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@ c582af78:698069cc
2025-02-15 19:21:25
# **The Face of God: How Art Became a Gateway to the Divine**
If you live in the **West**, you’re surrounded by depictions of **God, Jesus, and the saints**—from paintings and statues to illustrated Bibles and stained glass windows.
But this is far from universal. In the **Islamic world**, religious art takes a very different form: vibrant colors, **intricate geometry, and architectural symmetry**. **Depictions of God or Muhammad aren’t just discouraged—they are outright forbidden.**
But why?
To answer that, we must go back to the **origins of the Abrahamic religions**—when **early Christians, Jews, and Muslims** were surprisingly **unified in their views on religious art**.
https://image.nostr.build/1515c5fd00d798cd283583618bbbc0d5eb91bc481a84c21d53644d42fa30173a.jpg
---
## **The Early Christian Hesitation**
The **first generation of Christians** were deeply aware of **Judaism’s strict prohibition** against idol worship. **Depicting God in any form was considered dangerous**—a potential gateway to paganism.
For centuries, Christianity could have followed this path, rejecting religious imagery altogether. But one fundamental theological idea **changed everything**:
**The Incarnation.**
As the early Church wrestled with the **nature of Christ**, heated debates emerged:
- Was he part human and part divine?
- Was he **fully** human and **fully** divine?
- And what did the Gospel of John mean by *“the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”*?
The result of these debates was the **doctrine of the Incarnation**—the belief that **God took on human form in real flesh and blood**. And if **God himself** had chosen to be seen in **finite form**, then depicting Him in art could no longer be considered blasphemous.
This single theological shift laid the foundation for **Christianity’s embrace of religious art**—a decision that would not only shape Christian worship but **redefine how we engage with art itself**.
https://image.nostr.build/1cf9ea5d1385c46bd720de9c7de65123428a9f76356e39e37c5d7b9663993930.jpg
---
## **Let There Be Art…**
How did this change Christian art?
https://image.nostr.build/b945e4ea06b281bb4618f08b2543108beecf7f510aaa795bed1c833614e32fb7.jpg
The **early objections** to religious imagery went something like this:
> *“God is infinite and mysterious. Reducing Him to a finite, limited form is blasphemy.”*
But with the Incarnation, the argument flipped:
> *“If God took on real shape, color, and form without diminishing His divine nature, then we can depict Him in art without compromising His grandeur.”*
Thus, images of **Jesus, Mary, and saints** not only became **permissible**—they were **encouraged**.
Christian leaders actively **commissioned religious art** to communicate the **Gospel visually** to a largely **illiterate population**. **Paintings, statues, and stained glass** became tools of evangelization, helping people grasp biblical stories **without needing to read**.
Take the **Duomo of Milan** with its **4,000 statues**. They aren’t just decorative. They **inspire faith** by highlighting the lives of the saints.
Christianity had embraced art as a **spiritual bridge**, a way to **connect the finite with the infinite**.
https://image.nostr.build/4f6b79a9179d818a951bf461ee5ff785cbe618ed376b4a56d92e77dcb34005bc.jpg
---
## **The Criticism: Were They Worshiping the Art?**
Not everyone agreed.
Some critics argued that **Christians were focusing too much on the art itself**, rather than the God it was meant to represent.
https://image.nostr.build/29afb401ef99d2b6c59b71d8534a5160c25d2ca468d81251ba0f55d033679490.jpg
But the Church’s response was clear:
> **"You are not meant to look *at* art, but *through* it.**
Art is not the **end goal**—it is a **gateway to something greater**.
A painting of Christ isn’t meant to be **worshiped**—it’s meant to draw the viewer into **His story, His sacrifice, and His message**.
This perspective didn’t just shape religious art. It **fundamentally changed** how we experience **all forms of art, even secular ones.**
---
## **To Infinity and Beyond: The Lasting Impact of Religious Art**
Christianity’s view of art—that it **should point beyond itself**—has so deeply influenced Western culture that we often **don’t even realize it**.
Think about how we experience **books, music, and movies**:
- **A great novel** inspires courage.
- **A powerful song** moves you to tears.
- **A gripping film** motivates you to keep going in life.
The best art **doesn’t just exist for its own sake**—it **transports you beyond the canvas, the page, or the screen**.
This idea mirrors the Incarnation itself: **an infinite God becoming finite to guide us back to the infinite**.
---
## **Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, and the Incarnation of Art**
A perfect example? **J.R.R. Tolkien’s *The Lord of the Rings***.
