Icons: Idol worship among Christians

Christianity, one of the three major religion in the world having 2.5 billion adherents across the continents.

Christian faith consider itself as monotheistic and traces its origin to the roots of Judaism. Early Christian formulators have even added the Jewish scripture to their set of holy books and have included Jewish patriarchs as their own.

Though many doctrines were challenged and contested throughout the history for the compatibility with Jewish monotheistic belief, Trinity (i, e. One God in three person) is the most disputed and debated doctrine of all as the very concept is nowhere found in the Jewish bible which Christians have added to their set of holy books.

But in my opinion, There exist an important doctrine held and followed by nearly 75% of the Christians which directly in odd with entire bible but Have been sanctioned against in the very founding commandments of the entire Scripture.

That is Veneration of images and idols, As the practice has got church approval and practiced by all clergy man to lay believers (exception to some protestant and neo protestant movements).

Good Friday vespers service at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Wauwatosa, Wis., Friday May 3, 2013. / © Mark Hertzberg

In the below portion of Torah (Exodus), God Commands that:

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” – Exodus 20:4

And

“You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God’ – Leviticus 26:1

In direct opposite to this above rule from God, we see Christian’s veneration different forms of idols and gold gilded images of different human forms in their day to day worship.

They pray to the person in the image/Idols.

Devotee kissing an Icon (painting)

They touch and seek blessings.

They kiss and wipe the feet of those idols

Adorn the churches with them…

Whatever justification Christian theologian gives, the truth is plain polytheistic practices have rooted too deep among the Christians faiths mainly among Wester Latin Catholics and Easter Orthodox.

In antiquity the pictorial representation of Christians figures were called ICONS. Any early church fathers have written variety of treatises in defence of this practice.

In Late 7^th century, when Christians first met Muslims and encountered their theology and monotheistic belief, Christians started to search inward for their own doctrine and prepared for defence in theological debates.

Under one such circumstance came a reformation in early 8^th century shaking entire Christian empire called Iconoclasm (destruction of images and idols used in Christian worship) in response to constant accusation and charge from Muslims that Christian practices were straight idol worship and polytheism.

In practice, Christians have replaced the Zeus with Jesus and different demi gods of pagans with thousands of saints and hundreds of angels in veneration pulpit.

Number of saints depicted and venerated vary from place to place, each country and region having their own saint unique to them and in ever year, church canonize create new saints to that list.

Such practices have no place in monotheism, where a being (dead or alive) other than one true God is called upon for help in worship.

Theologians may give answer to the challenges on these polytheistic practices and defend them but the truth is Christianity have departed far away from true monotheism of the patriarchs of bible and Jesus’s teaching.

People have adopted ICON veneration rather out of convenience, in medieval period not everyone was literate enough read the scripture and understand the God’s commandments. Church used these paintings, idols and statues to impart biblical stories and morals but that came at heavy cost of leading the believers away from the monotheistic doctrine and root the polytheistic rituals.

New generation Christians had to go back to their scripture, though protestant reformation in its initial stages succeeded against the idol worship and ICON veneration as centuries passed no impact has been noticed in majority of the Christians denomination.

Christian pantheon

As in Past Greek and Roman religion had pantheon of divine being, Christianity have replaced those pantheons of gods and goddess with saints and archangels. Interesting fact the list of semi dine being is increasing day by day as church make more and more dead people to their list of saints and healers.

Church have decently camouflaged those idols and paintings in the form “Veneration” rather than worship in words. But the substance over rule the form of the practice which is idolatry.

Local saints among the eastern orthodox christians

Early islamic inscription : Promised Ten of Paradise

Below is one of the earliest inscription from modern day iraq mentioning promised ten of the paradise. This inscription stand as documentary evidence to hadith corpus.

These Umayyad writings were found inscribed on the remains of the walls of Khālid al-Qasrī Palace in Iraq.

The text is quite rare as it lists the names of the companions who were promised paradise in Sunni Islam (the Ten Promised Paradise).

It reads: “May God forgive Abū Bakr and ʻUmar and ʻUthmā and ʻAlī and Ṭalḥa and Zubr and Saʻd and Saʻīd and ʻAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʻAwf al-Zuh and Muʿ

Notice the exclusion of Abū ‘Ubaydah for Muʿāwiya.

Source : Ahmed shaker ( /ahmedshaker1.academia.edu )

Ram : Invention of Jesus figure for Hindus by RSS

Ram – a mythical figure : The character ram first appear in indian epic ramayana as banished prince, this figure has long lengthy Trojan war style   narrative where ram and his wife sita (along with his brother) get banished into forest , in forest his wife sita get kidnapped, he takes epic long journey to rescue her from a tyrant after long war only to burn her at the climax.

