From Clay to Spirit: In Defence of Idolatry

By Sadhika on

Among other things, a notable distinction between Christianity and other Abrahamic religions, and Asian religious faiths, one of them being Hinduism (the faith I practise), concerns the concept of idolatry. It is crucial that I clarify, at the very outset, that my position is not against the teachings of Christianity or any faith in particular, nor do I intend to elevate my own faith as a superior pathway (sculpted or not) to the divine. I may not be well-versed in the secular discussion of religious beliefs, but I cherish the teachings of both Hinduism and Christianity deeply, as each has profoundly influenced me. Though my birth aligns with Hinduism, my educational journey unfolded within the halls of a Catholic convent school.

Moreover, I dislike debates that pit one faith against another, because I believe that the antithesis of a set of beliefs is disbelief, rather than another set. Indeed, there are many ways both modern and primitive people have found their way towards the Divine, and it is the severing of that connection that is the real adversary. My intention here is to introspect on an alternative perspective on idolatry, one that may have eluded contemporary discussions, as well as to arrive on a more nuanced understanding of this spiritual practice.

It would be impossible to talk about idolatry, without bringing in another essential difference - monotheism (preached by the Abrahamic faiths) and polytheism (preached in Hinduism). The Abrahamic religions emphasise the oneness of God and the Ten Commandments discourage idol worship or physical representations of God. The underlying concept is that the Divine is transcendental, that is, it transcends any definitive characterisation. Attempting to define God or encapsulate the essence of the divine in a word, a definition, or a physical representation is not merely unattainable but is also considered sacrilegious to those who would venture to make such an attempt. As such, the use of images or idols would be a limiting way to represent the boundless nature of the Divine.

On the other hand, several Asian religious traditions embrace idolatry as a significant aspect of their spiritual practices. Generally, common arguments in favour of idolatry include the importance of idols in enriching worship experiences with sensory and aesthetic dimensions, or the use of artistic forms to preserve religious and cultural heritage. To this discourse, I propose a third point that, although infrequently acknowledged, stands as, in my perspective, the most compelling argument in favour of idolatry.

The use of statues and images, as symbolic manifestations of divine entities, are an effort to move away from abstraction. The idol is not a means to capture the divine essence, but rather to give the devotee a starting point for practising faith through rite and ritual. 

At the risk of being simplistic, I would explain using the analogy of meditation. One way to meditate is to close your eyes and empty your mind of all thoughts, while another is to keep your eyes open and focus on a singular point and try to block out the rest of the world. The latter technique aligns with the practices of faiths that incorporate idol worship. In this context, an idol does not serve as a substitute for true divinity; instead, it acts as a conduit for accessing transcendence through tangible form. While the ultimate reality is, of course, formless, the use of forms provides a focal point for devotion or prayer. 

Just as a skilled sculptor coaxes life from clay, believers fashion idols not as replacements for the divine but as artistic portals to the ineffable. In this dance between the material and the metaphysical, idolatry unveils itself as an interplay of aesthetics and devotion, a testament to humanity's perennial yearning to touch the divine through the language of form. In the plane where the tangible and intangible converge, attempts by mortals to comprehend the unfathomable will inevitably fall short. Yet, in our humanness, we persist in this imperfect endeavour.

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