another form of idolatry !
By Gordano
@Gordano (795)
United States
February 3, 2010 5:45pm CST
It Always amaze me how stupid is the claim of some people that they are monotheistic, while they are in fact nothing but idolaters, those people used to do all evil and prohibited things while they keep claiming that they are monotheistic !!
Idolater is One who worships idols, this is how we used to define Idolater, and this is in fact the narrow meaning of idolatry, but while reading the Gospel of Barnabas I have found another very interesting definition to idolatry by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Barnabas.
From Chapter 32
Then said one of the doctors: "Master, you have spoken much against idolatry as though the people of Israel had idols, and so you have done us wrong." Jesus answered: "I know well that in Israel today there are not statues of wood; but there are statues of flesh." Then answered all the scribes in wrath: "And so we are idolaters?" Jesus answered: "Truly I say to you, the precept says not "You shall worship", but "You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, and with all your heart, and with all your mind." Is this true?" said Jesus. "It is true" answered every one.
Chapter 33
[i]Then Jesus said: "Truly all that which a man loves, for which he leaves everything else but that, is his god. And so the fornicator has for his image the harlot, the glutton and drunkard has for image his own flesh, and the covetous has for his image silver and gold, and so likewise every other sinner." Then said he who had invited him: "Master, which is the greatest sin?"
Jesus answered: "Which is the greatest ruin of a house?" Every one was silent, when Jesus with his finger pointed to the foundation, and said: "If the foundation give way, immediately the house falls in ruin, in such wise that it is necessary to build it up anew: but if every other part give way it can be repaired. Even so then say I to you, that idolatry is the greatest sin, because it deprives a man entirely of faith, and consequently of God; so that he can have no spiritual affection. But every other sin leaves to man the hope of obtaining mercy: and therefore I say that idolatry is the greatest sin." All stood amazed at the speaking of Jesus, for they perceived that it could not in any wise be assailed.
Then Jesus continued: "Remember that which God spoke and which Moses and Joshua wrote in the Law, and you shall see how grave is this sin. God said, speaking to Israel: "You shall not make to yourself any image of those things which are in heaven nor of those things which are under the heaven, nor shall you make it of those things which are above the earth, nor of those which are under the earth; nor of those which are above the water, nor of those which are under the water. For I am your God, strong and jealous, who will take vengeance for this sin upon the fathers and upon their children even to the fourth generation."[/i]
What is your thoughts on this ?
4 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
5 Feb 10
Firstly the Gospel of Barnabas is known not to be authentic. But agree that idolatry is wrong and those members of the Roman Church that idolise pictures saints and Mary should desist. Likewise Muslims idolise the Quran and hold it to be eternal and uncreated
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@awapak (1275)
• Pakistan
7 Feb 10
Thanks for copying such a nice definition of "Idolatry" from this Gospel.All these words clearly seem to be from Prophet Jesus(pbuh),which we may not find in other Gospels.And how best these words resemble with these words of the last divine Book,the Holy Quran:
God Almighty says;
"SHIRK (IDOLATRY AND POLYTHEISM)IS THE ONLY SIN THAT ALLAH DOES NOT FORGIVE,AND HE FORGIVES WHOMSOEVER HE PLEASES,SINS OTHER THAN THIS,FOR WHOSOEVER ASSOCIATES ANYOTHER PARTNER WITH ALLAH,DOES INDEED FORGE A BIG LIE AND COMMIT THE MOST HEINOUS SIN." (Surah Nisa-48............The Holy Quran)
Those people are really unfortunate who regard this Gospel as unauthenticated and fail to find a great Truth from it !!
@urbandekay (18278)
•
7 Feb 10
Of course they sound like the Quran, this gospel is a fake that was made a long time after Muhammad and is either of Islamic origin or heavily influenced by Islam. What it is not is an authentic scripture
all the best urban
@shaunckennedy (55)
• United States
5 Feb 10
My first thought is that the Gospel of Barnabas is not an authority to look for Jesus's true words. No one really seems to have known about it at all until the 1600s. That's a long time for a document to remain hidden.
However, not being an authority to turn to for Christ's words doesn't prevent it from containing wisdom. I'd say that the definition given here of idolatry is pretty spot on. While I don't think what is recorded here is a true account of a dialoge between Christ and the Pharasies, I don't think it's too far afield from what Christ was teaching.
As to the beginning of your comment, that some people claim to be monothesitic and yet keep idols, I'm not sure I would put it in quite those terms, but I definately agree with your view that they are in error.
@pmbhuntress09 (1608)
• United States
7 Feb 10
In a sense though isn't every church out there doing idolization? Because every church has a cross. Seems to me that is the same thing as saying that Mary at the Catholic churches is wrong. Every other religion that I have ever had the pleasure of going into there Church showed a Cross some wheres. In fact I know of one in Angier that has 4 big huge ones outside, People even bow down before them. Is that not idolization?