This Fictional figure who was considered as marginal  figure and part bed time story was used by RSS (Indian Nazis -Hindu Right) to unite indian hindus to construct a Unitarian hindu majority suppressing Muslims and christians in India.

Hinduism never had single leadership nor a single ideal(idea)  for 2,000 years, that is hard proven fact in history. For over 1,000 years hindus were ruled by very small minority of Persianite(sic) muslims and never in those years any revolt arose nationwide to fight the muslim rule (with small exception small city state prince night rides like of shivaji).

RSS-Nazi march

In past 20 years, RSS used ram via modern propaganda tools  to concoct a messiah figure out of fictional tale from indian classical literature to wield its power and murder the innocents.

RSS Member public march

So, what are the characteristics of Ram  that helped  RSS unify the Nazis in India and make successful outcome

Long story short: the story of Ram and his adventures are portrayed in 100s of tv shows and movies in past 20 years. To the surprise of many the known plot was always the same  where :

1. Ram and sita along  with ram’s brother get banished from the city state into forest.
2. Ram killing a demigod (Ravan’s sister) in the same forest.
3. Sita gets kidnapped by Ravan to avenge his sister’s death.
4. Ram recruits merceneris  and attack Lanka (Ravan’s kingdom).
5. Ram kills Ravan and rescue sita and lives happily ever after.
6. The End.

Ram burning Sita alive to test (Ramayana)

thats the plot run for all the Tv shows, movies including children’s cartoon on Ram’s Journey.

Unfortunately, the story and adventure dont end with sita rescue. the character of Ram in story line gets full picture after Sita’s rescue.

The Plot of Ram’s adventure continues after sita’s rescue :

1. Ram and sita get the throne to rule in their city state.
2. Ram suspects Sita of having  an affair with Ravan in her captivity.
3. Ram puts Sita to a Fire test , If she gets burned in the firepit she was liar orelse survive, she was truthful to Ram (how cynical !)
4. Sita pass the fire test.
5. Sita conceives child in her womb(Twins).
6. Ram suspect the fatherhood of the child (twins being sons of ravan).
7. Ram banishes Sita back to the forest again (this time with her twin sons).
8. Ram gets old and had to do  Ruler’s ritual for his kingdom (for which he needs a queen).
9. Calls back sita and the twins from the forest.
10. Once again suspect sita , for good this time sita get consumed alive by the earth.

For any reader of this plot summary would have understood the full character and nature of  Ram.

Though the story is entirely fictional with no historical basis even the believers accept that fictional nature of the epic but RSS using the story narrative used Ram to unite hindus and consolidate their grip on illiterates .

On Bonus point : Ram in his adventures encounters a Sage of lower caste born – who was praying to get into heaven , Ram kills the sage explaining person of low caste born should never enter heaven and behead him as per vedic law.

Ram beheading shambuka (Sage of low cast born)

 

 

Punishment for insulting the Prophet : Ibn Taymiyyah

What is the punishment for insulting the prophet in Islam – well here it is .

According to Ibn taymiyyah , the punishment should be severe, though there is no direct Earthly punishment that can be deduced from Qur’an – Ibn Taymiyyah dedicated an entire book for the same topic.

 

below is  the only available English translation of the book to us (summarized)

 

The Unsheathed Sword – by Ibn Taymiyyh-PDF

Quranic Inscriptions : Archeological Evidence

Islamic archaeology in the past always were mapped outside the birthplace of islam.

Recent scholarship and interest from saudi nationals has yielded great contribution to early Islamic presence in the modern day saudi arabia.

One such evidence is the below inscription which is being dated by  scholars of early arabic Palaeography and historians of the period around 1st century hijra

Remarkable feature of this newly discovered inscription not it date but the content and script. the inscription is almost 14 centuries old and it is quotation from Quran.

Without any doubt it can established from the nature of the below early inscriptions that Quran was in full circulation in Arabia to the extant inscription started emerge within fist 100 years of birth of islam.

First Inscription :

Location : Makkah

Content : Qur’an 56:27-40. partial verse 28 after ayah 38.

Second Inscription :

Location : Makkah

Content : Qur’an 4:87

English :

Allah – there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is more truthful than Allah in statement.

Third Inscription :

Location : Makkah

Content :  Qur’an 65:3

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

New Discoveries : Muhammad and Early Islamic Inscription in Madinah

Muhammad after Jesus : How come ?

