Images of Christ

[fccool]

Something that I struggle with in our church without vocalizing my opinions, or making a huge issue about it. Our local church is filled with images of "Christ". Every image is different and "Christ "looks different. Some do tell a story, some just "Christ" looking at you.

We usually use other ones also in the Power point slides during the song service, and during the the alter of prayer. Those uses bother me, not in a sense of that I don't realize that it is not a picture of Christ in front of me, but the implications of it.

The reason is given for use of these is for illustration, yet illustration that invokes [spiritual] devotion technically is an idol. I know we don't pray to these pictures, yet when we make those and put it up we are in fact saying to the world "This is an Illustration of God who we worship". Not only that, but if you show such a picture to an unbeliever on a street, he will most likely to identify it as Jesus... yet it is not. As in most pictures we depict our idealistic view of the appearance of Christ... you know the one that looks nothing like middle eastern male. Not only that, an image emphasizes His humanity and fails to depict the most significant, which is God part of Jesus.

It is interesting that Bible does not give enough description to even make out a photo Robot image of Christ. Disciples, who have seen him did not emphasize His appearance either and did not leave accurate descriptions behind. I believe that their view of 2 Commandment did come into play.

Nevertheless, I'd like to hear your opinion on this subject and I by no means think that this is an issue that should divide the church, hence I don't bring it up in my local church.