The Mirror

[bernee51]

 The Mirror

I am not known for long posts so please bear with me on this one if you so desire and have the patience. There is a serious question being asked.

According to biblical tradition we, alone amongst all creatures, have been made in the image of the creator. Whether this is physical image or spiritual is moot. It is the image that is important.

Imagine that we have never seen our own face, which after 'the fall' is the case...we are unable to recognize our divinity because of sin. Now we have been told we are beautiful, perfect in fact. We have an inbuilt longing to know this aspect of ourselves, this face.

We cannot see out face because it is the face that does the seeing. If we want to see our face we need a mirror. However, to see ourselves as we truly are the mirror needs to be free from dirt and distortion. If you look at you reflection through a cracked, warped, or unclean mirror, you will not see perfection and beauty, you will see a distortion, a sinner perhaps.

Perceiving you are deformed may lead to  feeling disheartened. It should be obvious that you are fine and the distortion is due to a deformed mirror, but you persist in identifying with the reflected image.

Misery and suffering is caused by confusing the reflected image with our true nature, ignorance of the nature of being. By gently cleaning and straightening the mirror, small changes in the mirror bring about a change in the perception. When the mirror is finally clean and straight our true nature, our divinity, if you will, is revealed.

Question for debate and consideration.

Is Christianity a distorted mirror. The more literal, the more distorted, with the evolution of liberal christianity being that gentle straightening?

[Arctic_Guy]

I'd say any religion that says that man is a sinner is a distorted mirror. And it's not that it has become distorted as much as it being designed as such from the very start. Especially so with the Abrahamic religions, those being Judaism, Christianity and Islam, that start with a creator that has the "sin" already in his Plan before he went and created everything since he is all-knowing and all-powerful. So to me the this liberal christianity is not a gently straightened mirror, it's just one that has been spit-shinned to a higher sheen then usual. It's still distorted, but you can see your face more clearly.

Now, if we go along with this mirror analogy, I'll think I'll try to present my point of view. You could call the world a giant mirror hall, where the people close to us as well as our actions are mirrors. There's always some grime or dirt, and they distort to some degree, but religions try to offer us mirrors that are better then those, ones that they promise are clear and undistorted. But when we find out that this is not the case, they convince us that it's not the mirrors fault, but ours. We have dirtied or bent it, and we will be punished for that and being so ugly. But never fear, use X and believe and it will be restored and we will be rewarded for our beauty with eternal beauty.

Most people buy this, either because they fear being punished or because they want a reward (who doesn't), and in our very human way of wishful thinking we think that the mirror is now a little straighter. It's a little cleaner then it used to be. But the fact is it is still a bent and dirty mirror that has been sold to us. So even if liberal christianity is an improvement, it's very foundation is never changed, and it will still be a bent, distorting mirror.

Now with all that said, is there such a thing as an unbent and undistorted mirror? In my opinion no. But that is no excuse for religions to deceive us with their poor quality mirrors and false promises.

...now this has got to be one of the weirdest rants I've ever written

[Moses Yoder]

 The Mirror

I am not known for long posts so please bear with me on this one if you so desire and have the patience. There is a serious question being asked.

According to biblical tradition we, alone amongst all creatures, have been made in the image of the creator. Whether this is physical image or spiritual is moot. It is the image that is important.

Imagine that we have never seen our own face, which after 'the fall' is the case...we are unable to recognize our divinity because of sin. Now we have been told we are beautiful, perfect in fact. We have an inbuilt longing to know this aspect of ourselves, this face.

We cannot see out face because it is the face that does the seeing. If we want to see our face we need a mirror. However, to see ourselves as we truly are the mirror needs to be free from dirt and distortion. If you look at you reflection through a cracked, warped, or unclean mirror, you will not see perfection and beauty, you will see a distortion, a sinner perhaps.

Perceiving you are deformed may lead to  feeling disheartened. It should be obvious that you are fine and the distortion is due to a deformed mirror, but you persist in identifying with the reflected image.

Misery and suffering is caused by confusing the reflected image with our true nature, ignorance of the nature of being. By gently cleaning and straightening the mirror, small changes in the mirror bring about a change in the perception. When the mirror is finally clean and straight our true nature, our divinity, if you will, is revealed.

Question for debate and consideration.

Is Christianity a distorted mirror. The more literal, the more distorted, with the evolution of liberal christianity being that gentle straightening?

I'm kind of reading between your lines, but it appears as though you believe that since we were made "in God's image" that you assume we are divine. It almost seems like you believe that since we are God's image, we are Gods.

I don't believe I am God at all, nor do I believe I am divine. In fact, in my opinion for someone to believe they are divine is sacreligious.

From dictionary.com;

di·vine   /dɪˈvaɪn/ Show Spelled [dih-vahyn] Show IPA adjective, -vin·er, -vin·est, noun, verb, -vined, -vin·ing.
adjective
1. of or pertaining to a god, especially the Supreme Being.
2. addressed, appropriated, or devoted to God or a god; religious; sacred: divine worship.
3. proceeding from God or a god: divine laws.
4. godlike; characteristic of or befitting a deity: divine magnanimity.
5. heavenly; celestial: the divine kingdom

So the Bible, when taken quite literally, is a very clear and accurate mirror of the reality of mankind.

I believe the image of God refers to our triune being, which is Body, Mind, and Spirit.

[bernee51]

I'm kind of reading between your lines, but it appears as though you believe that since we were made "in God's image" that you assume we are divine. It almost seems like you believe that since we are God's image, we are Gods.

I think I state that unequivocally. How can a creator be separate from its creation?

I don't believe I am God at all, nor do I believe I am divine. In fact, in my opinion for someone to believe they are divine is sacreligious. 

Your opinion is noted. I hold that the universe, if it was created, can only be an attribute of its creator. If the creator is divine so must be the universe...and we are part of, cannot be separate to, the universe.

So the Bible, when taken quite literally, is a very clear and accurate mirror of the reality of mankind.

And what is used to perceive this? That very same dirty and distorted mirror. How can the true nature of being be apprehended when the tools of perception are flawed? 

I believe the image of God refers to our triune being, which is Body, Mind, and Spirit.

I agree. The reality of our existence, the true nature of our being, are reflected in:
The Knower - body - god the father
The Known - mind - god the son 
The Act of Knowing - spirit - god manifested as the Holy Spirit.