One of the basic tenet of Islam and its base of propagation from its birth to till date is that Jews and Christians were expecting a prophet after The Messiah . The prophet like Moses who would come with The Law and establish a Community.

This Prophecy is not a major tenet and belief in Christianity today. Even so,you cam hardly find any direct quotation from newtestament for the prophecy where Jesus foretells The prophet to come.

So,question arises – from where did this concept of the prophecy supposedly foretold by Jesus come about ?

In case of Muslims it is straightforward – direct quotation from Qur’an –

1.Where it directly proclaims that Jesus foretold about The final Prophet to come.

2.jewsish and christian scriptures have direct prophecies.

3.Moses himself foretold about the prophet.

4.Mainly, during Muhammad’s , Quran says Jewish and Christian community really were expecting The prophet in 6th century.

These quotations are no were can substantiated in the current Jewish and christian scriptures though ….

Death of Buddha:Invention of Modern Hinduism

Hinduism – is the major religion in India, tracing its origin long back before any Abrahamic  Faith. It has its root so deep in history that goes far beyond anything that has  been classified as ancient and Classical Period.

But, that’s not the point i want to show here – does Modern Hindu religion and its pantheon of god and goddess travel back in history as the Hinduism… ?

Answer is straight forward NO. The Reason being the modern pantheon of Hindu Gods and Goddess are not that ancient that includes for gods such as Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh, Rama..etc

The invention of these Gods (shiva, Vishnu -marginal vedic deity..etc) are infact was a response to The Great Buddha.

Long Story Short :

The Popular Gods and Goddess of Modern Hinduism is No were found before Buddha’s Life time or immediately  thereafter. Buddha’s life period was some where between c. 563/480 – c. 483/400 BCE. All Available inscriptions, Temple carvings, Vedas to Literature before Buddha or immediately after Buddha never mention any Modern Indian Gods like Shiva, Vishnu, or Even Ganesh,

Vedas : Scholars from India as well outside india well-versed in Indology and archaeology agree that Rig Veda is the first religious text that is available from Ancient India soon after Aryan Invasion of Indian Sub Continent around 1500 BCE. Rig Veda is of very much reverence and Holy even till today among religious Hindus. Rig Veda list many gods that was worshiped by that days Hindus, is the main proponent of Modern Evil Caste-ism in India.

Among long list of Gods and Goddess invoked not one straight reference exist for Shiva(Except Rudra) ,Vishnu-Marginal deity, Rama or Ganesh to name few.

Sleeping Buddha Statue in India before the raise of New Personal gods

Buddha: In Vedic India

Buddha  was born during this time and period where Indians worshiped Vedic gods like Varuna, Indra, Adhiti, Mitra. Buddha brought a new religious way of life against the Vedic gods and it was soon popularized by many Kings who adopted Buddhism.

Rise of Buddhism and Death of Vedic gods:

Buddhism flourished against dwindling Indian Vedic religion, Buddha himself after his death was deitified and became an object of Worship. During this  period of Buddhism rose Ashoka c. 268 – c. 232 BC  Who took Buddha as his personal god and spread through  out South east Asia. That was the Soma of Buddhism and venom for Hindusim.

The existing Hinduism went through Huge change as Vedic religion lacks any Single form of  Religious tale and one point focus for worship and growth of thier  religion like Buddhism.

Rise of Religious Fiction and Sanskrit Puranas (Chronicles & Tales)

Ramayana and Mahabhrata – Two Great Epics of Sanskrit was composed around 400 BCE to 200 CE(Note its Common era). With the introduction of great epics many personal gods arose among the Indians who were either linked to old dead vedic gods or Given New Genesis story for their Mass entry to Hinduism.

Many new tales were composed and many songs were written which in turn was adopted at royal courts and patronage.

Rama, Vishnu, krishna..etc were still at border line between Characters from books to gods in During their Entry time.

Vishnu – Marginal Vedic Deity

The Gupta Empire : Fall of an Empire and Rise of New Hinduism

The Gupta Empire which flourished from 480 CE to c. 500 C paralleled the rise of Ramayana and Mahabharata with other Sanskrit tales and song. The Guptas spread the new found Gods and Goddess from these epics Along with the Buddha around india, it is well documented in Ellora Caves Dedicated by Guptas .

Ellora caves shows how the New Found gods were sidelining Buddhism and Old Vedic Gods Total erased from Worship.

