Talk:Idol worship

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 WikiProject Religion
Religion Portal
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Religion, a project to improve Wikipedia's articles on Religion-related subjects. Please participate by editing the article, and help us assess and improve articles to good and 1.0 standards, or visit the wikiproject page for more details.
Stub This article has been rated as Stub on the Project's quality scale.
(If you rated the article please give a short summary at comments to explain the ratings and/or to identify the strengths and weaknesses.)

[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)
Septegram, yes, it does exist. Andries 08:59, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
Can you document this, Andries? Every case I've ever read or seen involved not worshiping the object, but what the object represents.
Thanks,
*Septegram*Talk*Contributions* 09:19, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
Septegram,I think I had misunderstood your question which I now see is quite a difficult one. Andries 10:12, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
I think the answer is certainly yes, but the places to look are not in Islam or Christianity (or Buddhism, mostly), but Hindism, Ancient Egypt/Greece/Rome etc, and more recent local religions - Fetish etc. Of course it is a complex question. Johnbod 13:05, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Puja

"Idol Worship" in itself sounds like a very non-neutral title under which to discuss the topic. In my opinion the Hinduism and Jainsim sections would be more appropriately explored within the Puja article. Does any else agree/disagree? Regards, Gouranga(UK) 14:21, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

  • There should be an article on the topic as a whole. Johnbod 13:00, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
Now I'm looking further, it appears that this page was originally re-directed to Idolatry which is a far better article and more neutral title. It was recently un-directed here. I'm re-directing it back to the Idolatry article, as the subject matter is identical in scope. Regards, Gouranga(UK) 15:03, 23 March 2007 (UTC)
Cult image is a less loaded title, albeit a scrappy article at present. This material would be better there.
Idolatry is the least neutral title, as it is defined as a sin - it could hardly be more POV! Also the article has nothing on Hinduism, let alone Ancient Egypt, Greece etc. Personally I think Cult image and Idol worship should be merged and improved, but the material here should certainly be reinstated. Johnbod 13:00, 28 May 2007 (UTC)