Christian leaders honor golden statue of Trump

[Szdfan]

you know, i recall some occasional romance incidents on forum. a broken heart or two.
discreet, of course.

the forum began with youngns, full of hope and questions, not a lot of confidence.
i hoped it would continue that way, with younger sibs and cousins stepping in.
tech interferred, or i believe it would have gone that way.

The fact that this forum still exists when most forums have gone away with the rise of social media is something I appreciate it. It’s like a little piece of the old Internet I loved in the early 2000s.

[JohnH]

I used to go to church with some people who were from the K.S.S.R. and were unimpressed with the statues all over Rockhampton, Qld:



They were fairly convinced there was some kind of calf-statue-worship going on.



You can go on a tour yourself here: https://explorerockhampton.stqry.app/1/tour/1531

Now, as a matter of full disclosure, my own town has a cow statue in it:



Indeed, my town's very name was so offensive to some Beachys that they refused to name their church after it in the usual "<town name> Amish-Mennonite Christian Fellowship" sort of naming scheme. So instead they just called themselves "Amish-Mennonite Christian Fellowship". However, everyone else calls them the <town name> Beachy church.

[Soloist]

I think we can agree that there are degrees of statues. I don’t think anyone is offended by a statue of a pelican or a statue of a cow but if we happen to be in another country where cows or pelicans were worshiped, maybe it would be a different story.

If the cow or pelican statue had a deacon or a minister, pray over it dedicated or something of that nature, I would find it offensive and not a safe statue.

[justme]

The fact that this forum still exists when most forums have gone away with the rise of social media is something I appreciate it. It’s like a little piece of the old Internet I loved in the early 2000s.

it was a different time and place. It was a good time and place.

[Valerie]

I keep thinking abt the bronze snake. (Wrong metal, but still).
The snake saved them from illness/death, and they turned it into an idol. At which time God destroyed it, and punished them.

Well that was Gods idea, knowing they had an inclination like that.

In 2026 statues have been around forever. In Christianity they are not worshipped like Deity-

[Judas Maccabeus]

I understand it. I still don’t want venerate statues, icons, and pictures.

Understood. It doesn’t upset me as I feel I understand it on a deeper level and can make the distinct. So I don’t judge them, but I don’t have a conviction to practice it.
I think Holdemans are even against photography so I understand your conviction.
The largest ICON I ever saw was not Orthodox but Anabaptist at the Amish Mennonite Cultural Center Beasley which basically is very similar idea, telling the story with art. honoring the people of Anabaptist history

But Mennonites and Amish do not venerate the mural at Behalt.

Not even close. That mural is a teaching tool, nothing more nothing less. It is simply a textbook hung on a wall.

As one who is regularly taught history over a five year period, this mural would be an excellent tool to walk a class of of students through the history of the Anabaptist movement. When I was there, the guide was really late in showing up, so having a somewhat impatient wife, I started explaining that the mural to her. I had actually never seen it before. I wasn't looking at what was going on and soon there were a cluster of people walking around behind my wife listening to my explanation. I didn't notice them. The guide shows up and says two words, "History, teacher?" Guilty as charged. There is not anything close to veneration going on there, and I know it veneration looks like. In my eyes it's the same as worship.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I think we can agree that there are degrees of statues. I don’t think anyone is offended by a statue of a pelican or a statue of a cow but if we happen to be in another country where cows or pelicans were worshiped, maybe it would be a different story.

If the cow or pelican statue had a deacon or a minister, pray over it dedicated or something of that nature, I would find it offensive and not a safe statue.

Especially if it is used to advertise the product sold within.

[barnhart]

I have a question for those who have been arguing this event was secular and had no worship or idolatry overtones. Why was a pastor involved at all? Why didn't the chair of the committee who created it, or the local politician representing the president's party dedicate the statue?

[JohnH]

I have a question for those who have been arguing this event was secular and had no worship or idolatry overtones. Why was a pastor involved at all? Why didn't the chair of the committee who created it, or the local politician representing the president's party dedicate the statue?

I don’t think any of us here know.

“Pastor” Mark Burns appears to be primarily involved in politics. I can’t find a church for him with actual service times. The “church” appears to primarily be a podcast/TV show that is primarily political, not religious.

There also isn’t any denomination, as far as I know, represented.

The event had 3 or so men with hairstyles and attire in a traditional ultra-Orthodox (Jewish) manner, but I don’t know who they are or who they represent (if anything).

[mike]

Understood. It doesn’t upset me as I feel I understand it on a deeper level and can make the distinct. So I don’t judge them, but I don’t have a conviction to practice it.
I think Holdemans are even against photography so I understand your conviction.
The largest ICON I ever saw was not Orthodox but Anabaptist at the Amish Mennonite Cultural Center Beasley which basically is very similar idea, telling the story with art. honoring the people of Anabaptist history

But Mennonites and Amish do not venerate the mural at Behalt.

Not even close. That mural is a teaching tool, nothing more nothing less. It is simply a textbook hung on a wall.

As one who is regularly taught history over a five year period, this mural would be an excellent tool to walk a class of of students through the history of the Anabaptist movement. When I was there, the guide was really late in showing up, so having a somewhat impatient wife, I started explaining that the mural to her. I had actually never seen it before. I wasn't looking at what was going on and soon there were a cluster of people walking around behind my wife listening to my explanation. I didn't notice them. The guide shows up and says two words, "History, teacher?" Guilty as charged. There is not anything close to veneration going on there, and I know it veneration looks like. In my eyes it's the same as worship.

I agree.