Giving a Piece of My Mind on the Feast of the Black Nazarene
There's the old statement that some people just never learn. The same is going on for this idolatrous feast called the "Feast of the Black Nazarene". Even after so many incidents and I remembered one of them involved an image of it breaking to pieces yet people couldn't see how powerless their god is. No, the Black Nazarene isn't Jesus and Jesus in His humanity was not born black. Jesus was born into a Jewish household in His humanity.
The idea of the Black Nazarene is a perversion of the identity of Jesus but why do so many Filipino Roman Catholics still insist in celebrating it? One of the worst things that some of its devotees adhere to the fallacy of appealing to tradition. They think that because it's been practiced then they must do it. It's just like saying that native tribes in certain regions of the world should be allowed to practice cannibalism and human sacrifice no matter how wrong it is because it's their tradition passed down from one generation to another. Just because something was practiced for a long time doesn't mean it's correct. Becoming a Christian may even getting rid of a lot of stuff you thought was right just because it was passed from one generation to another. Note that I'll be using the Good News version of the Bible for the sake of Roman Catholic readers even if I'm only a King James only-ist:Here's what the Bible says about tradition in Colossians 2:8:
See to it, then, that no one enslaves you by means of the worthless deceit of human wisdom, which comes from the teachings handed down by human beings and from the ruling spirits of the universe, and not from Christ.
Here's the warning that Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24:23-26 about false christs:
Then, if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Messiah! or There he is!—do not believe it. For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear; they will perform great miracles and wonders in order to deceive even God's chosen people, if possible. Listen! I have told you this ahead of time. Or, if people should tell you, Look, he is out in the desert!'—don't go there; or if they say, Look, he is hiding here!—don't believe it.
Yet today, you've got some people who believe that that the Black Nazarene is supposedly Jesus and that its image represents Jesus. What's worse is that the image is still carrying the cross when the truth is that the sacrifice on the cross has been finished for a very long time. Some Roman Catholics may say it's just a reminder of Christ's sacrifice for sins. The problem is that if it's just a reminder shouldn't they look at the Bible? The problem behind trying to worship God with a graven image to "help one concentrate" is that trying to worship Him with an image is a huge distraction. It's no better than the pagan reasoning that their graven images in their pagan altars help them concentrate. The incident is no better than any pagan procession in any idolatrous processions. It's no different than pagans who say that the image of their pagan god is just there to remind them of their pagan god but actions speak louder than words. Doesn't that sound like the incident of Gideon breaking Baal's altar causing a public outrage (Judges 6:25-32) and the incident where Dagon's image fell down and the Philistines were sore afraid of it (1 Samuel 5:1-7)? So much for saying that the idols are just there to remind them of their gods!
While the disciples and other people saw the face of Jesus during His earthly ministry but He never left an actual image of Himself. I guess Jesus didn't want us to be worshiping any image of Him so that's why He didn't have himself carved or drawn in His day. Alleged drawings of Jesus were probably artwork of people who were in no way used for worship. They are all just imaginary pictures just like how we draw pictures of every other Bible character in a children's storybook.
Many artworks tend to make Jesus look like He's very handsome. However, the Bible says that when He revealed His face in His humanity, He had no form or comeliness that He should be desired at all.
Another problem with the Black Nazarene is in claiming that it's holy. I don't think Roman Catholics in general have a better understanding of what's holy. If the Black Nazarene image were truly holy, I could think about the time that Uzzah as revealed in 2 Samuel 6:6-7:
As they came to the threshing place of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Covenant Box. At once the LORD God became angry with Uzzah and killed him because of his irreverence. Uzzah died there beside the Covenant Box,
There's one truth about man and God's holiness. If the image of the Black Nazarene were really holy then I wonder why aren't its devotees getting killed by it after touching it? If one of them died then why didn't the rest of those who touched it also die? Man's not holy by nature and God is holy by nature. Even if Christians are called to be holy and are imputed with righteousness yet they cannot fully comprehend God's holiness. Moses had God's imputed righteousness, he was a righteous man by God's grace but we're given this warning that nobody can see God face to face and live:
The Ark of the Covenant may have had graven images of cherubims on top of it but nobody was ever allowed to touch it neither was it put for public viewing. The problem that Roman Catholics generally avoid would be why are they putting the images on altars. It's not the same as putting pictures of your friends and relatives on the walls as a reminder. Instead, it's outright idolatry one way or another when they kneel and pray to it. While Roman Catholic doctrine may say that they're actually praying to the one portrayed than the image itself (and pagans have that excuse too) but actions prove otherwise.
Exodus 33:19-23 - The LORD answered, I will make all my splendor pass before you and in your presence I will pronounce my sacred name. I am the LORD, and I show compassion and pity on those I choose. I will not let you see my face, because no one can see me and stay alive, but here is a place beside Me where you can stand on a rock. When the dazzling light of My presence passes by, I will put you in an opening in the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away, and you will see my back but not My face.
The Ark of the Covenant may have had graven images of cherubims on top of it but nobody was ever allowed to touch it neither was it put for public viewing. The problem that Roman Catholics generally avoid would be why are they putting the images on altars. It's not the same as putting pictures of your friends and relatives on the walls as a reminder. Instead, it's outright idolatry one way or another when they kneel and pray to it. While Roman Catholic doctrine may say that they're actually praying to the one portrayed than the image itself (and pagans have that excuse too) but actions prove otherwise.
What's ironic is that some Roman Catholic apologists regardless of attitude have erroneously misquoted these verses:
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 - But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ's victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance. For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost.
Colossians 2:15 - And on that cross Christ freed Himself from the power of the spiritual rulers and authorities; He made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in His victory procession.
Just a reminder that procession is just another word for parade or entrance. A bridal procession is a bridal entrance. Any procession is a parade and it doesn't necessarily have a graven image carried to receive honors from the crowd. The problem is that Roman Catholics hardly take anything in context. If you're a Roman Catholic reading this then consider reading Colossians 2:16-19 which says:
So let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the New Moon Festival or the Sabbath. All such things are only a shadow of things in the future; the reality is Christ. Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and the worship of angels. For no reason at all, such people are all puffed up by their human way of thinking and have stopped holding on to Christ, who is the head of the body. Under Christ's control the whole body is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God wants it to grow.
I hope that this message will help spread the truth to Roman Catholics. They may go ahead and accuse me of hating them but as a former Roman Catholic, I want them to know the truth. It pains me that even after presenting them the verses in context and from a Roman Catholic translation they still insist on following the priests while hypocritically accusing me of rejecting God's Word to keep my tradition. They can go ahead and accuse me of being simply "misguided" but I've read the Bible for myself. I know the truth based on Scripture taken in context than out of context. I pray that this article will deliver the badly needed truth even if I know many will hate me for this. Jesus loves the lost sinner not to sugarcoat the truth but give it the way it should be given.