in Catholic Churches are), but any three-dimensional representation of a person or object still qualifies as a "graven image".

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), July 08, 2004.