Mental image of God/Satan/Heaven/Hell

[Ziggy Stardust]

I have a question about mental imigary. We all have a pretty clear 'picture' in our head of how the devil and hell look. Devil: demonlike creature possibly hooved, forked tail and of course horns. Hell: Fire and brimstone or Dante. But I always found it odd that God and Heaven are more elusive concepts (image-wise). When I try to picture God in my head, it doesn't get much more specific than a bright light in the clouds. Heaven is even more difficult for me to turn into a mental image. Something .... cloudy? Is heaven great-Brittain? Is smog the reason why they call LA the City of Angels?

But seriously. What mental image do you get when you think about God or Heaven?

And is there an explenation why Hell and Satan are more easy to make a visual refrence to?

Allthough I realise that in case of Satan it's not that odd, since he is a demon, and not a god, like ... God. Still, that wouldn't explain the difference with regard to Heaven and Hell.

Or is it just me?

 

[Taliesin]

"The face of truth remains hidden behind a circle of gold. Unveil it, O God of light, that I who love the true may see."

From the Isa Upanisad, which I think gets it right. We can't imagine what God looks like; but I imagine that the lucky people who get transcendental experiences such as St. Teresa's, or such as Carl Jung describes, perhaps get a taste of it. It is a fact of fallen existence that God is hidden, sadly.

If I try to imagine heaven, I picture an earthly place that is cool and green, under a friendly sun or bright stars; I have no picture of God, save the occasional vague idea of a benevolent, brown-bearded face.

 

[El_Machinae]

When I still had faith, I had moved onto a five dimensional description of God and Hell and souls; so I had lost the mental imagery I had when I was younger.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

God - pretty light
Heaven - the world or lots of computers
Satan - some red guy with horns, the specifics depend on the moment
Hell - fire and ice

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

According to old norse tradition Hel (yes, spelled that way) is not a fiery place but frozen and dark.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

As I've understood it so far:
Heaven is at least partly an unending sequence of "Aha, that's why" while in God's presence*, while Hell has the counterpoint of "Crap, I really messed up" partly due to being separated from God.
God doesn't have a form, but I suppose that his presence is a feeling of immense serenity and security, since Jesus says "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14
I don't think much about Satan. The red suit with pitchfork and horns is something I specifically try to think about as incorrect.

*Feel free to imagine a super-Internet with exchange of knowledge here, if "Aha" doesn't really appeal to you.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Oh but I'm not looking for correctness or any form of substantial evidence for one or the other. Just when you think about God, some image has to appear. Our mind tries to make concepts visual. I understand that relating to God is all about feelings of love, or how you put it: feeling of immense serenity and security.

I'm just curious what image pops into your mind at the mention of God or Heaven.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Thinking about "God" doesn't bring up an image any more than does thinking of "liberalization". It's just not a visual concept.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

For many people it is. More so than "liberalization".

Type both in image search in google and you'll notice quite a big difference in hits.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Well, I was, I thought obviously, talking about how it is for me.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Yeah, I was focussing on your username. I thought if I mention other people he might come around

Not even the Monty Python Bearded Feller on a Cloud Image? [/me trying to shoehorn a mental imagine in there]

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I usually picture God as an old naked gay gay pointing at some dudes finger. No actually, I guess when I think of God, I picture something like that well known image of all the galaxies in the universe.

 

[Yeeek]

I like the muslim heaven. How many virgin girls for you alone? Where do i sign please?

 

[warpus]

I like the muslim heaven. How many virgin girls for you alone? Where do i sign please?

You'd get bored after the first one.

As for God, I imagine he looks something like this:

 

[Swedishguy]

God and Satan looks like evil and good consiousnesses in Black & White 2!

Heaven: Very white clouds that shines
Hell: A volcano

 

[Chandrasekhar]

You'd get bored after the first one.

As for God, I imagine he looks something like this:

They always beat me to the South Park references!

 

[punkbass2000]

God is everything I know. Heaven is where I am.

 

[Veritass]

"The nature of God is a circle whose center is everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere." -- St. Augustine

How would you even think you could "picture" in your mind a Power, Intelligence, and Love that created the very fabric of space-time in which we live? You might as well ask what color is a thought?

 

[punkbass2000]

Bright red.

 

[thetrooper]

God, Satan, Heaven and Hell are only handy as metaphors to me. I don't need mental images of them.