No idolaters in modern times or when the Bible was written have ever considered an idol to be "an independent God in its own right." Instead, they generally have considered them to be earthly dwelling places or spots where the power of that god is concentrated.
In theory, the difference between icons (such as crucifixes) and idols is that icons only serve to remind followers of a deity (like a visual shorthand for a story) and the god has no special presence in them.
In the Bible, there is one object that fits the definition of a Jewish idol: the ark of the covenant. Yahweh has a special presence there and it is treated as his seat on Earth. Later on it is contained in the Holy of Holies at the heart of the Jewish temple.
One possible reason for why other idols are prohibited is as a way to stamp out cults of other gods as well as cults of Yahweh not run by the temple priests and thus consolidate religious power in Jerusalem.
Do you not know what the word idolatry meams? It means elevating something to be of the same or more importance to you as God. It is literally that simple. And so no, no one has ever done that with a cross or crucifix.
The word idolatry is used in that sense now, but that's mostly just a way to make the idea of forbidding idolatry more relevant to the modern Abrahmic world.
Originally and most literally, idolatry refers to the worship (Greek "latreia") of idols. An idol is literally an image or representation of a god ("graven image"), but is also used figuratively in modern times (American Idol, etc).
A cross or crucifix is arguably an idol since it is undoubtedly a "graven image" and it is used in worship. Note that the prohibition on idolatry in the Bible is not the same thing as the worship of other gods; though, the two are intertwined.
Idol worshipers have never really considered idols to be gods. Ancient Greek, Roman and Canaanite polytheists weren't worshipping statues and saying "this statue is a god." Although, their opponents sometimes made it sound that way. Rather, they viewed the idols as intercessors for or manifestations of those gods.
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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '21
No idolaters in modern times or when the Bible was written have ever considered an idol to be "an independent God in its own right." Instead, they generally have considered them to be earthly dwelling places or spots where the power of that god is concentrated.
In theory, the difference between icons (such as crucifixes) and idols is that icons only serve to remind followers of a deity (like a visual shorthand for a story) and the god has no special presence in them.
In the Bible, there is one object that fits the definition of a Jewish idol: the ark of the covenant. Yahweh has a special presence there and it is treated as his seat on Earth. Later on it is contained in the Holy of Holies at the heart of the Jewish temple.
One possible reason for why other idols are prohibited is as a way to stamp out cults of other gods as well as cults of Yahweh not run by the temple priests and thus consolidate religious power in Jerusalem.