South Dakota Taliban to destroy Mount Rushmore: graven images banned

[Democrats_win]

Recall that the Afghan Taliban destroyed ancient Buddhist statues carved into a mountain because any images are forbidden under Islam.

Christianity, has a similar ban. From the ten commandments:


Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth

Christians can't pick and choose which commandments to keep can they? Anyway, isn't the hypocrisy of the christian right amazing? Don't forget their embrace of usury either.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Did you have to remind them, dammit!

Bye bye, Mount Rushmore.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. actually, we do need to remind them. Shows the true nature of their

stupidity and moronic uber-belief-system.

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. But they're too dumb and too programmed to get the irony

They'll just go a break the images

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. yes, the ones in charge. But was is more important?

a nice tourist attraction (until they add Saint Ronnie's face to it) or the state of our nation?

If we make them get as extreme as they want to be, the continuing pressure of their own views will drive people back to normality.

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. It sounds good on paper, but they've gone pretty far already

Hmm...

Still undecided....

[LSK]

3. this nations laws do not come from the Bible

When is everyone going to learn this?!?!? :grr:

[liberal N proud]

4. Modern Christianity is smorgasbord Christianity

Groups or churches pick and choose which parts of the bible they will use and worship. If it is not mentioned by the leaders of your sect or church, then it must not apply.

[Deep13]

5. Finally!

I am so sick of seeing Teddy Roosevelt's smug puss staring down at me.

[FuzzySlippers]

14. Teddy Roosevelt?

Hell! What about Franklin? He was practically a commie!:grr:

[Deep13]

15. Pretty sick of FDR mocking me every time I need a dime! nt

[On the Road]

8. You Know, Until You Posted the Wording

It had never struck me how broad the second commandment is. I always thought it was restricted to idols, but it looks like the Muslims are correct -- all statutes, pictures, and photos are banned.

And that's not the only commandment Christians repudiate. It applies to most of them. Maybe displaying the ten commandments in public would make that apparent.

[arcane1]

12. yes, "images", that includes the Christ corpse-on-a-stick

but then again, getting a modern Christian to actually take the bible seriously is a waste of time. They just do what feels right and ignore the rest

[Bushy Being Born]

16. Yeah, and here I was against displaying the commandments on public ground

when what that actually would accomplish is make their hypocrisy more apparent. Maybe I should rethink my position! ;)

[B3Nut]

17. Actually, the whole context of that verse

actually does narrow the focus to idols, "graven images" being man-made artifacts built with the intent to worship. Also such an exegesis fits in with the historical context, idol-worship being a characteristic of many groups of people at that time. But this too often will trip up a fundie, as historically-aware exegesis is not often one of their strong points. They're too woodenly literal in their approach, oblivious to the concepts of allegory, parable, and metaphor. Sad, that. At any rate, other translations do a little better at bringing out the meaning of the Hebrew.

The NIV is a bit clearer in the meanings in Exodus 20:

4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

NASB:

4"(E)You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Just an alternative POV to toss out there...

Todd in Beerbratistan

[On the Road]

20. Maybe it is a Matter of Translation

Idolatry is certainly the context, and the term "graven image" would seem to refer to idols.

What stood out to me was the second part: "any likeness". That sounds more Muslim than Christian.

It is true that there's a long historical tradition in the West of confining that verse to prohibitions of idols. But in Islam, which was virtually founded on anti-idolatry, there's a long tradition of applying it more broadly.

[madmom]

9. are these the same ones who want sir(senile) ronnie up there?

[Xithras]

10. In America, only the Amish really practice Christianity.

And it can be argued that even they ignore some tenets of the faith. Still, ask a Bible thumping evangelical Baptist to live like an Amish person, and they'll look at you like you're insane.

[Coexist]

11. the thought of that destruction still makes me sad.

:cry:

[nonconformist]

13. Excellent point! nt

[Cleita]

19. Nah, they'd piss off their followers.

They would have to get rid of all the angel and fish images they are so fond of.