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 heathengod, (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
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