What is generally lumped under the "Idolatry" label is actually two different, but related, issues. The first more straight-forward is "Iconography" - creating a physical representation of "god(s)", and using this icon as a conduit for worship, or attributing importance to the icon itself. This later includes Catholic icons of "Saints", or the crucifix, even if one does not claim to worship Jesus as divine.
The second issue is that of "Worship of Natural Elements" - of attributing divinity to "Forces" or observable phenomena in Nature, such as Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain or Fertility, Death etc. Even when these entities are NOT worshiped as "the Godhead", but merely as conduits or lesser intermediates to G-d, this is still forbidden, as while potent, these "forces" they are in no way independent of G-d, so one must always "go to the source". We are taught, that this in fact is how "paganism" got started, in that people belittled themselves, and in finding themselves unworthy of "approaching the King", decided instead to "work" through secondary elements.
The only problem I can perceive in, under observance of the Noahide Laws, also studying Religious Visionary of Your Choice, is that this might lead to some rather strange ideas about G-d, and the Divine Plan. As I will keep on stating, the "G-d of the Jews" is rather different from either the Christian or Muslim god. So you might be shooting yourself in the foot, in this sense. Some of those ideas, will almost certainly be Idolatrous in nature.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Your Mission, should you choose to accept it
Date: 2005-06-08 09:22 am (UTC)The second issue is that of "Worship of Natural Elements" - of attributing divinity to "Forces" or observable phenomena in Nature, such as Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain or Fertility, Death etc. Even when these entities are NOT worshiped as "the Godhead", but merely as conduits or lesser intermediates to G-d, this is still forbidden, as while potent, these "forces" they are in no way independent of G-d, so one must always "go to the source". We are taught, that this in fact is how "paganism" got started, in that people belittled themselves, and in finding themselves unworthy of "approaching the King", decided instead to "work" through secondary elements.
The only problem I can perceive in, under observance of the Noahide Laws, also studying Religious Visionary of Your Choice, is that this might lead to some rather strange ideas about G-d, and the Divine Plan. As I will keep on stating, the "G-d of the Jews" is rather different from either the Christian or Muslim god. So you might be shooting yourself in the foot, in this sense. Some of those ideas, will almost certainly be Idolatrous in nature.