We are all familiar with the bearded Jesus whose sad eyes appeal to us, thanks to the wonderful Renaissance artists. There's a Russian who resembles the Jesus artists have painted and he has quite a following.
Are people influenced today by images of: The baby Jesus in a poor manger;
the dead Jesus in the arms of his mother; Jesus hanging helplessly on the cross ?
Muslims forbid images of Muhammad - would this be a good idea regarding Jesus?
Do images of Jesus influence people?
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #2[Replying to post 1 by marco]
Yes I think people are. I don't believe the answer is to censor artists but for religious publications to be more balanced as in the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jesus was a baby and he also died an agonizing death and there's nothing wrong with depicting either of those things but in between we believe he lead a full and positive life. I personally can't stand long hair hippy effeminate looking Jesus because I don't believe he was any of those things and I'm glad the Jehovahs Witnesses depict him as I believe he was, namely as a physically strong and active man (that given the culture of his day probably wore his hair relatively short). Further Jehovahs Witnesses believe Jesus is presently a mighty spirit person in heaven and we don't hesitate to represent him as such in our literature.
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FURTHER READING What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/maga ... look-like/
RELATED POSTS
Yes I think people are. I don't believe the answer is to censor artists but for religious publications to be more balanced as in the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jesus was a baby and he also died an agonizing death and there's nothing wrong with depicting either of those things but in between we believe he lead a full and positive life. I personally can't stand long hair hippy effeminate looking Jesus because I don't believe he was any of those things and I'm glad the Jehovahs Witnesses depict him as I believe he was, namely as a physically strong and active man (that given the culture of his day probably wore his hair relatively short). Further Jehovahs Witnesses believe Jesus is presently a mighty spirit person in heaven and we don't hesitate to represent him as such in our literature.
JW
FURTHER READING What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/maga ... look-like/
RELATED POSTS
To learn more please go to other posts related to...
JESUS CHRIST, APPEARANCE, and ...JEHOVAH'S WITNESS ARTWORK
Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Wed Aug 10, 2022 3:50 am, edited 3 times in total.
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"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" - Romans 14:8
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #3[Replying to post 1 by marco]
Well, I have always had the problem with what you speak as being a violation of the Commandment against worshiping idols.
Jewish were not supposed to do this, but with Jesus they line the walls. In Acts, Paul tells people to desist, but here we are 2000 years later, still bowing to an image of Jesus or the cross.
I don't know how people rectify it, except perhaps, it is just another litmus by which we know that so few people are going to heaven.
Well, I have always had the problem with what you speak as being a violation of the Commandment against worshiping idols.
Jewish were not supposed to do this, but with Jesus they line the walls. In Acts, Paul tells people to desist, but here we are 2000 years later, still bowing to an image of Jesus or the cross.
I don't know how people rectify it, except perhaps, it is just another litmus by which we know that so few people are going to heaven.
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #4[Replying to post 1 by marco]
A few Easter seasons ago, I was talking with an acquaintance. He mentioned the "eye of God" constellation, which in many photos looks like an eye with a blue iris. He then referred to the blue eyed, long-haired, hippy looking Jesus image. He commented that it is quite a testament to the existence of "Our Lord and savior" that the "eye of God" is blue just like the eyes of Jesus.
He apparently wasn't aware that the image he referred to became popular in the 1940s and very likely isn't an accurate depiction of an Ancient Near Eastern man. In any case, this image of Jesus certainly did influence his view of reality. I was quite proud of myself for not laughing out loud.
A few Easter seasons ago, I was talking with an acquaintance. He mentioned the "eye of God" constellation, which in many photos looks like an eye with a blue iris. He then referred to the blue eyed, long-haired, hippy looking Jesus image. He commented that it is quite a testament to the existence of "Our Lord and savior" that the "eye of God" is blue just like the eyes of Jesus.
He apparently wasn't aware that the image he referred to became popular in the 1940s and very likely isn't an accurate depiction of an Ancient Near Eastern man. In any case, this image of Jesus certainly did influence his view of reality. I was quite proud of myself for not laughing out loud.
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #5[Replying to post 4 by Tcg]
Good point, if God is making images, of horses, eyes,hands and so on, he must be a sinner!
Good point, if God is making images, of horses, eyes,hands and so on, he must be a sinner!
Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #6All the images of Jesus created by the church are obviously meant to influence people to see Jesus as a god. There is an obvious propagandistic agenda behind those images.marco wrote: We are all familiar with the bearded Jesus whose sad eyes appeal to us, thanks to the wonderful Renaissance artists. There's a Russian who resembles the Jesus artists have painted and he has quite a following.
Are people influenced today by images of: The baby Jesus in a poor manger;
Those images have the particular purpose of making people feel guilty for the death of Jesus. We are to feel responsible for his presumed execution. The cure for our guilt is to convert to Christianity.the dead Jesus in the arms of his mother; Jesus hanging helplessly on the cross ?
Obviously it is not justified to forbid images of mythological figures.Muslims forbid images of Muhammad - would this be a good idea regarding Jesus?
It is important to understand that we have essentially no evidence for what Jesus really looked like. The church made up those images, and they may have made up Jesus as well.
Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #7[Replying to post 2 by JehovahsWitness]
So here's what I believe Jesus looked like. If you can make up your version, then I can make up mine!
So you admit that the Watchtower has stacked the deck depicting Jesus in the way they want people to believe he looked. It goes to show that people make up their own religions, gods, and saviors.I personally can't stand long hair hippy effeminate looking Jesus because I don't believe he was any of those things and I'm glad the Jehovahs Witnesses depict him as I believe he was, namely as a physically strong and active man (that given the culture of his day probably wore his hair relatively short). Further Jehovahs Witnesses believe Jesus is presently a mighty spirit person in heaven and we don't hesitate to represent him as such in our literature.
So here's what I believe Jesus looked like. If you can make up your version, then I can make up mine!
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #8If Jesus is considered to be God as Trinitarian Christians claim, then wouldn't any depiction of him be a violation of the commandment against graven images?marco wrote: We are all familiar with the bearded Jesus whose sad eyes appeal to us, thanks to the wonderful Renaissance artists. There's a Russian who resembles the Jesus artists have painted and he has quite a following.
Are people influenced today by images of: The baby Jesus in a poor manger;
the dead Jesus in the arms of his mother; Jesus hanging helplessly on the cross ?
Muslims forbid images of Muhammad - would this be a good idea regarding Jesus?
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
- Willum
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Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #9[Replying to post 8 by Elijah John]
Can anyone explain how statues of Jesus don't the Commandment?
That seems like a "seconded," to me.If Jesus is considered to be God as Trinitarian Christians claim, then wouldn't any depiction of him be a violation of the commandment against graven images?
Can anyone explain how statues of Jesus don't the Commandment?
Re: Do images of Jesus influence people?
Post #10[Replying to post 8 by Elijah John]
Technically, yes, but the church had to advertise Jesus. The Hellenistic culture revered images of its pagan gods, and Jesus, the god of the Christians needed to compete with those other gods.If Jesus is considered to be God as Trinitarian Christians claim, then wouldn't any depiction of him be a violation of the commandment against graven images?