Does seeing a image of Christ cause sin?

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No one really knows what God looks like, so if you see "Him" on a t-shirt then obviously you have given it some thought.

For example, you turn a corner and there is a guy with a circle on his t-shirt. You think "how strange". He thinks "this is God". Did you sin? No. Again you turn a corner. You see a man wearing a t-shirt with a stick figure and a label saying "This is God." You think to yourself even for a second. "Hmmmm God..." Then you rebuke yourself going on your way. Again you turn a corner and you see a picture of the old man riding on a cloud. You look at this and for some reason, again you say, "Hmmm he is wearing a picture of God on his t-shirt."

In the first example the person did not sin because they never knew the circle was meant to be God. In the second example it is dubious but if the viewer dwelt upon the issue then it could become sin. In the third example the problem was clearly in the heart of the viewer, who saw the image and immediately said "that is God" despite the fact the viewer has never really seen Him.
 
From Dr. McMahon's essay at the link above: The words "You shall not make" means just that – men ought never make a visible representation or image of God in any way, shape or form.

In what way do two perpendicular lines constitute an attempt to portray an image of God? We are talking about a cross, not a crucifix.
 
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