Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

Lie-in, wow - Mother took H. away in the morning. Off to NCC in the morning,
Gordon sermon on Exodus 20 - "I like to think of God as ...".
- You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth below.
- This is the commandment over which there has been most debate. Other translations - make no graven image Seems to prohibit something harmless, or irrelevant. Has been mis-interpreted (to his view) by over a billion or so people as prohibiting any image, or likeness of any animal, thing etc. ie. no representational art.
- eg. enjoying an exquisite Oriental carpets - no depictions of recognisable animals, even plants: highly stylized, geometric designs; to avoid any kind of figural art. Likewise Mosques - elaborate geometric designs & words, exquisite calligraphy - never a human figure, animal, or other object.
- Respect for that view - but a misuderstanding based on the context. If God intended to prohibit representational art - (only alowing 'modern' art ?) - it would make nonsense of the rational. For I the Lord your God am a jealous God - certianly no need to be jealous of our creative merit - some artists make a deliberate mistake - to not compete (idiotic) cf. creation.
- Likewise, in the rest of the scriptures - God commands representational art: Num 21 the bronze serpant on a pole. or pomegranites on the high-priest's robe, likewise the capitals of the pillars on the temple should look like lillies. Numerous texts in Exodus - artisans required to represent in the fabric of the tabernacle - the likeness of the cherubim, or sculpturally on the Ark: 2 cherubim. It's not representational art of any kind: but idolatory.
- vs. 5 You shall not bow down to them, or worship them - Idolatory. The commandment seems to warn against the false worship of the true God - the traditional protestant view. Not re-using the pagan traditions - God insists we worship him without the help of idols.
- The archetypal idol - the golden calf, while God was writing - at the foot of the mount, they beg Aaron to make an idol - This is your God, oh Israel, who brought you out of Egypt ... Aaron - built an alter in front of the calf ... and said tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD. Ex 32. When Israel made the golden calf - they were not attempting to worship another God - 'LORD' - the name of God: but just using an Egyptian model of worship.
- Jereboam - to keep the loyalty of his people - comes up with some man-made religion; using the same language. An appalling depature, but not from believe in God - just worshiping him in a false way. Later on, read of 2 Kings 10: Jehu - destroyed Baal worship in Israel - but still kept the golden calves: went about the worship of the Lord, but in a false way.
- What was so attractive about idolatory that Israel could lapse in this way ? why exchange the tangible manifestation of God for a golden calf ? a temptation we surely don't suffer from ? looking at archaeologists' multi-breasted fertility figures or whatever ?
- Despite their sin, the Israelites were not stupid - they didn't think that the golden-calf was literally responsible for bringing them out of Egypt - it wasn't around; they only just made it; it was the representation of an invisible deity. They thought that after a dedication ceremony - the god(s) would come and inhabit it, and would be a channel of blessing.
- What about God makes us think of a bull calf ? the Chicago Bears ? to highlight just a selection of the characteristics of the animal - not all; Miami Doplhins - not as useless on the ground as Dolphins are: instead, 'we play smart', or 'we are agile'. The Egyptians - notorious for animal figure representations. Bovine imagary - the most prevelant.
- In Egyptian texts, the phrase 'golden calf' is applied only to Pharoe; a complicated system of images: the Heavens (sky) were imagined to be a cow goddess - the source of all life (comes from the heavens). The cow goddess as a special object of her love, is a calf. In many depictions, a cow suckling the Pharoe, or licking it in a gesture of affection.
- When the real God humbled the Gods of Egyptians, Israel sort of got it, they realised Pharoe was impotent, but transfered the symbols (the Bull) to the new winner. Unfortunately, God was not flattered. All idolatory, tends to deny attributes of God - other aspects are diminished. God revealed himself in a consuming fire, to highlight his holiness - to recognise the pre-eminent problem in our relationship; not that he is clever & we ar dumb, but that we are sinful, & he is Holy.
- When Isaiah has his eyes opened the angels are saying not Clever, wealthy, brilliant - but Holy, Holy, Holy.
- What is the attraction of idolatory - to make of God less than he is, sometimes by emphasising one aspect & minimising others. Phillip Liken: An idol makes the infinite God finite, the invisible God visible, the omnipotent God impotent, the all-present God local, the living God dead, and the spiritual God material - in short it makes him the exact opposite of what he actually is
- In our own day - not particularly given to making plastic images of God. Ezekiel warns about setting up idols in our hearts. It can be done with mental conception just as easily as with artistic endeavour. Making God less than he is - compromising what he has revealed himself to be.
- Richard Niever described liberalism as a God without wrath, who brings men without sin, into a kingdom without judgement, through the ministrations of Christ without the cross. - a mental idolatory that eviscerates the Gospel.
- The cultural despisers - "I can never believe in God" : "describe the God you don't believe in". Carl Sagan eg. "he couldn't believe in a God who wants to keep everyone ignorant" - amazing - of course not, in reality the God of scripture is one of all truth; far from keeping us in the dark, He wants to bring us into the light.
- make a God that will go before us - people want to go a different, and easier way to that which God wants them to go. The Golden calf is lifeless, makes no inconvenient demands: the beauty is it only wants to do what you do, leaving you to do what you want. If your image of God is leading you to success, health, victory after victory - you're following an idol; not the Christ who says come follow me, take up your cross and follow me. The cross of self denial: not my will but yours be done.
- What do you do with idols - destroy them before they destroy you. Egyptians like many Hindus - the animals that represented their gods were sacred to them, and they would never kill them. Appalled that anyone would sacrifice an animal. God was calling his people to put to death the very things the neighbours were worshiping.
- At Alcoholics Anonymous - many expensive bottles of Gin & Brandy get poured down the toilet, a sacrifice with which God is pleased: getting rid of what held a grip on your life. This is what Israel was called to do - in the aftermath of the calf fiasco - the sin-offering for priests (who led Israel into the worship of the Golden Calf), would have to sacrifice a calf - for their sin-offering.

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In case it's not painfully obvious: the reflections reflected here are my own; mine, all mine ! and don't reflect the views of Collabora, SUSE, Novell, The Document Foundation, Spaghetti Hurlers (International), or anyone else. It's also important to realise that I'm not in on the Swedish Conspiracy. Occasionally people ask for formal photos for conferences or fun.

Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

2005-03-20: Sunday