Netizens debate on idolatry, bible verses, and religion

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Netizens debate on idolatry, bible verses, and religion
What does the bible really say? Netizens weigh in on the issues of idolatry, religion, respect.

MANILA, Philippines – What does the bible really say?

On Friday, January 9, evangelical groups gathered in Manila to preach to Black Nazarene devotees their beliefs on the gospel. According to them, the procession is a showcase of idolatry and goes against the will of God.

“Many people go here but this is against the second commandment, ‘Thou shall not worship idols made of wood,’” Paul Christian Faculin said.

Netizens, however, shared varying opinions on the preachers’ interpretation of the bible. Days before the visit of Pope Francis to the country, netizens resurrected the long-running debate on the correct interpretation of the bible, idolatry, religion, and faith.

Misinterpretation

Some netizens argued that the preachers misinterpreted the bible by taking its verses literally.

“God did not forbid the religious [use] of statues; He forbade the worship of statues. The worship of statues…Images, icons, statues, they are all reminders of God’s Three Divine Persons. Catholics do not adore or worship these images, icons and statues. They adore and worship He who is represented by these man made objects,” Ferdz Santos commented on the page.

According to Nicca Danisse Marcelo Sarmiento, “Catholics do not worship statues but what [they] represent.”

The Feast of the Black Nazarene is one of the biggest religious gatherings in the country, driving more than a million devotees to Quiapo each year. During the annual event, the Black Nazarene, a 17th century mulatto image of Jesus Christ believed to perform miracles, is paraded around the nooks and crannies of the country’s capital.

Some commented that the absence of instructions in the bible pertaining to statues like the Black Nazarene strengthens the argument that the procession is a sinful practice.

Responding to this, Yul Dorotheo argued that the absence of any verse justifying the practice does not necessarily make it wrong. “Not everything is written in the Bible. Does the Bible say anything about computers, space flight, invitro fertilization, or the Internet? It is our interpretation of the Bible that is applied to these things, and fortunately or not, some Christians have different interpretations from other Christians,” Dorotheo added.

Defense

Other netizens, however, begged to differ. Dong Reyes, a Catholic, sided with the preachers and asked why the Catholic leadership allowed “this sinful act.” More than just veneration, Reyes added that the procession is already a practice of idolatry and worship.

Nes Patio further expounded by citing a verse in the Bible that says: “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.”

Following this verse, Patio reasoned that the practices of bowing and kissing the feet of an image on Good Friday are actually pagan practices and acts of idolatry in disguise.

Why do you have these statues [in] your homes? What do you do with them? Venerate? You worship them of course. Can you find statues in Israel? The birth of Christianity? That only proves that statues do not belong to true Christianity,” Ricardo Telmo also said.

Respect

While supporters and non-supporters of the preachers’ bible interpretation argued against each other, many asked for respect for people’s different religious beliefs instead. 

According to them, nobody has the moral ascendancy to judge others based on their beliefs or accurately transcribe the meaning of the bible’s content. 

Respeto lang sa mga naniniwala. Mangaral kayo pero huwag sa lugar kung saan sila nagdiriwang at sabihing mali ang kanilang ginagawa,” Rey Pinioco commented. (Respect others. You are free to preach your own beliefs but not at a time when others are celebrating their faith.)

 “He’s not in the right place. How would [he] feel if the Catholics go to their celebrations too and tell them their pastors are liars?” Nicole John C added. 

What are your thoughts on this issue? Join the ongoing discussion– Rappler.com 

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