Quote:
Graham Christian wrote:
A symbol basically represents something, that's why it is a symbol. Letters are symbols too and so are words. So a snake, an idol, the M of macdonalds.....all symbols. So for me I never blame the symbol or put a symbol down for I only look at what it represents to me.
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Symbolism and idolatry are not the same thing. The Big Three Monotheisms all take serious issue with idolatry, for reasons that are at least logically consistent, I'd say. To worship an object as a god - that's idolatry. However, I don't think the shinto example of the snake qualifies. If a Big Three Monotheist wants to frown upon the snake worship on "thou shalt have no other gods before me" grounds, okay, that's their thing - but I don't think it's idolatry.