[GeronL]

Scripture is the inspired word of God. It is not a symbol, it is more like an instruction manual. Beside the issue since I don't know any group that prays to the book.

[wideawake]

Even if we were to reduce the Scriptures to a mere instruction manual, an instruction manual is still a description of reality which points to the actual reality itself underneath the escription.

And you make my point for me - no one worships the Scriptures, but they do use them in worship. Just as no one worships a crucifix, but they do use crucifixes in worship.

There is also the matter that for 99+% of Christians in this country, the Scriptures are a double representation of reality - they use English and Spanish representations of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words which are themselves representations of underlying realities.