How do you view idols?

I have the same view point that you have. I just cant understand how a idol can help us. They are made by humans. I think humans are creator this Idol so they have to worship humans.I have asked most of the students believed in Idols and they say that they are seeing God through this idols.I think it is better to believe in God than Idols. They are making excuses themselves. In my country most of the men and women are superstitious. In my country there is Holy place where Hindus comes and pray. While praying they can see that the light from dark forest. They believed it is God. But the atheist have discovered that it has been lighted by the officials of Temple and with the help of police. It has been proved. But they are not withdrawing from such belief.

I was raised Catholic and we often had statues that people prayed under or kept in their homes and prayed to. We never use the term idols because that's actually forbidden by the Bible, and the Catholic Church follows the Bible, or claims to – they interpret the worship of idols differently. They don't use that term. But it's basically the same thing. I thought it was strange when I was a child, and my CCD teacher (that was the woman who taught me about the Catholic faith while I was a child) explained to me that the statue was like a photograph – you're not actually praying to the statue but to the God or saint behind it. The statues just remind you of the God you believe in. I don't know if it's the same in Hinduism or other religions but that's how it was explained to me. I am an atheist now and think the whole thing is irrelevant to my life, but if it makes people happy then I guess it's fine.

What's the difference between directing your worship to a deity whom the object you look at is said to be an image of and -directing it to one whom the object is said to serve as an execution device? I mean, neither of the g-ds are physically present in the objects (not any more than they were before the objects were reshaped into the worshiped forms). Both g-ds are directly connected to your mind. So--as a Christian--I say that you were bowing to Christ even though you think you were bowing to Allah. As a Buddhist, I say that you were bowing to a Buddha even though you think you were bowing to Christ. As a Flying Spaghettian, I say that you were bowing to The Savory Meatball even though you think you were bowing to a Buddha. As a Muslim ... etc.

They are humans at all.And they just the role models at some field.So we need to learn something from them but not all the part.The people who can become my idol must have differences from other people.People should improving all the time,isn't it? Not blindness.

Actually we should not worship idols. Because our idol is now only at a later time you see someone else is better not to worship their retail so my idol is none other than our own.

For me their is nothing wrong in worshiping an Idols. We have different beliefs and manifestation. I really take a bows on an Idols. All though its only a material object that represents a divinity to which religious worship is addressed. It's our way of communing to God or let me say its our devotion.

God clearly states in the Bible that He condemns idolatry so I also do condemn any form of idolatry. God hates worship of idols for He is a jealous God so to me I don't think I have good reason to respect this kind of religious belief because if I do...this is tantamount to tolerating idolatry. Idols, gods or whatever are nothing but Satan's tool to draw people away from the one and only true God. Idols are created by hands and if they worship them then why don't they worship plates, spoon, flower vase and other creation of hands as well? Idols are either made of wood or chalk or cement or whatever but why don't they worship the wood, or the cement, or the chalk at all? One just needs wisdom to realize worshiping idols is nothing but foolishness. So as for me just as Apostle Paul when he visited Athens felt so provoked and his spirit was stirred up when he saw the whole city given to idolatry so that he disputed with them and preach them who is the true God I think should also feel and do the same way whenever I see people who worship idols even those people who claim they don't really worship but rather respect the idols which is but a sign of stupidity.

I think worshiping idols is completely useless,no idol of any kind will help people improve their life and health,but if there are people who believe in idols and bow down pray to them,it is their job,I respect their beliefs.I suppose worshiping idols has a little beneficial psychological effect on worshipers because praying to that idol gives them peace of mind and helps them release the stress of daily existence for a while.

Idols are only a human invented believes to force doing good and to eliminate doing wrong.... or else, those idols might get angry..... than living the world without some aides to do good deeds....

Yes you are right. Idol or graven images is abomination in the sight of God. Idols are made of woods, stones or any kind of material which comes from the things that were created by God. It some what true on what the Bible says that they worship the creature more than the creator. I know, many of us have different beliefs but it's now the time to realized that. I am not following on the tradition of my forefathers. I followed what the Bible says. I believed that it was the very word of God.

I think idol worshipping makes no sense, I mean how can you worship something you have basically created yourself? And then ask it for food , protection, children ECT. And then you basically have to protect the idol its self .