Idolatry and Iconoclasm

To worship the cat god is idolatry

but to deny the cat spirit is iconoclasm.

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The spirit of something is its essential nature,

its character or personality.

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An individual cat has a particular spirit,

but it shares the spirit of catness with all cats.

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More abstract categories

also have their own spirit.

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The spirit of Englishness

is in this green and pleasant land,

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in the English hymnal,

the sound of leather on willow and the lark ascending.

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The list is not exhaustive,

indeed cannot be exhaustive.

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The spirit is not in the list,

but it animates the list.

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To worship Englishness is idolatry

but to reject the spirit of Englishness is iconoclasm.

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An idol is opaque like a stone statue

but an icon is semi-transparent like stained glass.

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The idol points to itself

but the icon points beyond itself.

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Paganism tends to idolatry

and monotheism tends to iconoclasm.

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But this perennial feud is instantly over

as soon as you understand

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that icons point to the spirit

and that all spirits are part of one spirit.

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Monotheistic iconoclasm is worship of God the Father

without the Holy Spirit.

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Animistic idolatry is worship of the Holy Spirit

without God the Father.

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Those who worship both are the true children of God,

in communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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