Idol worship in the context of "Aniconism in Judaism"

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⭐ Core Definition: Idol worship

Idolatry is the worship of an idol as though it were a deity. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Abrahamic God as if it were God. In these monotheistic religions, idolatry has been considered as the "worship of false gods" and is forbidden by texts such as the Ten Commandments. Other monotheistic religions may apply similar rules.

For instance, the phrase false god is a derogatory term used in Abrahamic religions to indicate cult images or deities of non-Abrahamic Pagan religions, as well as other competing entities or objects to which particular importance is attributed. Conversely, followers of animistic and polytheistic religions may regard the gods of various monotheistic religions as "false gods" because they do not believe that any real deity possesses the properties ascribed by monotheists to their sole deity. Atheists, who do not believe in any deities, do not usually use the term false god even though that would encompass all deities from the atheist viewpoint. Usage of this term is generally limited to theists, who choose to worship some deity or deities, but not others.

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👉 Idol worship in the context of Aniconism in Judaism

Aniconism in Judaism refers to the idea that Judaism forbids the creation of "graven images," commonly understood to mean the prohibition of idolatry and idol worship. While Judaism is a logocentric religion, Jews were not under a blanket ban on visual art, despite common assumptions to the contrary, and throughout Jewish history and the history of Jewish art, created architectural designs and decorations of synagogues, decorative funerary monuments, illuminated manuscripts, embroidery and other decorative or artistic religious items.

In a refutation of the belief in an aniconic Judaism, and more generally in the underestimation of Jewish visual arts, modern secular historians believe that the phenomenon is a modern construction, and that "Jewish aniconism crystallized simultaneously with the construction of modern Jewish identities". According to current scholarship, the notion of a total prohibition of figural representation in the Biblical and Hellenistic-Roman periods is untenable.

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Idol worship in the context of Jahiliyyah

In Islamic salvation history, the Jāhiliyyah (Age of Ignorance) is an Arabic expression for an era of pre-Islamic Arabia as a whole or only of the Hejaz leading up to the lifetime of Muhammad.

The expression serves as a form of grand narrative to paint pre-Islamic Arabians as barbarians in a morally corrupt social order. Its people (the jahl, sing. jāhil) lacked religious knowledge (ʿilm) and civilized qualities (ḥilm). As a result, they practiced polytheism, idol worship, and allegedly committed female infanticide, had societies rife with tyranny, injustice, despotism, and anarchy, and prejudice resulted in vainglorious tribal antagonisms.

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Idol worship in the context of Sects of Sikhism

Sikh sects, denominations, traditions, movements, sub-traditions, also known as sampardai (Gurmukhi: ਸੰਪਰਦਾ; saparadā) in the Punjabi language, are sub-traditions within Sikhism with different approaches to practicing the religion. Sampradas believe in one God, typically rejecting both idol worship and castes. Different interpretations have emerged over time, some of which have a living teacher as the leader. The major traditions in Sikhism, says Harjot Oberoi, have included Udasi, Nirmala, Nanakpanthi, Khalsa, Sahajdhari, Namdhari (Kuka), Nirankari, and Sarvaria.

During the persecution of Sikhs by Mughals, several splinter groups emerged, such as the Minas and Ramraiyas, during the period between the death of Guru Har Krishan and the establishment of Guru Tegh Bahadur as the ninth Sikh Guru. These sects have had considerable differences. Some of these sects were financially and administratively supported by the Mughal Empire in the hopes of gaining a more favorable and compliant citizenry.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Jahiliyyah ← Sects of Sikhism ← Aniconism in Judaism
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Golden calf → Worship → Cult image → Deity → Abrahamic religions → Judaism → Christianity → Islam → God in Abrahamic religions → False god → Ten Commandments → Paganism → Animism → Polytheism → Atheism → Theism →