How about the word Deity worship! --- purohit@xxxx wrote: > > Dear Bhagavatars - many of you might not be knowing > that "IDOL" is an > extremely perjorative term coined by Christian > missionaries in order to > denigrate and bring to the lowest level what they > saw as the objects of > worship in India. > > Please see you Webster's dictionary ? IDOL = (1) the > image of a heathen god, > (2) that on which the passions are set; (3) a source > of error; (4) a > fallacy, (5) an unsubstantial apparition; (6) a > phantom; (7) an imposter, a > counterfiet. > > The terms "idol" and "idolatry" in the west > immediately brings to mind > negative connotations as seen in the dictionary > entry, and is never used is > a positive context. > > It is high time that we stopped using this term to > describe the "archa > avataras" and indeed should strongly object to it - > in the eyes of the > native english speakers we are denigrating our own > murtis! > > The proper term of use is ICON. This is what the > catholics and the eastern > orthodox Christians call their images of God. In > modern computer speak which > has adopted this term, it has an entirely neutral > connotation > > Words are very important and we too should adjust > our vocabulary to more > positive or at least neutral communication. > > Please make this your personal project - allways > correct others in this > usage, for Vaishnavas to knowingly or unknowlingly > insult the sacred > "tiru-meni" is a serious aparadham. > > adiyen > > Sri Ram > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo! Messenger http://mail.messenger.yahoo.co.uk
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