New Church Logo of Jesus in a Bell Jar?

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Shulem
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Re: Worship Christ through the Statue

Post by Shulem »

Shulem wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 6:52 pm
You worship Christ through the statue. You see and view the statue as a representation of Christ, even though the actual Christ is not physically in the room. Your faith through imagination of an invisible Christ is heightened and stimulated by looking at the statue. It is the statue that is credited for the generation of those extra emotions you wouldn't experience if it wasn't in the room for you to adore.

The statue is responsible for helping your faith increase and your devotion to Christ is amplified and increased because of the presence of the statue. Hence, your spiritual beliefs in Christ are benefited by the statue and the spiritual feelings you get when you look at it. Thus, you worship Christ through the statue.

It began with an innocent poem inscribed within the heart towards an idol of worship. The innocent poem eventually becomes a prayer uttered with faith leading to devotion and a spirit of awe -- spiritually bow the head, close the eyes, and kneel in reverence. That is the makings of idolatry which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may find enthralling generations from now. This is the same kind of worship that was practiced anciently by many religions.

Here is an example taken from the New Era, December 2002, p. 51 (second from the last page). The following poem is inserted mid-page above the hand of the adored beautiful glowing statue of "Christus" -- PHOTO OF THE MONTH.

By Deborah L. Williams wrote:
Christus

To see Him look on us,
His arms outstretched,
Waiting for us to
Come unto Him;
To be encircled in His love,
To feel His wounds,
To be redeemed.

Worship Christ through the statue
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Shulem
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Apostle of graven images

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Elder Bruce R. McConkie Of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ensign June, 1982 wrote: Truly Christ is both the Creator and the Redeemer, as is portrayed by the marble reproduction of Thorvaldsen’s Christus that stands in the rotunda of the visitors’ center on Temple Square. There we see the Creator in majestic marble standing in the midst of eternity. On the domed ceiling and the encircling walls are paintings of the sidereal heavens with their endless orbs, all moving through an organized cosmos. And as we gaze upon what the hand of mere man has made, our minds are opened to see in a limited manner the miracle of creation.

Elder McConkie fully embraces the use of a graven image to represent Christ and to associate the image as a representation of his eternal glory. McConkie admits that the statue is merely a creation of man's own hand and yet it provides a means for Church members to witness in a limited manner, the miracle of creation. This is perhaps the one instance when McConkie fails to provide scriptural reference to show that the ancients did the same. Thy did not -- hence, McConkie can't use scripture to show how a modern Church practice using statues of the LORD compare with authorized ancient custom or practice.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie Of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ensign June, 1982 wrote:There we also see the nail marks in those blessed hands, the hands that healed and blessed, and also in the feet that trod the dusty lanes of that earth which his hands had made. We see the gash in his pierced side from whence came the blood and water as a sign that the Atonement had been wrought. And our minds are opened, again in a limited manner, to see the miracle of redemption.

Elder McConkie pays particular mind to the nail marks in the hands and feet and the gash caused by the blow of a spear to the side. Again, he reminds us that seeing this provides only a limited manner in understanding the miracle of redemption through visualizing the mortal wounds of Jesus portrayed in stone. Yet again, McConkie has no scriptural reference to validate a comparison to this method of understanding blood atonement.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie Of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ensign June, 1982 wrote:And as we ponder upon the wonder of it all, our gaze and thoughts dwell upon the beatific face and we feel the beckoning power of the outstretched arms. And the marvel in marble seems to breathe the breath of life and say: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6.) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28.) Come unto me and ye shall be saved. Come, inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world for all who accept me as the Creator and Redeemer. Come, be one with me; I am thy God.

Never at any time did a biblical prophet ask the children of Israel to gaze upon a stone image of the LORD and admire the beatific face of God crafted by a mortal hand! Never at any time did an ancient prophet set up a graven image to represent the LORD whereby believers could admire and increase their faith. The opposite was the case, the use of graven images were part and parcel of what NOT to have. It was forbidden!
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Shulem
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Worship through images?

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The following paragraph, neatly and succinctly, sums up the matter about worshiping Christ through his graven image:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-statues.html wrote:
Using an image as an object of worship—or to focus one’s worship—is wrong. The Bible does not give us permission to worship God through graven images, even under the New Covenant.

The following account pretty much sums up my experience growing up Mormon. Bear in mind, one does not have to be in a chapel just to worship God -- this may occur anywhere and everywhere -- not just in the chapel. A statue or an image is not suppose to come between the worshipper and God!

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

Deborah Lucas wrote: Confessions of a Recovering Mormon

One of the Ten Commandments says that God forbids us from worshipping idols. I was taught growing up that Mormons believe having a cross or statue was sacrilegious and breaks that important commandment. I was told that my Catholic friends were offending God because they were worshipping an idol by decorating their chapels with statues and crosses. I was told that even wearing a cross on a necklace was forbidden.

