When people kneel and pray to images on granite, portraits, and paintings, they are living in an illusionary world in that the images are not real, which means they are not living creatures; for these images merely represent deities, or gods and goddesses, created from the imaginations of men.
Young children, however, do not know that these images are not living creatures; for in all of their doing they are doing as they have been instructed to believe by adults, who have believed in this doctrine since the time when they also were young children from adults in their own environment.
For example, the illusion of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny is cast by adults in the minds of young children as children are taught to believe that Santa Claus and Easter Bunny are real: further fueled by the fact that images of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny appear every year, in their seasons, in their environment, on street corners and on rooftops, in homes, and on holiday cards. As children grow up, however, they grow out of this false teaching and play the game on other children just as the game was played on them.
But in religion, this teaching of images is not a game adults play on children; and neither is it a game that had been played on the adults when they were kids. To them, this is real. To them, they actually believe that the images hear their prayers and will also answer their prayers. They would never believe that these images are not living creatures even though they are looking at granite, portraits, and paintings.
On the other hand, people can look at the statue of a great athlete and know that the statue is just an image and know that the statue is not living. But in religion, image worship is an entirely different matter.
Obviously, two images can be shaped out of the same boulder of granite, and people will believe that one is not real, while believing that the other image is real. Two images can also be painted by the same artist, and two pictures can be taken by the same photographer. One image will be believed as real by idolaters while believing that the other image is only a image.
Idolaters wear out their knees in their world of illusion worshipping images---while Christians wear out their feet in service to the living Christ, whom we worship without an image.
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." (Job 19: 25-27)
Young children, however, do not know that these images are not living creatures; for in all of their doing they are doing as they have been instructed to believe by adults, who have believed in this doctrine since the time when they also were young children from adults in their own environment.
For example, the illusion of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny is cast by adults in the minds of young children as children are taught to believe that Santa Claus and Easter Bunny are real: further fueled by the fact that images of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny appear every year, in their seasons, in their environment, on street corners and on rooftops, in homes, and on holiday cards. As children grow up, however, they grow out of this false teaching and play the game on other children just as the game was played on them.
But in religion, this teaching of images is not a game adults play on children; and neither is it a game that had been played on the adults when they were kids. To them, this is real. To them, they actually believe that the images hear their prayers and will also answer their prayers. They would never believe that these images are not living creatures even though they are looking at granite, portraits, and paintings.
On the other hand, people can look at the statue of a great athlete and know that the statue is just an image and know that the statue is not living. But in religion, image worship is an entirely different matter.
Obviously, two images can be shaped out of the same boulder of granite, and people will believe that one is not real, while believing that the other image is real. Two images can also be painted by the same artist, and two pictures can be taken by the same photographer. One image will be believed as real by idolaters while believing that the other image is only a image.
Idolaters wear out their knees in their world of illusion worshipping images---while Christians wear out their feet in service to the living Christ, whom we worship without an image.
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." (Job 19: 25-27)
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