Dear Victorious,
The Bible says (in Exodus 20:4) that we are not to make graven images. Doesn't this mean that photography would be considered inappropriate for God's people?
Marilee N. - Chattanooga, TN
Dear Marilee,
No, that would be taking Scripture out of context. The prohibition for graven images refers to making of idols that people worship. In the days that the Bible was written, statues, for example, became objects of worship. Those statues were most commonly of people or animals. But they could have been statues of anything.
The second of the Ten Commandments that you refer to is a commandment not to make any image of anything that's created with the purpose of worshipping that image or worshipping that creation. This extends even to pictures or statues of Jesus Himself. We are not to worship a picture of Jesus --- or a statue of His mother, for example.
Photography is fine. It's a good way to help us focus on people we love, appreciation for God's creation, or even to entertain ourselves. Photography, like TV, is also a good way to take information to people who can't experience it's source. Seeing photos of another country, for example, helps me experience it even though I cannot visit it.
I find nothing in the Bible that prohibits photography. In fact, I'm sure God gave us this gift and is delighted when we use it for godly purposes.
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The Bible does not give a single exception or caveat to the prohibition on imagery. The ancient Jews took it seriously. It was only later that Christian and Jews (and Muslims) decided that what the scripture really means is that we can't worship the images we create. Uh-huh.
ReplyDeleteIf the Bible described photography as something God takes pleasure in, I would convert immediately, because the text would clearly be predictive of an advanced future technology.