Talk:Idol worship

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[edit] Idol worship vs idolatry

I've only just begun this and have little academic knowledge of it. Please feel free to contribute rather than redirect or delete.

The main reason for restarting this as an article is because I feel there is a difference from idolatry - and that article discusses the matter in biblical terms, as a sin, rather than presenting an overview of it as a cultural form.

I might have to wade through Man and his Symbols and The Golden Bough again...Totnesmartin 19:56, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Skeptical

I question whether this actually exists at all. Do people worship the physical object, or the entities/forces of which the physical object is a representation or a housing? I'm not familiar with any documented cases of the former.
Septegram 19:37, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

it appears to be done informally in Jainism, and I'm still looking elsewhere (eg those virgin mary pictures and statues? The kaaba?) I wrote, then abandoned, a section on Sikhism (based on a badly-worded encyclopedia article, then found a proper explanation on Sikh websites). There are probably historical instances from around the world as well. Some Neo-pagans and New Agers do the same for the spirits of various places. But I need sources.Totnesmartin 19:47, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

The Kaaba is specifically not worshiped. Statues are foci for attention, but the object of worship is S/He who is represented thereby. Similarly, Neo-Pagans may revere the spirit of a place, but that's different from worshiping the place itself. As for Jains, I can't say.

Septegram 19:51, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for putting me right re kaaba. Totnesmartin 21:05, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Glad to be of service; it's all about getting the Wiki right, isn't it? Hope I didn't come across as harsh.

Septegram 21:38, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

i *was* jumpy for a bit... This page was once a slanging match and revert war... Totnesmartin 21:46, 6 December 2006 (UTC)