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Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is a very old spiritual and philosophical paradox. On the one hand it differs from atheism in that it does not deny the reality of truth or God, but it challenges codification of these ideas. It is on its face an opposition to any representation of the divine images, and on another it’s a…
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Forms of Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm has taken many forms across world cultures. I just remember the type that smash icons. Some factions smashed icons that they felt were not adequate or proper representations. They weren’t all absolutely opposed to any image at all. In fact, Catholicism has had iconoclastic movements without actually rejecting any representation at all. In part,…
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Faith in Iconoclasm
An iconoclast is not necessarily faithless. As a matter of fact, Judaism has what could be considered a tradition of what could be called iconoclastic behaviour, formal debate of their law. Islam, as I understand it, is iconoclastic? Islam is iconoclastic in the literal sense, but has many strictly orthodox sects though some that aren’t…
Category: Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is questioning representational thought of any kind. Not rejection of the essence of any ideal or spiritual presence/principle so much as a rejection of fixed descriptions. Some factions smashed icons that they felt were not adequate or proper representations. They weren’t all absolutely opposed to any image at all. In fact, Catholicism has had iconoclastic movements without actually rejecting any representation at all.
“Rough work, iconoclasm, but the only way to get at truth.” Oliver Wendell Holmes (American Physician, Poet, Writer, Humorist and Professor at Harvard, 1809-1894)
“I love iconoclasts. I love individuals. I love people that are true to themselves, whatever the cost.” Tim Robbins
“So when it says you are not to worship graven idols, that’s what scholars call iconoclastic — it’s against images. The fear was, both in Judaism and Islam, that if you represented a holy figure like a prophet who had discussions with the divine, there would be a danger of people worshipping the image.” Juan Cole