Bob, You do not "make" an image on your retina. You do, however, consciously "make" a photograph. To what use are such images put? Well, we can make idols of them, as millions do with photographic images of, for example, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis Presley. Would you say that such images are correct in God's sight? We can make pornographic images, as displayed all over the newsagent stands. Are these correct? Does it matter whether they are "soft" porn or "hard" porn? Hollywood produces moving photographic images, that mislead and distort reality. NASA produces images that may turn out to be fabricated lies. Okay, so what harm is there in a family photograph? Well, what is the purpose of it? To remember someone or some occasion. What if that person is dead? What is the purpose of the photograph? Should we not look forward to their resurrection? Are we to mourn as the pagans do, having no hope? What about the time, not so long ago, when there were no photographs? What did our forefathers look at? The rich ones may have commissioned paintings, but the poor ones had nothing. Nothing, that is, but the glorious hope of their loved-one's resurrection. We should not dwell on the past. This is Scriptural. Even "innocent" usage of photographs promotes such an incorrect perspective. Yours in Christ, Neville. --- Bob Davidson <Jesus4me@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Neville, > > Does the "heaven above" refer to things outside the > Universe, things in the > Universe, or both? If we are not to make images of > things in the starry > heaven, then we cannot make images of the planets, > stars, moons, etc., and I > would think that we must not make anything that > would cause an image to be > made, such as a reflector telescope. Even > microscopes, eyeglasses, > binoculars, and the like should be banned since they > all produce likenesses > of objects on our retinas. Where does this end? If > I make an engineering > drawing of anything at all, that is a graven image > of something that is in > the earth beneath. I really think these commands > are all prefaces to His > command in Exodus 20:5 not to worship or serve them. > Otherwise, virtually > everything produced by the hands of mankind is a > graven image or likeness of > one sort or another ("[there is] no new [thing] > under the sun." Eccl 1:9) > and we are left gathering sticks and clothing > ourselves with animal skins. > > In His Service (really), > > Bob Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com