What dies being made in an image mean to you?

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   Deepes Mindposted 11 years ago

   I am posting this as two questions to accommodate atheists and agnostics. Please answer as according to your particular individual ideal.
   
   Christians- The Bible says that we are made in God's image, what does this mean to you?
   
   Atheists- What does it mean to you for something to be made in the image of something else?

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      Jeramiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "LET US make man in our Image".
      
      Just what I think of it.
      I take this as someone talking to others saying Why don't we make a physical representation of ourselves (which we will/can inhabit). And They Did.
      
        But because they brought with them all of their prior knowledge, ...  the whole thing was a fiasco.
      Then they had to do a do over which gives birth to the flood story.

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      Rad Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      An image is defined as a representation of the external form of a person or thing in art. Or, the general impression that a person, organization, or product presents to the public. But the second definition doesn't really apply in the case because of the language used, it's more of a "I have an image to uphold". The bible use of language in my opinion was used to give a sense of importance to people. I think it's arrogant to assume we are above other animals. We certainly have some great qualities, but so do all living things that have evolved and survived.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well,  as a Christian,  I believe the Bible when it says God is Spirit.
      So, I think the "image" is a spiritual one.  In other words, mankind was made to be spiritual,  not just physical.
      Now, whether God Himself has any sort of physical attributes or not,  I dunno.   Revelation does describe Him sometimes with physical attributes,  but honestly I think that's simply for the sake of our human ability to understand something only when we can give it a physical picture.
      
      The reason I say this is because it's so easy sometimes to say God must look like us humans because we have a particular physical body.
      But I remember that God was first!    So.....since He was NOT made in OUR image,  we must've been made in His image spiritually.

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         riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         So was god showing moses his spiritual bum?

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            Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            haha
            hmmm...
            I dunno.   What do you think?  (Try to give chapter and verse including other contextual verses that go along with this).
            Good topic for discussion; goes along with this whole thread.   
            I think "back parts" would mean simply the back side of His image (whatever that image was).   Perhaps an indistinct view of His Spiritual body (if He has any body) or maybe a preview of the Christ.

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               riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Exodus 33.23 : "Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."
               God was not showing his image but his own back. God has a face and back. And spirit is a concept, conceptualized by human mind, do not exist outside the mind. So don't say god is spiritual and Bible say so. God according to the Bible is physical.

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                  Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  John 4: 24:
                  
                  "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
                  
                  What else ya got?

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                     riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     The OT is all nonsense then? In all OT god has a physical body. If jesus is god he too had a body even after death (the doubting Thomas stuff).
                     
                     Good that god is a spirit, a concept that exist only inside our mind. Then god is what we think and have no independent reality (though I don't think so).

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                        Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        Jesus also ascended to Heaven after the "doubting Thomas" incident.
                        
                        And no a spirit doesn't exist just in the mind.   The spirit is real, perhaps more real than tangible things.
                        And the Old Testament indicates that God is Spirit, even though He chose sometimes to reveal Himself in a physical manifestation just as He manifested in the person of Jesus.

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                           riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           99% of OT and NT says God, jesus and his ghost are physical. Jesus ascended in physical form.
                           Spirit is immaterial,  I hope you know the meaning of immaterial.

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                              Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                              Yes I do.
                              I hope you know that "ghost" and "physical" are opposites, just as "immaterial" and "material" are opposites.
                              And I think your percentage statement is wrong.   Give Bible chapters and verse please, so that we can maybe determine to some degree whether your statement is even partially factual.

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                                 riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                 And you also know that immaterial/non-physical are called concepts that which exist only in the mind of sentient beings?
                                 In OT god always show up as physical, the example I gave enough is always enough. Otherwise he was like fire or be like a man to fight jacob........
                                 After resurrection it was physical body and Thomas was asked to put his hand in his wound and it is that jesus that ascended to heaven. And when jesus was baptized the ghost came as a dove. You know the verses or do I have to quote that too?
                                 Yes ghost means nonphysical but it was misrepresentation. It was a "thing" that can get any shape thats all.

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                              Jeramiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                              Does energy have physical charistics?
                              Is energy a physical thing?

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      riddle666posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and gibbons, along with humans look like god.

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      UnknownAuthor72posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I wonder about the proof? How can there be a god of love and one who allows bad things to happen. Spirits only represent what the mind chooses to believe, I think anyways

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   getitriteposted 11 years ago

   I take that to mean a physical likeness.  An image is also defined as a representation.
   
   I think specifics are needed, in order to determine how close the image is to the original, what parts were duplicated, which were not.  Speaking as a Christian, I was led to believe that God made us, as a species, to look similar to him...meaning he was a "man"...but did not copy all of his super powers to the image, lest we be his equal.

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      Deepes Mindposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting answer.

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   Emile Rposted 11 years ago

   That question came to my mind the other day. Most religions teach that ego is in conflict with enlightenment. So, I don't see how belief in being made in the physical image of a deity would be the intent. I, honestly don't know. But, I think it has to do with our ability to think and create. If there is a God, it created this reality. We, in turn, perceive a unique reality that does not match the perception of others. We, truly, create our own reality.

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   lifegamerposted 11 years ago

   Good question, DM...nice that you try to include.
   
   It is my knowing that the 'image' is not exactly physical form...since we, & all, are in constant trans-form-ations.  The common denominator left to be of re-form is our energy...soul, spirit, essence...whatever term of vocab preferred.  We are parts & parcels of pure creative energy...the bods we take on are merely vehicles of experiencing this time & place. 
   
   mpo..."To be made in the image of":  Reminds me of artworks...Entirely depends on the artist's imagination of what he/she Sees to Express.
   
   Good Journey!

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