What does image mean to you? Does image play a role in religion and spirituality? If so, what role?

Question

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

Thank you Balaam for the link, I will look into.......

Thank you Balaam! That is an awesome pic!

Here is the link if anyone would like to take a look at it.

http://www.revealed.org/likeness.htm

Balaam, this picture that I have of Jesus Christ posted in answers is one that I had a dream of.
In the year 2001 I had bought a picture of the Jesus Christ whom is the Image of God. When I had gotten home I hung the picture on my wall in the east.

That night when I went to bed, I had a dream about that picture. In the dream-------

The Image of God was/is in the east. I was in the north. He didnt say anything, nor did he move. He was staring at me while I was in the north. There was complete darkness behind him. I could see I was in complete darkness being in the north. I saw in south complete darkness. I could see in the west was complete darkness as well. I was looking at him while he was/is in the east, and I in the north.

With the dream being of the Image of God, and coming from a picture itself........the dream meant that it will be the Image of God who will guide and teach me about images.

I am a native american pagan, great dealings with knowledge of my ways is about images.
As I was growing up I understood well that images can vary, and also be decieving in many ways.
This knowledge that the Image of God is guiding me through in knowing and learning is a knowledge of images in a spiritual way because in the dream the Image of God was/is in the east, but my being in the north meant that this knowledge will pertain to me bein on earth because the north is an earthly direction.
His coming to me was in a spiritual way, hence the meaning and knowledge of that dream would also be spiritual.
My being in the north meant that when this dream has been fulfilled to the last "t", I will understand that meaning of the dream, also will have full knowledge about images in a spiritual way and understand that knowledge from an earthly standpoint.

Darkness being in the west and in the south, simply means something unknown. It could be something that is good, or something that is bad. Whatever it may be, because there was no beings nor images sustaining those two directions in the dream the darkness therefore will ultimately become a shadow to what was/is in the east, and in the north in that dream. (Which was the Image of God in the east, and myself in the north.)

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-kYby7BU9d6CPhtkicQmrngE6oyc.tn7FDg--?cq=1

Answer 1

"Image" is projection of our perceptions, nothing more to me. For some it plays a role in their religion and for others it doesn't. Usually more dualistic philosophical religions tend to support it... and if that's what works for them, then that's what they should stick to.

_()_

Answer 2

Hello ...Lady:

I believe it means just what it says, we do not need a physical representation to remind us of the God that dwells within.

However, early Christians had many statues and pictures of Jesus. In fact, Eusebius of Cesarean tells in the fourth century of a full-sized bronze statue of Jesus and the woman with the issue at His feet.

You will recall that Israel and all the countries around the Mediterranean Sea were Christian until the rise of Mohamed.

There is a picture of Jesus that has survived the centuries. Most people do not know it exists. It is posted at www.revelado.org/likeness.htm

Blessings and AGAPE, Balaam

Answer 3

Image means nothing to me. People are great fakers when they need to be. For me it plays no role and has no significance.

Answer 4

What a great question!!!!!!


We cannot escape imagery, especially in supernatural beliefs.

What really defines our beliefs is learning about other ideas and accepting what makes sense to us.

Answer 5

Image is a reflection as in a mirror. When you see your child, you see a reflection of you. When GOD sees us GOD sees a reflection of HIMSELF . .. and when we see GOD we see a reflection of ourselves . .. thus it is written do unto others as you'd have done unto you . .. this is a reflection of what you want for you, because your brothers and sisters in CHRIST JESUS are a reflection of you . ..

-LOVE your neighbor as yourself.
Amen.

Answer 6

As you can see by my avatar, image means absolutely nothing to me.