“Why We See God in Images”

If you go to a church and see depictions of Christ on the cross. If you go to a temple and see symbols from the Torah, or go to a Buddhists temple and see many symbols of the spiritual world. In other places of worship, there are works of art, designs, and poetry. But why do we need symbols to find God in the first place?

Some people look at a flower and see God, others hear poetry and see God, some walk in the forest and they are reminded of God, the Universe, and Great Spirit. Even Native Americans of long ago painted symbols on walls of caves to remind them of Great Spirit. And architecture also reminds us of God… certain buildings create a feeling and that connects us to God.

We Have Very Limited Minds

The reality is, we have very limited minds, we have no way to fathom that which is omnipresent and omnipotent… that’s way outside of our range of comprehension. Thus we must rely on other things to remind us of the divine. It’s one thing to worship an image and another to be reminded of God via an image… and thus worship God via that reminder. Images are just a crutch to help us connect to that which is beyond our comprehension. Only our heart can comprehend Great Spirit. The experience of the divine is everything, and that experience has nothing to do with the image.

Take for example, if a person walks into a church and sees a sculpture it creates a feeling… and that feeling is what being close to God is all about in the first place. Thus artwork is a path to open ourselves up to that which is magnificent and allows us to touch on that which is amazing.

Why Do We See God in Images?

And why do we see God in images? Well, our mind works in images. Words, for the most part, are taken in and creates images in our mind… and thus words work to a certain extent. But an image like the old saying says, “An Image is Worth a Thousand Words” can mean more than words. But do not get me wrong words are powerful, yet images stay with us for a much longer period of time.

Give This a Try

Try to think of a passage of words from a book perhaps a paragraph— can you do it? Perhaps you can but you had to think about it for a while. Then try to think of an image that you noticed lately— more than likely that image came to you right away.

Words are Powerful… But Images are Even More Powerful

And this is why movies, television, and the internet are so powerful. Images are flashed before our eyes and they evoke feelings. Some of those feelings are great and some are not so great. But when it comes to the divine those images which create emotions are very powerful… and open our heart thus allowing grace to filter in.

So, whenever you see a sunset and it reminds you of God, whenever you see a sculpture and it reminds you of God, and whenever you see a little part of nature and it reminds you of God— remember it’s not the image— it’s all about the feeling.

Many Blessings to Everyone!

Dr. Paul Haider