我聽說正教會崇拜「聖像」?...
我聽說正教會崇拜「聖像」。
身為基督徒,我覺得這樣不太好,因為,這種作法很像是一種「偶像崇拜」。
Question:
i hear orthodox worship icons , this i think as christian is not good, it is like worship idols.
Answer in Chinese:
首先,正教會只崇拜聖三位一體的上帝,還有耶穌。
因為,耶穌是聖三位一體中的一位,他取得了肉身。
在這一點上,正教會是不會改變的。
然而,我認為我們必需先了解「崇拜」(worship)和「致敬」(respect)這兩個字。
在中文裡,有許多詞都可以代表這兩個字的意思。
例如:崇拜、敬拜、禮拜…等。但是我們必需了解的是,「致敬」是有不同的等級的。
對國王的「敬」,自然和對父母親的「敬」不一樣。
甚至有時候,當父母親過世的時候,即使是國王召見你,你也會優先選擇為父母服喪(致敬),
這正如孔子的教誨一樣。
同樣的,對老師和對朋友的「敬」自然也有不同。
同樣都是「致敬」,但卻有不同的表達方式。
當基督徒在崇拜上帝的時候,心裡面自然知道上帝是與其它事物完全不同的對象,
我們無法以任何的形象來描述他,他是絕對的愛,絕對的創造者。
所以,對上帝的敬意是非常特別的,也是終極且獨一無二的。
然而,你一定知道如何表達敬意,不然你怎麼對你的父母致敬呢?
而對於過世的雙親,那自然是一種極為深刻的敬意,即使他們生前並不怎麼善良,我們也會很自然的原諒他們。
藉由鞠躬…等,我們表達了我們的敬意。
這是一種非常美好的行為,如果我們不尊敬我們眼前所見到的人,如果我們不對他們行禮,
我們又怎麼可能會對那個看不見的上帝致敬或崇拜呢?
所以,對已故的父母親致敬, 是我們良心上的義務。
向父母致敬與向上帝致敬,這兩種敬意並不完全相同,但也不是全然不同。
許多來到教會的人,對於我們向上帝以及聖像畫獻香的行為,都感到非常的驚訝,
甚至,我們還會對所有在教會裡的人獻香。
他們會說:「好吧,如果是對上帝獻香,這個我能夠接受,但是,為何要對所有人獻香呢?」
這是因為,所有人都是上帝的肖像。
所以,向他們獻香,不僅僅是對他們的尊敬,同時也是對上帝尊敬。
對於這樣子的行為,上帝感到非常的高興,因為,上帝愛所有人,而我們的行為,就好像在對他的小孩致敬一樣。
我想,我們都會喜歡其他人對自己的孩子致敬一樣。
這種尊敬來自於上帝,我們有能力尊敬別人,那是因為我們尊敬上帝。
從基督教的觀點來看,尊敬雖然只有一種,但是,卻可以用許多種方式來表達。
即使是孩子,你也必須尊敬他,儘管有時候,你必須懲罰他,但是,懲罰只是一種對孩子的教導和訓練。
我們絕對不能把懲罰孩子當作發洩心中憤怒或種種情緒的方式,因為這樣的心態,雖然現在看不出什麼後遺症,
但是日後,卻會讓孩子終其一生都對你懷恨在心。
事物並不是非黑即白這種嚴格的二分法,我們崇拜上帝的同時,也可以崇拜人群,崇拜我們的敵人。
因為,我們知道這其中是有所分別的。
所有的行為都出自 於「愛」,愛是唯一的,
然而,這種愛與對妻子的愛、對朋友的愛、對孩子的愛和對國家的愛,是有所不同的,但這一切都是愛。
因為愛,使我們緊密的連結。
我們彼此之間休戚相關,脣亡齒寒。
「崇拜」上帝指的並不是這種心態:「喔!你是全能的上帝,你一定會賜給我許多東西!」
這種做法只不過是在要求更多的福利,就好像我們向政治家要求更多好處那樣。
「崇拜」是一種至深的敬意,是一種誠摯的景仰和愛慕。
在現今社會中,許多人都習慣於在「崇拜」上帝之後,向上帝要求許多福利。
試想,如果我們向某人(例如:神、國家領導、上司或朋友…等)表達讚美和崇拜之後,
就馬上停止這種尊敬的口吻,改為一種談判和交涉的口氣,希望他能給自己更多利益,
這種做法連最基本的禮貌都談不上。
基於以上的觀點,我認為,身為一位基督徒,在討論「是不是應該崇拜祖先」這個議題時,
必須以謹慎的態度,以深刻的思考來回答。
讓我們一起來看看聖經裡面的這個例子:
「大衛對全會眾說、你們應當稱頌耶和華你們的神。
於是會眾稱頌耶和華他們列祖的神、 低頭拜耶和華與王。
大衛對全體大眾說︰『你們要祝頌永恆主你們的上帝。』
于是全體大眾就祝頌永恆主他們列祖的上帝,俯伏叩拜永恆主和王。
大衛對全體會眾說:“你們應當稱頌耶和華你們的神。”
於是全體會眾就稱頌耶和華他們列祖的神,俯伏敬拜耶和華和王。」(歷代志上29:20)
從這個例子當中,我們可以看到,會眾在稱頌、敬拜的時候,他們的心中很清楚自己在做什麼,
他們也深深瞭解各種敬拜不同層次的意義。
他們知道如何去 「區分」(distinguish)不同層次的敬拜,而不是斷然拒絕某些敬拜,製造人與人之間的分裂(separate)。
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Answer in English:
first,
orthodox worship only the holy trinity. also Jesus because he is one
of the holy trinity who took flesh, did not change.