Tolkien infused his story with **themes of brotherhood, heroism, and sacrifice**—all timeless, transcendental ideas. But instead of leaving them as abstract concepts, he **"incarnated" them into words on a page**—finite, tangible, and deeply relatable.
https://image.nostr.build/b120c4d7c7232cf226af65c33cb7fc494f495d50b8ad4593a58f3528fd0b71dc.jpg
His goal? To **turn the reader’s heart back to the infinite** by making them experience **these ideals in a concrete way**.
The same can be said for **any truly great art**.
It **doesn’t exist for itself**—it exists to move you, to inspire you, to challenge you.
And next time you step into a **cathedral**, gaze at a **masterpiece**, or listen to a **symphony**, remember:
You’re not supposed to simply **look at the art around you**—
You’re supposed to **look beyond it, into eternity**.
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@ c230edd3:8ad4a712
2025-02-15 17:13:30
## Chef's notes
I prefer to use skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Any part, bone in or out, will work fine. I do recommend removing skin, so that the sauce can saturate the meat.
I like to simmer fresh green beans in the sauce as the chicken cooks through. Any fresh vegetable would work fine. Simply add them early in the cooking time and stir occasionally.
## Details
- ⏲️ Prep time: 10-15 min
- 🍳 Cook time: 30 min - 1 hour
- 🍽️ Servings: 1 - 8, or more
## Ingredients
- Skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or other cut
- Garlic Powder
- Garlic Cloves, 1 per piece of chicken, minced & salted
- Butter, 1 Tbsp per piece
- Chicken Broth or White Wine, approx 1/4 c. per piece
- oil for searing
## Directions
1. Heat oil over med-high heat in appropriate sized pan
2. Season chicken with garlic powder on both sides
3. Brown chicken, smooth side first. Flip and repeat
4. While chicken is browning, mince and salt garlic
5. Add butter to the pan, scrape loose any caramelized bits from the pan, as the butter melts
6. Add minced garlic, and saute until soft and fragrant
7. Add chicken broth or wine and stir, add vegetables if desired
8. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer
9. During simmer, scoop sauce over chicken occasionally, more frequently as sauce reduces
10. If cooking vegetables, flip or stir when coating the chicken to ensure they spend time fully submerged
11. Cook until chicken is done, vegetables are soft, and sauce is reduced to a thick paste
12. Serve :)
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@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3
2025-02-15 15:50:17
"Admit it. Sometimes you just need a big strong man." -Xander Harris
Buffy fans should appreciate that reference. It's one of my favorite lines to quote around the house, whenever my wife needs help opening jars.
Today, I said it to my daughter when she tried to open the orange juice herself, which earned a side-eye from the wife. It also led me to think about a possible research hypothesis.
## Idea
I've heard that grip strength has been declining in men, to the point where there's barely a difference anymore between men and women.
Is it possible that something as seemingly trivial as not being any more able to open jars, is reducing the rate of relationship formation?
This was one area where men have historically been able to clearly demonstrate some value.
## Empirical difficulties
I have no idea what the data looks like on either side of this question (grip strength or relationship formation), so I can't say much about specific data problems.
However, there is definitely going to be an issue with "the dreaded third thing". In particular, I'm concerned with how to isolate the impact of grip strength decline from other effects of testosterone decline. Ideally, we'd be able to do a longitudinal study of men, where their grip strengths and testosterone levels are recorded, as well as their relationship status over time.
Since there's no chance of doing that study, the best hope would be to put together some population level numbers over time and see if relationship formation rates still have a correlation with grip strength, after controlling for average testosterone levels.
-----
I hope you enjoyed this half-baked idea. I mentioned to @denlillaapan that it might be fun to share ideas like this on SN. In all likelihood, no one will ever take these ideas any further, but they still might prompt fun discussions.
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/886699
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@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3
2025-02-15 15:03:10
Much to @realBitcoinDog's chagrin, we did eat out for Valentine's Day. Well, actually, we got some take out, but it definitely wasn't very healthy.
However, we did eat fairly early, so it didn't mess up my fasting.
## Reflections
Even though I had been regularly fasting before February, this Fast February exercise has improved the habit and led to some noticeable outcomes.
The first couple of days, I was kind of snacky. Because of the fiscal fast element of Fast February, I had to snack on whatever was around the house already. That turned out to be the "wrong" type of applesauce that our daughter refuses to eat. After those first few days, though, I really haven't been very snacky.
In fact, my general appetite is noticeably lower.
The most pronounced non-appetite related effect has been more vivid dreams (or at least more memorable dreams).
