Here is an article about art from a protestant where he is trying to recover art in the church.

http://artfromgodsheart.com/blog/?page_id=9

What I don't agree with is how he said the catholic church was worshipping the art. It was never right for them to raze down churches and burn down and tear up the artwork. The property belonged to God, not man, and God inspired those artists to paint Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, Disciples, Saints, and other bible characters etc... That came from a profound misunderstanding about what was happening in the hearts of the catholics and a lack of knowledge about the directives from God in scripture that involve art, and it also comes from only picking and choosing the scriptures about idolatry which in the bible was referring to pagan gods.

An apology for destroying paintings of Jesus in violence, intimidation through persecution and stoning, and burning down churches would be appreciated instead of a rationalization. I have a friend in Canada who is still joyful about the scattered remains of the Catholic churches and bits and pieces of christian statues that were destroyed. Why is it joyful to destroy someone else's property? That is how my cajun ancestors ended up in Louisiana. They were driven out at gunpoint for refusing to give up their Catholicism. How is that Spirit led to drive my ancestors out of their homelands at gunpoint and to confescate their property (theft), and leave them penniless and broke to start all over again in a new land?

Even Martin Luther, one of the Protestant reformers thought that behavior was wacky(the puritanical attitude that our creativity and the creation is evil was the problem, not catholicism...that is an early heretical Gnostic teaching that had taken root where only the unseen spiritual is good and that the seen creation where God expresses Himself is bad.)

Listen to Luther:

“I am not of the opinion” said Luther, “that through the Gospel all the arts should be banished and driven away, as some zealots want to make us believe; but I wish to see them all, especially music, in the service of Him Who gave and created them.” Again he says: “I have myself heard those who oppose pictures, read from my German Bible. … But this contains many pictures of God, of the angels, of men, and of animals, especially in the Revelation of St. John, in the books of Moses, and in the book of Joshua. We therefore kindly beg these fanatics to permit us also to paint these pictures on the wall that they may be remembered and better understood, inasmuch as they can harm as little on the walls as in books. Would to God that I could persuade those who can afford it to paint the whole Bible on their houses, inside and outside, so that all might see; this would indeed be a Christian work. For I am convinced that it is God’s will that we should hear and learn what He has done, especially what Christ suffered. But when I hear these things and meditate upon them, I find it impossible not to picture them in my heart. Whether I want to or not, when I hear, of Christ, a human form hanging upon a cross rises up in my heart: just as I see my natural face reflected when I look into water. Now if it is not sinful for me to have Christ’s picture in my heart, why should it be sinful to have it before my eyes?”

Therefore, I am glad that writer talks about the directives in scripture from God about artists roles in the church. Perhaps one day he will understand the need for illustrating the gospel and apologize on behalf of these zealots instead of accusing the artists for the destruction of what God had inspired and confess the sin of their ancestors, in the same way the Catholic church has apologized for the sins of the dark ages.

Anyway, I am not sorry my cajun ancestors were driven out, because God created something new, creative, spicy and festive in my home state as a result! I loved growing up in Louisiana, and had those Protestants in Canada not drove my ancestors out, I would not exist! There is a very strong Catholic presence in Louisiana and I enjoyed my upbringing at St. Margaret's in Lake Charles and the many festivities! Thankyou Canadian Protestants! While you laugh over the destruction of our old physical things, we party down here in Louisiana, and you are just missing out. Jesus liked to party too (aka the wedding at Cana) He could turn water into wine, and here in Louisiana He knows how to turn water into gumbo!





Here is Amazing Grace in cajun, along with evil nature background images that should be burned and banned because the creation is bad. Right?



The very nature and character of God is seen all throughout His created universe. Job remarked, “But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee” (Job 12:7–8).








The history of Iconoclasm (attacks on christian art)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconoclasm#Reformation_Iconoclasm