but i think we must understand the word worship and respect. in chinese there many words for this.
崇
拜etc.. but we must understand there are many different levels of
respect. it is different to respect the emperor and different to
respect the parents, even sometimes, when the parents die, you give
priority to mourn the parents (respect) even if the emperor call you ,
as confucious say. and it is different to respect the teacher, and
different to respect the friend.
all is respect but there are different expressions of this respect.
when
Christians worship god, they understand God is completely different
from anything, nothing can describe Him, he is the ultimate lover and
creator. so the respect is very special, ultimate, unique.
but
also you must know how to respect generally. if you do not respect
your parents, how do you know what is respect? it is deep respect to
the dead parents, even they are bad, we forgive them, we express our
respect, by bowing down etc... this is good. if we do not respect those
who we see, if we do not bow to them, how can we really respect or
worship God, who we can not see? so to respect a dead person is
OBLIGATION .
respecting them, we respect god. those 2 kinds of respect are not exactly same but not different also.
many
people who come to my church are very surprised because we offer
incense to god. then to the icons. THEN TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
THE CHURCH. they say, well i may accept to offer to god incense but why
to people? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE IMAGES OF GOD!!! so offering to them i
honor not only them, but god also. and god is happy for this, because
he loves them all and likes to honor his children , as you like those
who honor your children. respect comes from god. we have the ability to
respect others because we respect god. from christian point of view
the respect is one, but is expressed by different ways. even your kid,
you must respect it, even you have to punish it, punish only to train
and teach NEVER because you are angry and you want to empty your
emotions to the kid which can not bit you now.... but later will hate
you for all his life.
things are not black and white. worshiping god we worship people and opposite, and we know to distinguish.
the
same happens with love. love is one, but it is different for the wife,
different for the friend, different for the child, different for the
country. but still is love, and all those loves they are
interconnected, and if one is not proper or impossible, the others have
also problem.
worship
is not to say, because i think you are god, give me this or that. this
is asking favor, like we ask from politicians. worship is a deep
respect, adoration, admiration things like that.now people are used to
ask favors AFTER THE WORSHIP, after recognizing , admiring etc.. the
OTHER (god or emperor or.... friend) i think , then worship stops and
become a negotiation, which is at least not polite. so Christians must
be very careful when they say DO NOT WORSHIP ANCESTORS.
see one example from the bible
KJG
1 Chronicles 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless
the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of
their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and
the king.
歷代志上 1 Chronicles 29:20
大衛對全會眾說、你們應當稱頌耶和華你們的 神。
於是會眾稱頌耶和華他們列祖 的神、低頭拜耶和華與王。 [lb5][nb5][asv]
大衛對全體大眾說︰「你們要祝頌永恆主你們的上帝。」
于是全體大眾就祝頌永恆主他們列祖的上帝,俯伏叩拜永恆主和王。
大衛對全體會眾說:“你們應當稱頌耶 和華你們的神。”
於是全體會眾就稱頌耶和華他們列祖的神,俯伏敬拜耶和華和王。
they knew what they did, at the same time they give respect, and they know how to distinguich but not separate.
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