One hand pointing upwards, the other downwards
 

I noticed that Christ and the christian saints, Buddha, Krishna and even Satan ( and probably many other religious figures ) are depicted with one hand pointing upwards and one hand pointing downwards, so it appears.

I leave here some images:






What is the meaning of this? I've been always very reticent when it comes to the use of paintings to illustrate religious figures or heavenly beings, I simply reject them as being man made and of no use.

I leave this here because many christians ( at least in my country ) have some sort of affection of these paintings and they have no idea about what I am showing you here.

Let's discuss more about this.

Mudras....

How this even connects with christianity? I just did some research about what you have said.

No one has ever seen Christ, except those from His time, yet we have paintings of Him doing that gesture, same thing I can say about the other religious figures.

https://www.bibhudevmisra.com/2017/1...stian-art.html

A common thread?

Aldous Huxley describes the dancing Shiva image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32oo0oyLUdE

Interesting, so even the gesture you do with hands when you pray, you know, when you put your palms together, it's a mudra.This is something I had no idea about, thanks, very very interesting.

There's one more thing, one hand points to the heavens and the other to Earth...

To me this is very fascinating, it widens my view on all the religions of the world.

I vaguely remember reading about the hands together being something to do with slavery. Palms up is best imo.

Sky, what does the number 33 means to you based on your attained knowledge ?

At the end of a Mass the Priest will finish with a Benediction using a Mudra also making the sign of the cross is another Mudra...

Number 33 :biggrin:

Things like that mean nothing to me, sorry.

According to Bing:

The Meaning of Numbers: The Number 33. The number 33 is connected to a promise or the promises of God. The 33rd time Noah's name is used in Scripture is when God makes a special covenant or promise with him.

Mudra.
 

Theodoret (393–457) gave the following instruction:

This is how to bless someone with your hand and make the sign of the cross over them. Hold three fingers, as equals, together, to represent the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. These are not three gods, but one God in Trinity. The names are separate, but the divinity one. The Father was never incarnate; the Son incarnate, but not created; the Holy Ghost neither incarnate nor created, but issued from the Godhead: three in a single divinity. Divinity is one force and has one honor. They receive on obeisance from all creation, both angels and people. Thus the decree for these three fingers. You should hold the other two fingers slightly bent, not completely straight. This is because these represent the dual nature of Christ, divine and human. God in His divinity, and human in His incarnation, yet perfect in both. The upper finger represents divinity, and the lower humanity; this way salvation goes from the higher finger to the lower. So is the bending of the fingers interpreted, for the worship of Heaven comes down for our salvation. This is how you must cross yourselves and give a blessing, as the holy fathers have commanded.

Peter of Damascus (12th century) gave the following instruction:

Then we should also marvel how demons and various diseases are dispelled by the sign of the precious and life-giving Cross, which all can make without cost or effort. Who can number the panegyrics composed in its honor? The holy fathers have handed down to us the inner significance of this sign, so that we can refute heretics and unbelievers. The two fingers and single hand with which it is made represent the Lord Jesus Christ crucified, and He is thereby acknowledged to exist in two natures and one hypostasis or person.

The use of the right hand betokens His infinite power and the fact that He sits at the right hand of the Father. That the sign begins with a downward movement from above signifies His descent to us from heaven. Again, the movement of the hand from the right side to the left drives away our enemies and declares that by His invincible power the Lord overcame the devil, who is on the left side, dark and lacking strength.

Athanasius of Alexandria (269–373 A.D.)

By the signing of the holy and life-giving cross, devils and various scourges are driven away. For it is without price and without cost and praises him who can say it. The holy fathers have, by their words, transmitted to us, and even to the unbelieving heretics, how the two raised fingers and the single hand reveal Christ our God in His dual nature but single substance. The right hand proclaims His immeasurable strength, His sitting on the right hand of the Father, and His coming down unto us from Heaven. Again, by the movement of the hands to our right the enemies of God will be driven out, as the Lord triumphs over the Devil with His inconquerable power, rendering him dismal and weak.

I see... Interesting, so many christians don't have a clue about the actual meaning of their christian paintings, my aunt has at least 4 and I was always really intrigued with this thing, if God is spirit, then why do you need objects as symbols of God.

I see, well, no problem, thanks anyway!

Interesting!!

TM, where is the Satan and the children statue?

Surprising, early Christians did not make images of Jesus: this came later along with a lot of other beliefs. the Bible, surprisingly enough, condemns such things. It is known as idolatry.

Not really sure what it means, Maybe have to do some research but my general opinion is that you have 2 options in life

Either Go Up Or go Down, that's your choice.

Hence The up hand and hand down, yin and yang.

The binary universal system.

You don't need them but you enjoy looking at them as you look at Photos of loved one's who are not with you....

I know, yet even the early christians used symbols like the cross, and this symbol pre-existed before Christ.

Christ talked about that He is from above ( heavens ) and we are from below ( Earth ). ( John 8:23 ).

What I used to find funny was in the catechist there would be a picture of God depicted as an old man and on another page was a picture of Jesus. Oh I almost forgot, and a picture of baby Jesus.

Yes, I can understand this but some people give them too much power, to me they are just man made objects. My country has a long history with christian paintings performing miracles or even shedding tears.

Early Christians definitely used icons, Luke the Evangelist is said to be the first Icon Painter.

I heard about this.

Some people give a piece of wood power :D If it gives someone comfort and hurts nobody leave well alone...

Miracles can obviously happen through the Icon but it's not the icons power it's your own mind that does the work...
Mind over matter :smile:

Yes icons/sculptures etc: are part of early Christianity.

This is the way I used to think when I was a child while I was hearing stories about icons performing miracles, I used to say that it was the faith of people who actually made those miracles real. Of course, I kept this for myself, why would anyone listen to a child, yes they are just a man made objects.

Man made from Divine Intervention maybe....

I see what you mean but to me it's all about the spiritual, no need for "bridges" between material and spiritual.

' What I used to find funny was in the catechist etc: '

I definitely would find that funny.... :biggrin:

I presume you mean The Catechism.

There doesn't have to be a bridge but if it works for others that's good...

If we believe everything comes from our Divine Creator then so does the Material. It depends on how you perceive...

I agree that that it's everything else but not Christ and I predict that in the near future, and this is already happening and has been happening for decades, christianity is going to become a new religion.A new Christ has been promoted and it's promoted to the world, the Christ of the world, and everyone can have this Christ, the problem is that it's a fake Christ, a very gross manipulation of the real Christ.Take for example Kanye West and his Christ, this is really crazy :confused: and h has millions of followers :confused:

This is how I see things..

Somewhere in USA ( Arkansas ), I am not sure, that statue depicts Baphomet, but it's just another reference to Satan. They have these statues in many places all around the world from what I've read.

I've looked at Arkansas capitol building photos on TripAdvisor and there's none of that statue. Black metal or stone statues but not that one. I'm not saying they don't exist TM, but it's possible that photo is photoshopped. I've not been there in person.

There you are JB


https://time.com/3972713/detroit-sat...atue-baphomet/

Thanks Sky. I've scanned through it. Seems there's a satanic temple in Detroit with that statue. Not sitting outside the Arkansas capitol building though, that I could see anyway. A strange statue all the same.

It's very strange, I wouldn't like to bump into it on a dark misty night.

As a piece of Sculpture it's beautiful but the subject isn't, well not to me anyway... I wonder what's the story behind it, why use Children?

Can you imagine driving over the Yorkshire Moors at Midnight and it suddenly appears in your headlights... :biggrin:

The meaning of the hand up and down is this;
"Thou will be done on earth as it is in heaven."