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    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far?

    AGoodReed
    AGoodReed


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    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Empty When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far?

    Post  AGoodReed January 19th 2019, 6:40 am

    Exodus 20:4-6 - "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."

    I recently watched a Q&A where Robert Godfrey and R.C. Sproul disagreed over whether pictorial representations of Jesus are forbidden by this commandment:




    And then, not long after, I came across these sets of stickers that are available on China's top social media app, WeChat:
    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Screen19
    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Screen20
    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Screen21


    My question for the group is, "How far is too far?" Are these cutesy cartoons of Jesus blasphemous? Do they trivialize our God? I understand not making an image of God the Father because no one has ever seen him, but God the Son did walk on earth and had a face that many people saw. Is it sinful to depict what you think that face may have looked like?

    (And, yes, it is weird that China allows these kinds of things online, considering all the things they block. I have my theories as to why, but that's for another topic.)
    AdamCollings
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    Post  AdamCollings January 20th 2019, 4:37 pm

    My first thought, not having watched the video yet, is that there is a difference between creating something that is intended to be the object of worship, and creating an image for the purpose of artistic expression. I think the essence of that commandment is telling us not to create our own little picture of what we think God is, and worship that, instead of worshipping him something I can we can all fall prey to at times).

    Regarding those stickers, hmm. Blasphemous is a strong word. I'm not sure I'd necessarily go that far, but I think you're right that they trivialise Jesus. I probably wouldn't use them myself.
    But I don't think I'd judge somebody who did (though it would bother me if they used them to deliberately mock Jesus)
    Paeter
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    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Empty Re: When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far?

    Post  Paeter January 22nd 2019, 12:04 pm

    AdamCollings wrote:My first thought, not having watched the video yet, is that there is a difference between creating something that is intended to be the object of worship, and creating an image for the purpose of artistic expression. I think the essence of that commandment is telling us not to create our own little picture of what we think God is, and worship that, instead of worshipping him something I can we can all fall prey to at times).

    Regarding those stickers, hmm. Blasphemous is a strong word. I'm not sure I'd necessarily go that far, but I think you're right that they trivialise Jesus. I probably wouldn't use them myself.
    But I don't think I'd judge somebody who did (though it would bother me if they used them to deliberately mock Jesus)

    I think this is really good stuff, Adam. In fact can I just sign my name at the bottom of everything you wrote here?

    I don't have time to get to the video today, but I think Adam's comments reflect my own thoughts as well.
    AGoodReed
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    Post  AGoodReed January 22nd 2019, 7:01 pm

    For a laugh, here's the response I got from posting these pictures in a Facebook group, Backrow Baptist Church:

    When Do Images of Christ Go Too Far? Meme11

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