On the con side, I have felt a little stiffer and have been stretching more often to alleviate muscle tension.
## Score Card
Day 1: 14 hour fast (13 dry)
Day 2: 15 hour fast (14 dry)
Day 3: 17 hours (16 dry)
Day 4: 18 hours (17 dry)
Day 5: 18 hours (16 dry)
Day 6: 19 hours (16 dry)
Day 7: 16 hours (15 dry)
Day 8: 18 hours (17 dry)
Day 9: 17 hours (17 dry)
Day 10: 15 hours (13 dry)
Day 11: 20 hours (19 dry)
Day 12: 20 hours (17 dry)
Day 13: 16 hours (13 dry)
Day 14: 17 hours (15 dry)
Day 15: TBD (16 dry)
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/886640
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@ c43d6de3:a6583169
2025-02-15 14:18:07
You’re sitting in the 5am darkness of your living room.
The baby in your arms shifts and you’re afraid she might wake. It's hot, but you wouldn’t dare remove the blankets covering her body.
It seems impossible you could admire anyone more, then you hear the gentle snore of your exhausted wife creep from the gently cracked bedroom door.
You can only imagine what pain she went through to bring this precious girl to the world so you could be holding her now.
Your watch lights up. You dread the sight of that little alarm bell above the time 5:25 and a weight falls on you like a million tiny pieces of lead.
If only you had more time.
You wish you could take your baby girl with you. That way you would have all the time in the day with her and your wife could be left to rest.
You need to work.
You get up as gently as you can. Even so, baby girl shifts in your arms. Her eyes open slightly. The thought of returning a crying baby to your exhausted wife is distressing, it's just not fair.
Baby girl shifts again, her eyes open long enough to spot you in the faint glow of morning twilight and she smiles.
You hold your breath.
The smile remains on baby girl’s face but her eyes close and her head collapses into your chest. You return your baby to her mother’s side and admire them in their slumber.
You need to work. Nothing could ever go wrong with that house so long as you work to keep its walls strong. Some time, when you’re truly needed perhaps you’ll have the money saved up to take the desired time off.
In the absence of the love you share for your family. In the absence of the love others have for you, money loses some value.
If we equate money for what it is, the residue of time, we cannot divorce Love from Money.
It’s important to understand that Money won’t buy you Love and Love should never be exchanged for Money but Time cultivates Love.
These are some key things to keep in mind:
*Life without love is Suffocation*
*Life without money is stress and despair*
*Families are cultivated and grown with love and protected with money.*
*Money is the residue of time.*
Be it Bitcoin or a golden bullion, it exchanges days, hours, minutes, or seconds. What could you do instead if you had money?
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@ 7d33ba57:1b82db35
2025-02-15 10:59:27
“Phoneography” is photography using a smartphone instead of a traditional camera.
Here are some solid phoneography tips to enhance your shots:
1. **Master the Basics**
* Clean the lens – Phones are handled all day, and a smudged lens can ruin a shot.
* Tap to focus – Always tap on your subject to ensure it's sharp.
* Use gridlines – Turn on the rule of thirds grid for better composition.
2. **Lighting is Everything**
* Natural light > Flash – Soft morning or golden hour light creates the best results.
* Use reflections & shadows – They add depth and creativity to your shots.
* Adjust exposure manually – Tap and slide up/down to brighten or darken.
3. **Composition Tricks**
* Leading lines – Roads, walls, and fences guide the viewer's eye.
* Framing – Use windows, doors, or natural elements to frame your subject.
* Symmetry & patterns – Create balance and visual interest.
4. **Get Creative with Angles**
* Low angles – Make subjects look larger and dramatic.
* Overhead (flat lay) – Great for food, art, or storytelling shots.
* Close-ups & textures – Capture details for a unique perspective.
5. **Edit Like a Pro**
* Use editing apps – Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, VSCO for better control.
* Don’t overdo filters – Subtle adjustments in contrast, color, and sharpness are best.
* Shoot in RAW (if your phone allows) – More flexibility in post-processing.
6. **Capture Motion & Time**
* Use burst mode – Great for action shots and selecting the best frame.
* Long exposure apps – Create light trails or smooth water effects.
* Slow-motion & time-lapse – Add dynamic storytelling elements.
7. **Know Your Phone’s Camera Features**
* Ultra-wide & telephoto lenses – Experiment with different focal lengths.
* Night mode – Helps capture better low-light shots without excessive noise.
* Portrait mode – Blurs the background for a professional look.