When I was much younger, at the front of every Mormon chapel hung a painting of Jesus Christ. They were all taken down when I was a teenager. I was told the church leaders decided to have all the paintings removed in order to avoid the appearance of Mormons worshipping a picture. All of the buildings still have pictures of Jesus but none hang in the chapel where the congregation worships.

For all intents and purposes it certainly appears that the paintings of Christ should have never been hung up in the first place. Although the paintings have been removed, it seems readily apparent that Christus statues will eventually replace them.
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The universal and global sale of Christus graven images

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Christus Statues: For Sale

The institutional commercial push to get the Christus statue in the homes and offices of every Latter-day Saint is well underway. Multiple sizes at various price ranges make it possible for everyone to have a Christus statue for any room or occasion. There really is no excuse that every member of the church can't acquire their own Christus to display in common areas of the home or in private settings such as bedrooms and offices. The Christus can now be in attendance everywhere!

Is this a miracle?

Deseret Book Marble Statues

3" statues for just $9.99. A variety of other sizes (9", 12", 19") to suit every need and budget.

Image


LDS Bookstore Christus Statues

Statues at various sizes and prices to fit any need.

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You can get your Christus today!
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Shulem
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Buy me!

Post by Shulem »

Seagull Shop Christus Statues

Increase your faith and prove your devotion to Christ by having his statue in your life, always.

Image


Christ truly is for sale. The Mormons have finally proven they are Christians. Welcome to the club!
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Shulem
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A Christus here and a Christus there, everywhere a Christus!

Post by Shulem »

Eventually, every righteous Latter-day Saint home will have more than enough Christus statues to grace every part of the home.

Who is to say what's not appropriate in displaying Christus, even in a corner?

Surely, at some point, the Church will come up with guidelines on how to best display Christus statues in an appropriate fashion. Latter-day Saints can rest assured that this guidance will come and they will be directed on how to display, store, and dispose of their cherished Christus statues.

Message from the First Presidency:
  • Display....
  • Store....
  • Dispose....
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Shulem
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George Albert Smith

Post by Shulem »

Office of the President of the Church

President Smith obeyed the Second Commandment. There is no Christus on his desk or graven images of Jesus to adore.

Image

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But Wait! What's this?

:o


:shock:


Image

Never fear, it's only a Boy Scout Trophy!

;)
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Re: New Church Logo of Jesus in a Bell Jar?

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Spencer W. Kimball Of the Council of the Twelve, Improvemengt Era June 1956 wrote:
In my own office at home and at the Church Office Building I have rather large pictures of Jesus as he has been portrayed by artists. I appreciate them, but they do not give me the complete or acceptable picture of the Lord, and no picture I have ever seen is adequate. I can never see the Christ with my eyes open. I must close them to get my concepts of him. The Christ of whom they spoke and whom they tried to picture was the Master as he lived on the earth among mortals.

Notice how elder Kimball has to close his eyes to get a full or complete image of what he thinks mortal Jesus looks like. Imagine how much harder it is to visualize a picture of immortal Jesus!

The Church has made it easier for members to visualize immortal Jesus with their eyes open by using a graven image of him. Look at the graven image and adore its beauty and the divinity it represents. Then close your eyes reverently with a prayer in your heart, having been primed by the image of an idol.

When I look at Thorvaldsen's Christus, it seems to beckon one thing: Pray to me.

Image

Bow your head and pray to me.

Image

Behold, I am the Lord.
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Approach unto

Post by Shulem »

Elder Sylvester Q. Cannon, Presiding Bishop, MILLENNIAL STAR, Nov 1927 wrote:
Image

The Lord Jesus Christ is the very image of His Father's person, and as Jesus was revealed upon the earth to all men, so we may have some appreciation of the form, personality and attributes of the Father, and be able to seek Him in prayer in the name of His Beloved Son, with the assurance that He will hear and answer our prayers and give us those things that we desire in righteousness. For that reason the Latter-day Saints refrain from making graven images to approach unto or worship or bow down to.

Notice that elder Cannon makes three specific points about Latter-day Saints refraining from making graven images to represent God.
  • to approach unto
  • or worship
  • or bow down to
Twelve years later, elder Cannon became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve until he passed away in 1943. It's safe to say that he obeyed the Second Commandment which he also quoted in the above article. He did not approach a Christus statue in reverence as so many Latter-day Saints do today, thanks to David O. McKay's introduction of idolatry to the church and succeeding Presidents who are converting the entire Church to a form of idolatry that is expressly forbidden in scripture.
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Re: New Church Logo of Jesus in a Bell Jar?

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"We demand to know who hung these drapes, right now!"
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