God made man in his own image

[EireEmerald]

I am a Christian and I believe in god. Not because my family believes or that I need to believe but I believein something. I will admit that I do not take everything from the bible literally, but how many christians genuinely do? I have always wondered what other people thought of this part of the bible, christians that being. Do some christians actually take this literally and believe that god made us in his image? as a man?

[Helm]

That tends to be taken metaphorically these days much like the rest of it.

[EireEmerald]

That tends to be taken metaphorically these days much like the rest of it.

Most of the old testament is a metapohor

One guy said this.


I’m not Christian. However, I found it hard to believe that they mean the physical image, since God is described as an entity rather than a material being. I would say that God is “consciousness,” though, the part of the universe that recognizes itself. Reading this creation story as metaphor, then, I would say that we are in posession of a consciousness – unlike what we perceive in the animals (although I think some, like elephants, come close).
Because it is people who are made in God’s image, and people who are an order of magnitude more self-aware than the animals, I would have to say that God’s image is consciousness itself. There is no physical image. And this is bourne out by reading into Jewish (and Islamic) law, which allows no “graven images” in their holy places. God is, to them, the antithesis of image – it is consciousness.



My own interpretation leads me to this internal debate. When seeking to describe God, abstract ideas seem to always be used. God has no physical form per se…so there is no image to be referred. If humans are another creature on this planet what makes us different than other animals. Choice (and aposable thumbs). Humans can choose…we can follow our instincts or choose not. This is God’s image. Who would argue that God can’t choose?!!
If God’s image is choice, then both science and religion would agree. Choice being instilled, or inate within homospecies of animals (maybe others too), like a seed or dormant trait thousands of years ago. Evolution/ nature can occur as the fossil record shows or other scientic discoveries. For the human species, as we evolved so has our ability to choose. The ultimate ability. Choice.
All religions teach recognizing God or definitions of God. This is a Choice to or not to. What other animal can choose to recognize/ acknowledge an abstract concept as a valid existance of? This is God’s image.

Way to insult god.

especially if you use Churchill as an example.

[Каие]

especially if you use Churchill as an example.

Are you kidding? If any man was made in the image of anyone, it was Churchill.

[black-dragon]

Most of the old testament is a metapohor

Killing people for breaking the sabbath doesn't seem very metaphorical to me.

[EireEmerald]

Killing people for breaking the sabbath doesn't seem very metaphorical to me.

Well obviously not all of it is metophorical.

[Fiyenyaa]

Well obviously not all of it is metophorical.

I hope that they put a disclaimer saying it was all a hilarious joke after the bit where they kill those who break the sabbath then.

Otherwise imagine the horrific nature of scripture: non-metaphorical text which says you should kill those who break the sabbath? Surely no modern, civilised religion could condone such things?

[Jams79]

I always used to wonder as a kid, if God created us in his image did he have to deal with acne and the other Godkids poking fun.

[Каие]

God made man in his own image

Way to insult god.

[Ummon]

Septuagint:

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

Hebrew:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעֹוף הַשָּׁמַיִם
וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל־הָאָרֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

Eìcon and omoìosis mean just that: image and likeness (similarity). Given that God is unrepresentable though, one has to assume that image means something else.

[Chaigidel]

I have always identified that particular passage as the imparting of self awareness, gods self awareness is far more acute and beyond imagining but a singular reflection of Gods own existence is the solitude we find in our own minds, if we are truly aware of what we are and who we are.

a single god is professed by the text, so god gives what essence of Itself to the universe and all things in it; and what is the gift of god and its image as well?

it is Singularity.

you are a void folded out of the rest, made to gaze as an observer upon the whole machine, yet you are given the gift of death, a mercy your Father is not allowed.

[Ummon]

I have always identified that particular passage as the imparting of self awareness, gods self awareness is far more acute and beyond imagining but a singular reflection of Gods own existence is the solitude we find in our own minds, if we are truly aware of what we are and who we are.

That's an acute insight.

[Phier]

That's an acute insight.

I always thought it was obvious, unless god had need for piloerection and a penis.

[Ummon]

I always thought it was obvious, unless god had need for piloerection and a penis.

Alas, acute insight positively, not negatively.

I was made in the image of Lucifer!

Lucifer as well, is in a peculiar way, related with the image of God. Quick deception is like lightning.

[Ummon]

God is Spirit, He though has an Angel of the Face, Who certainly (according to some commentators and researchers) looks human. You don't fit on a cross if you aren't human-sized.

[Jams79]

Plenty of things that are not human size fit on crosses.

[Ummon]

Have you tried?

[Jams79]

Considering a cross is a shape not a specifically sized object I'm pretty sure almost anything would fit. If you are being specific and mean only a crucifiction cross then I'm also pretty sure that anything from microbes to at least humans would fit, sometimes more than one at a time.

[Ummon]

Considering a cross is a shape not a specifically sized object I'm pretty sure almost anything would fit. If you are being specific and mean only a crucifiction cross then I'm also pretty sure that anything from microbes to at least humans would fit, sometimes more than one at a time.

Now that we have ascertained your potential as squirrel-crucifier, I would only suggest that Roman crosses were made for roman executions of roman human subjects.

A bit circular I know, but it wasn't intended to be linear. Can I offer some acorns?

[Jams79]

I am running low on bait, thankyou