Dolls - Graven Images, Idols, or Simple Kids Toys?

[noblenut]

Okay, so I've kinda been worried lately. Since I'm a teen, my house is filled with a bunch of dolls that I had kept from my childhood. From Teddy bears to sharks and even Pokemon... (I used to be a gamer with an unhealthy obsession... I've changed though. Hehe!)

So I was on the internet and searching about graven images and so on and so forth, when I stumbled into this very interesting article. It was about the 2nd Commandment God had given to Moses: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Exodus 20:3-5 and Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. (Lev. 26:1)

Now, funny thing is, the article stated that the point of this Commandment is that you are not to keep any graven images (toys, statues, figures, etc. that resemble living creatures, the sun, the moon, the stars, basically almost everything natural in this world.) and that heavily offends God. When I made even more research, I found out that not only that article was supporting that philosophy - a lot of them were. Of course, that made me REALLY worried - my Catholic school never told anything about having cute dolls and cups as graven images!

Even more, one article even stated that animated movies (something like Rio, Secret Life of Pets, Frozen, etc.) were ALSO to be considered graven images. (But, most didn't, so... )

I also found this article that went really in-depth about it and I can see the point, but... just to be safe, are dolls, statues, etc. graven images?

Please let me know what you think! I really need your help.

a graven image is something u bow down to and worship, i also collected super hero action figures and i joke that they are the idols of my youth but since i do not bow down or worship them in any way they are just children's playthings, though mobile phones obsession is what worries me, its like they have become the new idol of the modern age

 

[Lanolin]

Well theres tv people do kind of bow down and worship it by sitting down on a sofa or lying on the couch and staring at it for hours on end everyday as a kind of devotion.
Plus theres pop stars people put posters of people they admire on their walls and look at it eveyrday and try to communicate with them. Worship meaning praising them all the time.

Also a lot of childhood toys are really just idols repackaged, and some of them just look like golden calves. Maybe just be discerning because you dont know what spirit is behind it, like buddha heads and dragons and demonic creatures. You dont really need that stuff anyway. If they take away your focus on God then do you really need it?

I mean half the muppets are actually monsters, like cookie monster, well what demon does he represent, greed? Satan does operate through images.. image of the beast etc. when people worship the image of the beast they get taken in, they may as well worship the beast and satan himself. Thats why God said not to make any image of Him cos you cant hes spirit he cant be moulded and shaped by our hands. GOd doesnt have a form since hes a consuming fire...theres just no way we can reduce him into an image.

And Jesus, didnt want us worshipping his image either but listening to His word, what he says is more imprtant that what he looks like. Cos Jesus came in the flesh he was ordinary human just like us. So the thing is you cant make a doll of him and put that up and say you worship this doll which may be made of plastic or wood or whatever.

Anyway just food for thought God was really against idolatry amongst the israelites for good reason. And John admonishes little children to keep away from idols. Why little children, well we know what prolific toy manufactoers are making lots of money from plastic crap.

 

[JaumeJ]

In my case I have never had such things as posters of stars,games musi or the like, but that is just how I am.

There is nothing wrong with anyone who has a special place in his or her heart for someone having an image of them unless they go so far as to worship it……...that is wrong.

As for tv, I have always watched it for news and and everyday current events, education and entertainment.

I have lived since the late 1940's watching tv, and somehow I managed to strain the whopper lies out of the news and sit-coms. I mean, I knew I Love Lucy was far from rality, and the show gav m a lot of laughtss…….Right ow I think of how when the Ricardo's apartment caught on fire all Lucy wanted to save was her gallon jugs of henna rinse .... funny...not sacrilege.

 

[Eterna]

I never saw it 3 years ago..i googled a question yesterday..therez so many things to ponder and question this is like a grain of salt but I do appreciate insight when given thank you

 

[Angela53510]

My advice is to stop googling things, and read the Bible.

No, dolls are not bad! I guess that means boys have to have their trucks and sports toys taken away from them?