Exploring Diverse Beliefs: Is Idol Worship Justified in Today's World?

We live in a world of diversity. Not even a single leaf of a tree resembles another. So also the nature, taste, interest, faith, and belief of human beings. Respecting others' views and interests, can anyone share their views on "Whether Idol Worship Is Justified?"

Dear,

I have a few questions here:

1. What made you ask this?
2. What is your opinion on idol worship?
3. Also, the nature, taste, interest, faith, and belief of human beings. What does it mean?

If you can, then we will have a good conversation and responses from all.

Hi Shiva,

The reason behind this is to know others' views on this point. I will share my view in due course. One's view depends on his/her nature, taste, interest, belief, etc. These qualities are just like the seven sounds of music creating harmony if tuned properly, otherwise...

I hope you got your answer.

Regards,

Dear,

I haven't got the actual. For instance, I'm a follower of idol worship. I support it as well.

But idol worship is derived from Hinduism, so all Hindus will follow.

People accept idol worship with open arms as a simple way of expressing one's faith, love, and devotion to God.

Why do we want to comment or discuss one's faith towards worshiping God.

Hi Prasad,

If you don't mind, I think there is nothing wrong in discussing God and the ways of worship.

One of my points resembled with Giridhar that since we have a form, we needed a form to worship.

Everything is created by God, and to designate any piece of physical matter as "God" or a "Higher Power" is idol worship.

Idolatry can take many shapes, in my opinion. It's not only bowing to a representation of a deity, it's giving up your faith to anything.

Please find below the corrected text with spelling, grammar, and formatting improvements:

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Pl. observe the following points:

Idols are not worshipped at the place of their manufacture/carve out.

Priests perform rituals of Shakti Sthapana (installation of divine power) into the Idols to make them worship-worthy.

Priests withdraw the divine power from the idols before immersion/dispose of.

After immersion/disposal, people may respect the idol but will not worship.

So, it can be made out that no one worships the idol but the installed divine/supreme power in it.

Please also observe some more points:

If a person while praying refers to God as "God-Father" or "Mata-Pita," his/her spouse will never refer to Him as "Father-in-law" or "In-laws," but as Father/Parents. Even the parents of this couple will also refer to God as their (divine) Father/Parents.

Therefore, it seems that God is not the father of our "physical entity" but the father of our spiritual entity, i.e., soul.

In other words, God (Supreme Soul) is the Father of all the souls, and our physical body is only a carrier vehicle of the soul.

After considering the above points, we can conclude that the importance of the relationship between the soul and the supreme soul is much more than the relation between our body and the idol. Actually speaking, it is the soul who enjoys happiness or suffers sorrows through this body but not the body itself. Also, it is the soul who receives divine powers from God to get relief from sufferings and live happily.

In spite of the importance of the relationship between the soul and the Supreme Soul, since both of them are not visible, most religions prefer idol worshiping to make their ceremony more enjoyable.

Hi, I remember the story of a window.

If 10 people stand at a window and watch the outer world, they may find different visuals, beauty, or things.

Yes, every individual will have a different opinion. I agree with you that priests do the Shakthi Sthapana into the idol.

But, as per Thaithariya Upanishad, it says the way to Salvation is in Krutha Yuga through Daiva Drusti, in Thretha Yuga through Tapassakthi, in Dwapar Yuga through Yagna, and finally, Kaliyuga is through Mantra Patanam.

So, to pray to God with at least concentration and to have some respect, we have idol worship. It also says that Rishis, who have seen God through spiritual sight, made the idol for all to pray.

And finally, in the Vedas, they clearly stated, "Nirvikalpo nirakaro, nirguno, Shudha devo yeko Narayanaha," meaning God doesn't have anything that a physical object has.

Thank you, Ram. It was nice to remember all this after a long time.

One may opt for idol worship based on their religion and faith. Hence, idol worship is justified for a few religions and not for others.

Yes, "Nana Muninam Matascha Bhinnah" (views of Munis / Sanyasis / Rishis differ). That's what I told in the beginning of this thread.

Even the ultimate aim of human being also differs from person to person. Therefore, if a saint (sanyasi), leaves his body, it is said that he got salvation (Nirvan i.e. merged with God or Moksha i.e. liberation from birth-death cycle). But in case of a family holder (grihasth), it is said as s/he left for heavenly abode (Swarga i.e. place of deities).

If body cannot tolerate the direct effects of any medicine, doctors advise the patients to take the medicine mixed with water, milk and the like.

Similarly, idols have been used as mediators to concentrate on the (physically invisible) Supreme Being. Most of the saints didn't took the help of idols but made efforts to have direct link with Him.

Of course it all depends on one's aim / destination and efforts one can put.

Hi all,

I would like to add on that we are so much into the understanding of love for God and the way we worship, and we search for our internal peace through various ways. However, many times, we humans fail to realize that service to mankind is service to God. There is so much prejudice, pride, discrimination, and bias in the fast-moving real-time world. Ultimately, we are not serving God, so He must be unhappy with our deeds. This is my opinion so far. If you have anything to say, please do so.

Regards,
Nesha

Hey Neha,

What do you do if you dropped in a slum? What do you do if you dropped in Leprosy Hospital? I do not agree, serving mankind is equivalent to serving God. To be frank, it is more than that. As we live with them, at least.

But, speaking words is as easy as looking at the sea, saying, "hoooo I will swim it." Making the words into reality is the challenge and the destiny, which most will never attempt to do.

I would like to add more to your statement. Not only serving mankind, it can be to anything as it is stated, "Yaschakinchith jagath sarvam." If you serve, do good to anything that you see, live with, you are serving God.

Yes, Nesha, in one way your opinion is correct. But since a person does not have much power to serve people, he worships God. Some people may pray for themselves, some for their relatives, neighbors, their village, country, etc. Actually, God does not have a body, so He needs no service from anyone. He needs one's pure love for serving mankind.

God is the root and the people are the branches. So, if you give water to the root, it will automatically reach the branches.

Regards,