 

Death of Buddhism and Rise of New Non Vedic Gods:

Buddhism started to decline due to heavy persecution from Non Vedic god worshipers and in its ashes rose Personal Gods like Ganesh, Vishu, Rama,..etc

Shiva as Nataraja -Post Vedic Personal Deity

Concept of Personal : 

Hinduism realized how important was Personal gods -one point of focus and people’s need and reverence than vedic gods who were long list of deities to be revered, the very concept of personal god was direct borrowing from Buddhism – where reverence of Buddha and his teaching attracted  Hindus. Lesson leaned in hard way !

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence :

• There is no Single Inscription on Shiva or Vishnu on before the time line of Buddha.
• We dont find any Temple dedicated to Rama or Vishnu on or before Buddha’s time line.
• Not even an Single reference exist for Rama (a character from Sanskrit poem) in vedas or any place of worship before common Era.
• No material evidence – like manuscript of Ramayana and Mahabharat exist before 11th Century CE (Just 900 Years ago) and a vague reference to Mahabharata in 200 CE Respectively.
• Sudden Bhakthi movements in southern india with literature popping up in Tamil around 11th Century.No temple dedicated to Ganesh exist before 6th Century CE and not even single reference to the Elephant headed god exist in any vedas .he is one of the new Non Vedic God Invented or adopted during Common era.

Sleeping Vishnu statue after the raise of New gods- Notice This Sleeping posture has been adopted from sleeping Buddha dating far before vishnu tales

 

If there was no Buddhism , There wouldn’t be Modern Hinduism and New Gods.

The Mysterious Origin of new Character – Ganesh into Indian Panheon of Gods is still debated and fought.

One plain truth is the Modern Hinduism and their Gods are just new as Judaism,Christianity and Islam. Very new in history but still claims 5000 years of history.

Decapitated Buddha from The Gupta Era.

 

 

 

 

Jesus : First documentary evidence roman worship of crucified Messiah

The Alexamenos graffito (also known as the graffito blasfemo, or blasphemous graffito)[1]:393 is a piece of Roman graffiti scratched in plaster on the wall of a room near the Palatine Hill in Rome, which has now been removed and is in the Palatine Hill Museum.[2] It may be the earliest surviving depiction of Jesus and, if so, competes with an engraved gem as the earliest known pictorial representation of the Crucifixion of Jesus.[3] It is hard to date, but has been estimated to have been made c. 200.[4] The image seems to show a young man worshipping a crucified, donkey-headed figure. The Greek inscription approximately translates to “Alexamenos worships [his] God,” indicating that the graffito was apparently meant to mock a Christian named Alexamenos.[5]

Meaning of the carving :

The image depicts a human-like figure affixed to a cross and possessing the head of a donkey. In the top right of the image is what has been interpreted as either the Greek letter upsilon or a tau cross.[1] To the left of the image is a young man, apparently intended to represent Alexamenos,[6] a Roman soldier/guard, raising one hand in a gesture possibly suggesting worship.[7][8] Beneath the cross is a caption written in crude Greek: ΑΛΕ ξΑΜΕΝΟϹ ϹΕΒΕΤΕ ϑΕΟΝ. ϹΕΒΕΤΕ can be understood as a variant spelling (possibly a phonetic misspelling)[2] of Standard Greek ϹΕΒΕΤΑΙ, which means “worships”. The full inscription would then be read as Ᾰλεξᾰ́μενος σέβεται θεόν, “Alexamenos worships [his] God”.[2][9][10] Several other sources suggest “Alexamenos worshiping a god”, or similar variants, as the intended translation.

Muhammad : Early Christian Witnesses

 

Muhmmad is Considered as the Founder of Islam and The Final Prophet of God(According to Islam ).One of The Key Factor of Islam compared to Any other Religion that rose in Antiquity is that it rose in ”The Light of History ” , That is to say to Compared to any other religion that rose before islam have no Contemperory Witnesses and Confession.for example if we take the example  of  Christianity for Jesus as Historical Person- we have no first century A.D Witness in material as well as   Quotation though rare readable mention from Tacitus (Roman Historian) and Josephus (Jewish traitor ) are often quoted, they all come from 2nd Century A.D with no material documents from the same period.

