In "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind", Julian Jaynes argues that before human intelligence was experienced as reflective, self-conscious internal monologue, early humans would routinely experience "command hallucinations" which they ascribed to gods[0].
In a setting that was designed to induce awe, reverence and altered states of consciousness, an idol could prompt believers to hallucinate an appropriate command. Today, we may say that a painting "speaks" to us--perhaps these statues did so literally to the people of their time.
If that is true, then defacing these statues would be a viable strategy to inhibit their ability to trigger these hallucinations or visitations. Rivals of a religion would easily be able to cut off believers from a direct experience of their god.
In a setting that was designed to induce awe, reverence and altered states of consciousness, an idol could prompt believers to hallucinate an appropriate command. Today, we may say that a painting "speaks" to us--perhaps these statues did so literally to the people of their time.
If that is true, then defacing these statues would be a viable strategy to inhibit their ability to trigger these hallucinations or visitations. Rivals of a religion would easily be able to cut off believers from a direct experience of their god.
[0] https://www.julianjaynes.org/about/about-jaynes-theory/overv...