Thursday, October 28, 2010

New Icons

So with the midterm elections looming on the horizon, I decided since I don't vote for them, I should at least pray for our civil authorities like St. Paul told me to. But some of the Republo-dox and Demo-dox bloggers seem to be telling me that I should pray that the civil authorities align themselves with their respective political platforms, which of course, are God ordained. So I set out to find an appropriate icon for my family altar that depicts "God ordained American politics". No small feat. But thanks to Keith and Randy, I now have one.
But this image doesn't tell the whole story. In fact, this is an interactive icon, which is sheer genius, and you can see all the hidden meanings in the icon by dragging your mouse over it. Each person in the icon represents something. Go HERE and be amazed and perhaps even edified!

Speaking of political icons, I think the McNaughton icon goes well next to another political cartoon... ummmm... icon that I have.
(Clikonit to embiggen)

I think it would be really cool if we could bring Orthodox iconography into the new millenium and make them interactive too. Just imagine dragging your mouse across Luther, the Pope, the New Agers or the Ecumenists and seeing a sidebar that lists all their heresies!

So the only thing I have left to figure out is when I reverence these, who exactly is the veneration going to? I've searched the menaion and can't find a "Saint Concept" anywhere.... hmmm.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

By "embiggen," I assume you mean "enlarge." Why not just use that word, instead of a word from the Simpsons?

Steve Robinson said...

Anon, I've only seen part of one episode of the Simpsons, so I wasn't aware where it originated. I stole the word from another blog because I liked it and thought it was "Engrish". Maybe I can put a google translator link on it. :)

Larry Anderson said...

I like "embiggen." It sounds much better than "deshrinkify." :-)

Steve Robinson said...

Lazarus, LOL! Actually that might be a more "Orthodox" term since it affirms the negation of smallness. :)

justjamey said...

The American Civil Religion. Besides the fact that most of these guys would get in a fistfight if forced into a single room together... I'm amused that the only black people are Frederick Douglas & Harriet Tubman (white guilt), the "college student" (Affirmative Action) and the "solider" (an abstraction, who happens to be named "King"). Some of my least favorite Americans are in that thing.

And the other one. Besides the puke-inducing arrogance of the non-icon, Luther doesn't look a bit like Luther. I mean, come on!

Huw Richardson said...

That first one is just creepy. Jesus, btw, reminds me of Elessar in that one, what with the tree on his chest.

Veneration... it's like venerating an icon of "the ladder". Make sure you kis Jesus :)

margaret said...

The chaps riding on lions are just too kewl. I want them on our side.

ryan said...

There is no "Stephen Colbert" in the painting. Sad and incomplete. There is the liberal news reporter, but no room for a fake conservative news commentator.

Anonymous said...

Call me suspicious, but the first one strikes me as coming from the hand of a Mormon. I can't put my finger on why. It makes Thomas Kincaid look good.

123 said...

I think I remember reading that the firs painting is, in fact, Mormon.

The late Abp Peter (L'Huillier) had two jokes. One was to be careful venerating the Christmas icon, or you may venerate the 'deevil'. (Same is true with the Theophany icon, BTW).

...some of the Republo-dox and Demo-dox bloggers seem to be telling me...

I hope I haven't come off as posting for the Democrats, though I am far more positive on them after the evisceration of their 'government is the problem' credo following the economic meltdown. I've simply been thinking through the assumptions, the paradigms, etc. and have been posting on those. For instance, the contention that the Tenth Amendment means most of the federal government is unconstitutional (e.g., Social Security, Department of Education, etc.) is based on an erroneous, un-originalist reading of the Constitution through the lens of the Articles of Confederation.

The second icon can be safely venerated anywhere on or in the boat.

123 said...

For more on the painting "One Nation Under God" by Mormon painter Jon McNaughton, see:

http://www.getreligion.org/2009/10/mormon-america/

http://www.mcnaughtonart.com/artwork/view_zoom/?artpiece_id=353

He's from Mesa, AZ originally and a graduate of BYU. He lives in Utah.

Anna said...

"Embiggen" is a perfectly cromulent word.

VSO said...

S-p used "embiggen" to show he has a sense of humor.

"Republi-dox and Demo-dox"
You mean like the old "Possessors vs. Non-Possessors" argument over how much money the Church should have?

The second one I believe is by Super-Orthodox "Archbishop" Gregory George, but is based on old designs. Though I'm not finding anything in it that I disagree with.

Anonymous said...

"Embiggen" is the perfect word. Babushka Joanna returns and chases off any naysayers with her walking stick. :)

Melanie said...

I've always thought that it should say "click on it to embiggen it", it rhymes! :)

Kirk said...

I find the conflicting symbolism humorous and ironic. For instance, there is the evil guy holding Darwin's book who is supposed to represent education. Then there are two teachers, Christa McAullife and the generic woman front left. "Education bad, teachers good." How does that work?

Then there are the soldiers. Taken in the context of the other painting (peace...) we can only conclude that "soldiers good, war bad."

Ochlophobist said...

In the second, uh, "icon," are they raising anchor in order to get away from that bunch on shore, or are they letting the anchor down?

Steve Robinson said...

Och, Now that is one pithy question.

Anonymous said...

...i loved the implications of the boy desiring (in awe) to touch the constitution INSTEAD of Jesus...