I just knew Irons were useful aids to Holiness, but those shanks keep getting in the way. 0:^)
Judging by the presence of sculpted angels over the Ark of the Covenant and in the Holy of Holies of the First Temple, it stands to reason that the prohibition wasn't absolute.
After the Incarnation, God became flesh and therefore, representable on icons and with Him, all the moments of the Gospel and all His saints. As long as we see icons as windows into heaven and not as idols carrying some sort of inherent power in themselves, we don't violate the 2nd Commandment.
-Theo
I just knew Irons were useful aids to Holiness, but those shanks keep getting in the way. 0:^)
But we are not supposed to kneel or pray in the presence of icons. It does not matter if the icons/images are not being worshipped.The presence of such icons can lead to idolatry and are thus forbidden.
It is a violation of the Second Commandment.