Is God A "white Man" In A Robe?

LoL...In Love,

Sorry for the repeat of should be should be....lol..

i am actually at work at the moment and my supervisor is walking around.:D
 
YO-ELEVEN-11 said:
LoL...In Love,

Sorry for the repeat of should be should be....lol..

i am actually at work at the moment and my supervisor is walking around.:D
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Double LOL! Because I didn't even notice! I require sleep....:D

InPeace,
InLove
 
YO-ELEVEN-11 said:
My question: Is GOD a "White Male" with long hair and a white beard with Euro-centric facial and body features? :eek:
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Yes, and his name is Zeus. At least, I'll bet that's where that image comes from.


eudaimonia,

Mark
 
Eudaimonist said:
Yes, and his name is Zeus. At least, I'll bet that's where that image comes from.


eudaimonia,

Mark
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You may be right, since Greek thought permeated the Christian church early on.

But I also think that people identify with the image in Revelation 1:

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." - Revelation 1:13-16
 
Dondi said:
"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." - Revelation 1:13-16
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Even when I was a Christian, I never could identify with this image. At all.


eudaimonia,

Mark
 
Dondi said:
"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." - Revelation 1:13-16
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Wow! I have never read this before ... that I'm aware of. It strikes me as a wonderfully, beautifully mystical presentation of God's macrocosmic Being (or Being-ness). Nothing about this is literal, imho, unless it might happen to be the reference to 7 Stars. But then, hmmm, there are the 7 Candlesticks - of the Menorah ... and Seven Spirits before the Throne. Could John be trying to tell us something, with this repetition of 7? ;) :)

taijasi
 
How about Ezekial's version...or the burning bush...and many others that were supposedly real time visions...

I still see revelation as man creating G-d in his image.

Seems our responses are decidedly Abrahamic...not seeing any multiple armed, mouse/elephant notions here....which I'd love to hear what one thinks v. the pictures in other schools of thought...
 
If I were to come from a place that knew nothing of GOD or any other diety, Would it be "ok" to present this image of GOD or any other diety as Euro-centric, Asian, or any other race?
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No


My question: Is GOD a "White Male" with long hair and a white beard with Euro-centric facial and body features?
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No

how do you feel about the images around the world showing GOD in human form, be it Black, white, asian, etc..Do you feel that it is wrong to do that?
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Yes

Succinct enough? :D
 
Hi, and Peace to All Here—

I have a feeling this is going to sound like a bad attempt at a highschool essay, but anyway…

From the most ancient of times that we can document at this point, there has been imagery. Much of this imagery (much more than I think we realize) has to do with individual interpretation of that Entity which (for practical purposes here—I mean no offense) is often referred to as “GOD”. This imagery—or “artistic interpretation”—most certainly influences society (ies).

Art becomes history as soon as it is rendered. But it continues to influence thought, especially when the images become “famous”. So art is interactive, and subject to individual interpretation on the part of not only the artist, but anyone who studies the art. Take maps, for instance. Mapmaking is certainly a form of art in and of itself. Is it possible that without the various former renderings of what the earth, seas, and heavens “looked like”, then we would not have discovered so much about them? Mapmaking is, and I would venture to say that it remains, a part of the “technology” of any given historical period so far.

Did Michelangelo and the Pope (one of the “Leo’s,” wasn’t it?) go ‘round and ‘round over interpretation and presentation of GOD for the ceiling of the Sisteen Chapel? Did the artists of the 1960’s make us reconsider the Michelangelo’s interpretation? How did it make you feel the first time you saw GOD represented as an African?

Maybe artistic interpretation has it’s place in “The Big Picture”. Personally, I think that the symbolism of peoples such as the Hebrews, Mayans, and other ancient societies may have ironically been way more “advanced” in their artistic interpretations of GOD. Sadly, however, we all know that even symbolism can be misused. One example might be Hitler’s symbolism, borrowed from ancient Hinduism, and which the KKK appears to have embraced. And then there is the heartbreaking example of even the empty cross, which has been badly abused over and over throughout history. But even though I can see a vision beyond what I have seen before, I still find that I “cling to the Old Rugged Cross” and the Love I truly believe it represents.

Well, believe it or not, this is my “short response”. I could go on and on, but I think I will, for now, give someone else a turn. Anyone…please???:)

InPeace,
InLove
 
quote=neosnoia]

No


No


Yes

Succinct enough? :D[/quote]

Yes, that is very good, it has all the elements of the "kiss" principal

K= KEEP
I= IT
S= SIMPLE
S= SAM

:)

Now, to throw another log on the fire. Should we draw a picture of SAM...LOL:) Just kidding
 
taijasi said:
Wow! I have never read this before ... that I'm aware of. It strikes me as a wonderfully, beautifully mystical presentation of God's macrocosmic Being (or Being-ness). Nothing about this is literal, imho, unless it might happen to be the reference to 7 Stars. But then, hmmm, there are the 7 Candlesticks - of the Menorah ... and Seven Spirits before the Throne. Could John be trying to tell us something, with this repetition of 7? ;) :)

taijasi
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Well, it explains in the chapter what the seven stars and the seven candlesticks are:

"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." - Revelation 1:20

Now these angels could be presiding angels for that particular church or I have heard that it could be pastor, since a pastor could in a sense be a messenger as well. The seven candlesticks evidently are the churches being adressed in the following chapters (2&3).

