Got the DVD..

[repentant]

Someone posted a link a little bit ago about a free DVD "Icons of Sinai" from the Getty museum. Well I got mine today, and it was pretty good. One thing I was kind of like, "huh" about was when a Monk said that he finds it funny, or something like that, that the biggest collection of ancient icons in world are in the same place where God gave the commandment of not creating idols or images. After he said this, it cut out to something else. I don't know if he gave an explanation or what after, and they didn't show it. They way it sounded was like that icons are graven images that God forbid. Did anyone else notice this?

[MariaRegina]

I just got the DVD today too.

[repentant]

I just got the DVD today too.

Well look for what I'm talking about. It's a monk who speaks english.

[PrincessMommy]

Someone posted a link a little bit ago about a free DVD "Icons of Sinai" from the Getty museum. Well I got mine today, and it was pretty good. One thing I was kind of like, "huh" about was when a Monk said that he finds it funny, or something like that, that the biggest collection of ancient icons in world are in the same place where God gave the commandment of not creating idols or images. After he said this, it cut out to something else. I don't know if he gave an explanation or what after, and they didn't show it. They way it sounded was like that icons are graven images that God forbid. Did anyone else notice this?

Oh yeah I saw that too. What was he thinking??

[Dewi Sant]

I believe it may have been subtle sarcasm.

I haven't seen the DVD though...it is mainly in the intonation of the voice.

[Xpycoctomos]

I haven't gotten mine yet :(

[Ioan cel Nou]

I believe it may have been subtle sarcasm.

I haven't seen the DVD though...it is mainly in the intonation of the voice.
That was my thought, too (though I likewise haven't seen the DVD in question). I would think, and hope, that the point the monk was trying to make was something like, 'If icons are idolatrous as is often claimed, isn't it interesting that God allows so many on the mountain where He revealed the prohibition of idols?' Of course, I could be wrong, but it seems like the most reasonable explanation for what was reported.

James

[Asinner]

Got ours yesterday. Haven't watched it yet.

Love,
Christina :)

[Xpycoctomos]

That was my thought, too (though I likewise haven't seen the DVD in question). I would think, and hope, that the point the monk was trying to make was something like, 'If icons are idolatrous as is often claimed, isn't it interesting that God allows so many on the mountain where He revealed the prohibition of idols?' Of course, I could be wrong, but it seems like the most reasonable explanation for what was reported.

James
I hope so!

[Sacrum Silentium]

So do I! It shook me at first, like... why would this monk from the Sinai Monastery who's probably been there for years not even understand something you'd learn in the catechumenate? Then I figured it was a sort of dry sarcasm. It's probably a question he's heard too much of in his life as an Orthodox Christian, "Why do you guys worship these graven images?"

[Jacob4707]

I assume he at some point explained how icons are no longer forbidden graven images after the Incarnation, and that where or when he said this was left off the DVD. It is kind of jarring and made me wonder what he was thinking, too, or what the DVD authors'/editors' intent was. Hopefully the museum exhibition explains at some point why icons don't violate the prohibition against making graven images.

There are apparently good reasons to believe that the mountain is NOT the Mt. Sinai of the Exodus. I don't know how far back the tradition goes, though.

[icxn]

...There are apparently good reasons to believe that the mountain is NOT the Mt. Sinai of the Exodus. I don't know how far back the tradition goes, though.

Even if it isn't, the presence of the Monastery and the fact that the Divine Liturgy us served there, makes the place holier than at the time of prophet Moses.

Still I doubt that modern scholarship has it right. I'll go with St. John of the Ladder, abbot of the monastery who saw prophet Moses directing the servants during the feast of the Monastery and said to those who questioned him about him, after he strangely disappeared: "Do not bother to look for him; that was the prophet Moses serving you in his own home."

[Orthocat]

Even if it isn't, the presence of the Monastery and the fact that the Divine Liturgy us served there, makes the place holier than at the time of prophet Moses.

Still I doubt that modern scholarship has it right. I'll go with St. John of the Ladder, abbot of the monastery who saw prophet Moses directing the servants during the feast of the Monastery and said to those who questioned him about him, after he strangely disappeared: "Do not bother to look for him; that was the prophet Moses serving you in his own home."


Yeah, that's pretty awesome!!

[ClementofRome]

....still waiting.....

[Komnenos]

???? This is confusing. I hope the monk was being sarcastic. It may cause many misconceptions about our faith.

[PrincessMommy]

Its possible he was trying to be sarcastic, but IMHO it didn't come across that way. Its also possible he explained the Orthodox belief about icons but it was edited out. Too bad because the rest of it is wonderful and I'm ready to book a flight to Egypt! Unfortunately, I won't be showing to my non-Orthodox hubster.

[NyssaTheHobbit]

I just got mine today! I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

[repentant]

Yea I think he said more after, but the cut it out. I don't know, but just seemed really weird. I think his name was Fr. Joseph. So if I ever go there, I have to ask him, lol.

[Tsarina]

Oh yeah I saw that too. What was he thinking??

Probably that's why the DVD was free?

[Oblio]

The secular media selectively quoting someone to distort the truth ... say it ain't so Wilbur.

[Jacob4707]

The secular media selectively quoting someone to distort the truth ... say it ain't so Wilbur.

The problem is, this DVD is to promote and explain the exhibit and the Orthodox understanding of icons. Leaving the priest's/monk's remarks as they were tends to denigrate the subject matter, which is one reason why it's odd the way it is. Making it sound like St. Catherine's collection is kind of a joke on God just doesn't fit the tone of the DVD or the exhibit. I would like to think that somewhere or sometime he explained how the prohibition against graven images was in a sense a preventive/protective measure until the fullness of time when the True Image entered the world. God Himself made man in His image - i.e., God literally made an image of something that was in heaven above - and when Jesus came in this likeness of sinful flesh, people bowed down and worshiped Him.

[Theophorus]

I just watched the DVD (It is only 10 min) . The narrator made the comment. He is using irony.

[Jacob4707]

I just watched the DVD (It is only 10 min) . The narrator made the comment. He is using irony.

The DVD is 27 minutes long. There are three segments, and one of those segments is actually 2 subsegments.