News of a US Soldier Winning Over Iraqi Hearts and Minds.

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But I think you have to separate the Word of God and the message we have been sent from the paper and ink itself... divine revelation should be valued and cherished, certainly, and I try to follow it (of course I fail rather frequently) but the physical book itself? We should not live for this world and its wealth but for the kingdom of God. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust consume and thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasure in Heaven..." As long as the message remains alive and well, the paper it is printed on doesn't matter because the paper and ink that compose a book are not a part of the holy message. There is more to life than these corporeal things, and we should focus on upholding the Word rather than protecting any physical book.

Note: I'm not promoting wanton destruction of holy books, any more than I would of any other book... I just don't see how someone can be worked up into a killing frenzy over it. "Ideas are bullet-proof."

Here is the thing: "Do not store up treasures on Earth," absolutely! Do not fall for the material, do not lust over the material, do not become blinded by the material. Scripture is beyond these. Scripture is holy and sanctimonious. It is (to its followers) the literal Word of the Creator.

I recall hearing a long time ago when I was beginning my first steps in the right path that once the Word became written, it was meant to be treated as sacred and not defiled nor disrespected in any way as it would be an assault on the One who Gave us the Word. I can understand the anger the people feel when their scriptures are being defiled by ignorant men, or treated like any other book.

Remember, the Prophets became holy because of their recitation of these Words. All who recite these words become pure. Scripture should not be treated as anything less than what it is, His Word.

My parents who are not very religious (certainly compared to me) do this with their Scripture. They never place anything on top of it, and never treat it in any way to cause damage to it. No writings, nothing. It even has Its own little place.

...but the book itself isn't what's important. The book is utterly unimportant. Its message matters, its physical form does not. The fact that the Word is written on paper doesn't elevate that paper to the status of the divine. My Bible goes on the bookshelf with everything else. I am try not to tear/crease any of its pages, I am careful in handling it, etc but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it were destroyed. There are other Bibles in existence, so it would be no great loss.

The book itself is very important for the reasons I've already stated. The Christian culture of the west (Protestant) don't have the same thinking to that of others. I've come to understand this. They write on their bibles, make notes, etc. while I would find such an act as corrupting (and even adding/removing to) the bible. It's all interpretation to those who are in most part "Orthodox" or in general terms fundamentalist, although I don't like using that word as it is understood differently between people.

And I consider those attitudes to be idolatrous. You are taking focus away from the Word of God to a physical object. That is idolatry.

1. idolatry - religious zeal; the willingness to serve God

2. idolatry - the worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God



1 : the worship of a physical object as a god

2 : immoderate attachment or devotion to something


Hmm. Where are you getting idolatry? It is reverence. If I didn't have reverence to His word then why would I read the scripture? Why should I take care of it? The Tabernacle by your definition was a practice of idolatry. The commandments which were written on stone, held sacred, would be idolatry by your definition. It is taking His name and Word in Vain if we were to treat scriptures like garbage as this US soldier did to the Qur'an.

If you take "2:"s definition then we are putting immoderate attachment to the word itself (everyone is). However, this is not the case and should not carry the status of idolatry. To use loose translations of idolatry to reverence of scripture is like accusing Catholics of creating idolatry with Virgin Mary and the Saints. Even for me, I consider Christians need in carrying around crosses or medallions with crucifix as a form of idolatry. I consider any act which places a human in His seat as idolaters. But this is not the most common interpretation of the word as that is how many view their Lord.

To be considered idolatrous would be to believe Scripture is Him. To be considered idolatrous would be to place an object or the living above or on par with Him. Having great respect for scriptures is not the same as placing it above Him.

I find it laughable to be considered an idolater however. I try to keep my room free from images--I don't even go about drawing things, and I find any artistic interpretation of religious figures to be idolatry itself.

Most certainly any image of Him is an act unimaginable.

I won't make any comment about you personally, as I don't know you. However, I suspect that we may both be expressing somewhat polarized views on this subject because of a difficulty in expressing the nuances meant here. I try to be respectful toward holy books, but your second definition of idolatry ("the worship of images that are not God") can include some Muslim attitudes toward the Qu'ran. No there is no reason to go about destroying these books, but to kill people when they are is senseless. At the point when you kill because something has been "disrespected," I feel that at least is crossing into idolatry.

Another perspective: those countries are being occupied by a foreign power. Resentment in some people has been building for years. Then it becomes known that the occupiers are engaging in blatant desecration of religious symbols with their weapons. So the resentment boils over. Suddenly the ideas that the bin Ladens of the world don't seem so outrageous - the foreigner really does want to subjugate the people and destroy their religion, not spread democracy, freedom, and a 40 hour work week.

It's all about symbolism. If the paper-and-ink happen to be a holy book, well, I think we all know the answer to that question."