Incase  of Muhammad and islam-We have Library of Sources from variety of language stretches from Syriac,Latin,Persian,Armenian,Coptic,Greek…etc

Out of Which Early Christian Witness mount to Large corpus of Description and Mentions,

 

Below is one among  Most Important Witnesses from the Period 1st Century A.H- i,e. 7th Century A.D. on the rise of Islam and Arab’s Liberation of Jerusalem from Romans(Byzantine)

Point to note – the Witness writes in christian point of view – that is to say how Christians saw invaders and their origin

Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (d. ca. 639)

Intro :Sophronius (c. 560 – March 11, 638; Greek: Σωφρόνιος) was the Patriarch of Jerusalem from 634 until his death, and is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Before rising to the primacy of the see of Jerusalem, he was a monk andtheologian who was the chief protagonist for Orthodox teaching in the doctrinal controversy on the essential nature of Jesus and his volitional acts.(Wikipedia)

In a synodical letter without date, Sophronius gives an extensive list of heretics and asks, in the valedictions, that the following may be granted by God to “our Christ-loving and most gentle emperors”:]

a strong and vigorous sceptre to break the pride of all the barbarians, and especially of the Saracens who, on account of our sins, have now risen up against us unexpectedly and ravage all with cruel and feral design, with impious and godless audacity. More than ever, therefore, we entreat your Holiness to make urgent petitions to Christ so that he, receiving these favourably from you, may quickly quell their mad insolence and deliver these vile creatures, as before, to be the footstool of our God-given emperors. (Ep. synodica, PG 87, 3197D-3200A [p. 69])

[The following comments are dated to December of 634.]

We, however, because of our innumerable sins and serious misdemeanours, are unable to see these things, and are prevented from entering Bethlehem by way of the road. Unwillingly, indeed, contrary to our wishes, we are required to stay at home, not bound closely by bodily bonds, but bound by fear of the Saracens. (Christmas Sermon, 506 [p. 70])

At once that of the Philistines, so now the army of the godless Saracens has captured the divine Bethlehem and bars our passage there, threatening slaughter and destruction if we leave this holy city and dare to approach our beloved and sacred Bethlehem. (Christmas Sermon, 507 [p. 70]

If we were to live as is dear and pleasing to God, we would rejoice over the fall of the Saracen enemy and observe their near ruin and witness their final demise. For their blood-loving blade will enter their hearts, their bow will be broken and their arrows will be fixed in them. (Christmas Sermon, 515 [p. 71])

[This dates to the 6th of December in 636 or 637.]

But the present circumstances are forcing me to think differently about our way of life, for why are [so many] wars being fought among us? Why do barbarian raids abound? Why are the troops of the Saracens attacking us? Why has there been so much destruction and plunder? Why are there incessant outpourings of human blood? Why are the birds of the sky devouring human bodies? Why have churches been pulled down? Why is the cross mocked? Why is Christ, who is the dispenser of all good things and the provider of this joyousness of ours, blasphemed by pagan mouths (ethnikois tois stomasi) so that he justly cries out to us: “Because of you my name is blasphemed among the pagans,” and this is the worst of all the terrible things that are happening to us. That is why the vengeful and God-hating Saracens, the abomination of desolation clearly foretold to us by the prophets, overrun the places which are not allowed to them, plunder cities, devastate fields, burn down villages, set on fire the holy churches, overturn the sacred monasteries, oppose the Byzantine armies arrayed against them, and in fighting raise up the trophies [of war] and add victory to victory. Moreover, they are raised up more and more against us and increase their blasphemy of Christ and the church, and utter wicked blasphemies against God. Those God-fighters boast of prevailing over all, assiduously and unrestrainably imitating their leader, who is the devil, and emulating his vanity because of which he has been expelled from heaven and been assigned to the gloomy shades. Yet these vile ones would not have accomplished this nor seized such a degree of power as to do and utter lawlessly all these things, unless we had first insulted the gift [of baptism] and first defiled the purification, and in this way grieved Christ, the giver of gifts, and prompted him to be angry with us, good though he is and though he takes no pleasure in evil, being the fount of kindness and not wishing to behold the ruin and destruction of men. We are ourselves, in truth, responsible for all these things and no word will be found for our defence. What word or place will be given us for our defence when we have taken all these gifts from him, befouled them and defiled everything with our vile actions? (Holy Baptism, 166-167 [pp. 72-73])

[In a work originally composed by John Moschus (d. 619), but expanded by Sophronius (d. ca. 639), actually found only in an addition of the Georgian translation, the following entry appears, concerning a construction dated by tradition at 638, i.e., soon after the capture of Jerusalem ca. 637. It appears in a portion concerning Sophronius as recounted on the authority of his contemporary, the archdeacon Theodore, and may have been written down ca. 670.]

the godless Saracens entered the holy city of Christ our Lord, Jerusalem, with the permission of God and in punishment for our negligence, which is considerable, and immediately proceeded in haste to the place which is called the Capitol. They took with them men, some by force, others by their own will, in order to clean that place and to build that cursed thing, intended for their prayer and which they call a mosque (midzgitha). (Pratum spirituale, 100-102 [p. 63])

Source ;

Seeing islam as other saw it – Robert Hoyland