Should Christians Have Buddha Images in Their Homes?

Should Christians Have Buddha Images in Their Homes?

My wife and I watch a British (UK) television show about people seeking houses in villages and rural areas to escape city life. That way we see a lot of the UK (mostly Great Britain, rarely Northern Ireland). One thing that strikes us is how many British homes have Buddha images, pictures or statues, on display. Fewer, but some, American homes have these.

When I was a kid growing up in conservative American Christianity, that would have been anathema. These images would have been labeled “idols” and absolutely forbidden.

But so much has changed in even conservative Christianity since I grew up. I know that. But the thought that Christians are displaying Buddha images in their homes still concerns me. I know that what makes something an idol is what you do with it. I don’t believe images attract or hold demons. Still, I wonder how far we should go with inviting non-Christian religious symbols into our Christian homes.

Here is my question to Christians who defend having images of Buddha in Christian homes. Would you be in favor of your church displaying an image of Buddha within its walls? In the sanctuary? If not, why would you defend displays of (the) Buddha in Christian homes?

Again, what if you visited your pastor’s home and saw an image of Buddha in the living room? Would you be taken aback? If so, why would that bother you but not an image of Buddha in your Christian neighbors’ home? Or your own?

Remember, folks…this is a blog about and for evangelical Christians. Others are welcome to comment, but please make clear your religious affiliation or preference if you aren’t an evangelical (in a very broad sense). I am not asking this of Unitarians, for example.

I suspect this is a fad. But it may signal a sea change in culture generally. I am confident that fifty years ago most Brits who were not Buddhists would not have had Buddha images in their homes. And I doubt any conservative Christians would have had them. Maybe few do now. But I suspect this trend will continue to grow.

As you may know, if you are one of my faithful readers, I often look ahead at cultural trends and ask whether they should be adopted by Christians.

To be very specific: If a Christian pastor notices images of Buddha popping up in his or her congregations’ homes, should he or she speak up about it? Again, if not, what if a congregant brought an image of Buddha into the church and placed it in, say, the church library or parlor or some other common place—even as a mere decoration?

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