The seven Spirits of God would take more study on my part. I don't understand the concept of the seven Spirits, especially when passages like Ephesians 4:4 state that there is one Spirit. But they do show up later in Revelation in a heavenly setting before the throne of God:

"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." - Revelation 4:5


But you probably have a good explaination for this, huh taij?
 
Namaste InLove, I hear you.

And I think it did have its place as a developmental level of understanding.

And I think Michealangelo was on the ball, the navel, the G-d depicting creation thru the power of thought (cutaway brain)

I think how I told my kids, "Yes there is a Santa Claus, it is a choice, he is real, in your heart, you can choose to keep the spirit alive and keep him real"

But yes, I think we do kids a disservice when we don't tell them, this is a representation of G-d...not G-d. It is utilized for the purposes of the story, no throne, no white robe. When children's eyes are opened to possiblity...that there is a world to explore without all the barriers of others perceptions...tis amazing the discussion.

When I first saw a 'black' bible, with pictures of Jesus and Moses, and G-d as something other than white...it made sense to me.

lol, my daughter at 5 picked out a book that she wanted from the store...an illustrated bible...for African-Americans....with colored skin in every picture plate...I thought it interesting....At the playground, in the sandbox, in school...they grow up without colors...without colors defining thought.

We put the notions in their heads....we create the divides....like the ancients, we put heaven up there and G-d in the sky every time we point up or look up and say, Thank Heaven or Praise G-d.

(please note I'm an indicating that when we combine the praising and thanking while presenting a direction (other than within) we confuse the issue)

my thoughts.
 
wil--are you saying that we must "drink" responsibly?;)

I agree.

This is why questions like this one are valuable.:)

InPeace,
InLove
 
wil said:
But yes, I think we do kids a disservice when we don't tell them, this is a representation of G-d...not G-d. It is utilized for the purposes of the story, no throne, no white robe. When children's eyes are opened to possiblity...that there is a world to explore without all the barriers of others perceptions...tis amazing the discussion.

When I first saw a 'black' bible, with pictures of Jesus and Moses, and G-d as something other than white...it made sense to me.

lol, my daughter at 5 picked out a book that she wanted from the store...an illustrated bible...for African-Americans....with colored skin in every picture plate...I thought it interesting....At the playground, in the sandbox, in school...they grow up without colors...without colors defining thought.

We put the notions in their heads....we create the divides....like the ancients, we put heaven up there and G-d in the sky every time we point up or look up and say, Thank Heaven or Praise G-d.
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Wil, I could not agree more with your statements.
My daughter, when she was 6 asked me a question that was very odd for
a child of her age. (I think her and her school mates may have been discussing it, wish I had a camera for that one:) )

Anyway, she asked me
" Daddy, who did GOD make first, White people or Black people or Spanish people or Asian people?"
Well that question struck me like a ton of bricks, because I did not want to "influence" her into believing GOD played favorites. So I simply told her that I did not know and to ask GOD. She said ok, and that was the end of that.
If I had told her that GOD made Black people first, I might have set in her mind that all other people were in some way inferior to black people.
With that being said, the images we present to children in religion can and do have a powerful effect on how they view GOD and other people for that matter.

So, To make a long "point" short I think that a "faceless" GOD is needed in some religions and that (as Wil put it) we do a genuine dis-service to our youth when-ever we present images in religion no matter how much it may help them grow in thier acts of "piety". I think children should be left to use their "imagination" when hearing of or learning religion.
 
Drink responsibly...especially around our youth....speaking of which I've mentioned before...talk about indoctrinating our impressonable youth.

This month we'll be having some where between 60-80 middle school kids (6-8th graders) in for an overnight retreat. In a two hour round robin session they'll be meeting an Imam, a Rabbi, a Hindu Priest, a Buddhist Monk, and discussing traditions, beliefs, symbolism, methods of prayer, worship, ritual and meditation...after dinner Dances of Universal Peace in mulitple languages and traditions, and then later that evening the talk around the fire will be given by a Native American.

These are all children that attend Christian churches, I'm so looking forward to thier feedback.
 
wil said:
Drink responsibly...especially around our youth....speaking of which I've mentioned before...talk about indoctrinating our impressonable youth.

This month we'll be having some where between 60-80 middle school kids (6-8th graders) in for an overnight retreat. In a two hour round robin session they'll be meeting an Imam, a Rabbi, a Hindu Priest, a Buddhist Monk, and discussing traditions, beliefs, symbolism, methods of prayer, worship, ritual and meditation...after dinner Dances of Universal Peace in mulitple languages and traditions, and then later that evening the talk around the fire will be given by a Native American.

These are all children that attend Christian churches, I'm so looking forward to thier feedback.
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I can only wish to be a fly on the wall. Maybe you will come back and share with us what some of these people have to say--I would particularly be interested in some of the children's comments.

InPeace,
InLove
 
wil said:
Drink responsibly...especially around our youth....speaking of which I've mentioned before...talk about indoctrinating our impressonable youth.

This month we'll be having some where between 60-80 middle school kids (6-8th graders) in for an overnight retreat. In a two hour round robin session they'll be meeting an Imam, a Rabbi, a Hindu Priest, a Buddhist Monk, and discussing traditions, beliefs, symbolism, methods of prayer, worship, ritual and meditation...after dinner Dances of Universal Peace in mulitple languages and traditions, and then later that evening the talk around the fire will be given by a Native American.

These are all children that attend Christian churches, I'm so looking forward to thier feedback.
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I too would love to hear the feed back on that. I bet you could probably write a book with the feedback you get. By the way do you know if there will be any images of GOD there?
 
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