The second of the Ten Commandment, the proscription of graven images almost seems to be inapplicable to us. Who would make an object of wood, stone, gold, or silver, and worship it as their god? Although foreign to us, certainly, the practice was common among the Ancients. “In a world filled with myriads of deities which were worshiped by men, the stark and simple truth of God’s lordship over Israel is here proclaimed and its acknowledgment demanded—nothing more.” (The Torah: A Modern Commentary, ed. by W. Gunther Plaut, p. 541).
The prophets had to remind the Jews that graven images only provoke the Lord to anger. Prophesying of Israel’s rebellion, Moses said, the Lord shall scatter you among the nations…And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat nor smell (Deut 4:27-8). Elder LeGrand Richards explains how the sectarian notion of God approximates the worship of a graven image.
LeGrand Richards
"Let us examine the description of the God of the Presbyterian Church:
’There is but one living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible…’ (Presbyterian Church Confession of Faith, chap. 2, art. 1, quoted from Liahona,op. cit., p. 269)
“These are but typical examples of the gods worshiped by Christian churches during the nineteenth century. Here are the gods that Moses told Israel they would encounter as they were scattered among the nations—gods ’which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.’ How could a God without body, parts, or passions be expected either to see, hear, eat, or smell? How could any child of God be expected to understand, much less to love and be loved by, such an incomprehensible God as the above tenets would lead him to worship?” (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, p. 13)
Spencer W. Kimball
"Idolatry is among the most serious of sins. There are unfortunately millions today who prostrate themselves before images of gold and silver and wood and stone and clay. But the idolatry we are most concerned with here is the conscious worshiping of still other gods. Some are of metal and plush and chrome, of wood and stone and fabrics. They are not in the image of God or of man, but are developed to give man comfort and enjoyment, to satisfy his wants, ambitions, passions and desires. Some are in no physical form at all, but are intangible…
“Modern idols or false gods can take such forms as clothes, homes, businesses, machines, automobiles, pleasure boats, and numerous other material deflectors from the path to godhood. What difference does it make that the item concerned is not shaped like an idol? Brigham Young said: ’I would as soon see a man worshipping a little god made of brass or of wood as to see him worshipping his property.’(JD 6:196)” (Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 40-41)