sculleywr
Orthodox Colitis Survivor
- Jul 23, 2011
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You, unfortunately, are not the judge of their accuracy. An image of Christ is an image of Christ. Whether it is a perfect image of Christ is not a necessary question. We don't worship the image. Therefore it is not an idol and therefore it is not a violation of the commandment.I believe all pictures of Jesus in existence today are fakes. Why? Because I believe one of the biggest things God desires from His creation is for us to walk by faith and not by sight.
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Besides, walk by faith and not by sight is not referring to images, but to request for miraculous intervention to prove His divinity. Do I really believe that Jesus looks like a white man with a black left eye and a normal right eye (one of the icons of Christ looks that way) and a nose that travels almost into his hairline? No.
Do I believe that God became man and therefore an image can be made of Him? Yes.
I have icons because to not have icons would be to reject the incarnation of God.
You do not determine what is an image of Christ. The intention of the iconographer determines that. The only part you have control of is whether you believe that Christ is God.
That is an image of Christ, whether you like it or not. You are not the judge of that. Scripture didn't say it wasn't an image of Christ. Scripture didn't say not to make an image of Christ. It said not to make IDOLS. They are not idols. The burden of proof is on you. You must prove that we replace God with the image.
But you can't because in both official Orthodox teaching and the Catholic catechism, people are instructed on the proper use of icons.
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