I will now mention another argument put forth by those who are mistaken in their belief or who openly fight against the holy icons. That is, to cite as authoritative, erroneous judgments made by the so-called "Great Moscow Council" of 1666-1667.
For example the HOCNA, in their heretical pamphlet published by the H.O.M.B. (Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Boston), entitled: The True Image of the Father, cite this council twice, the second time referring to it as "Pan-Orthodox". In fact, a number of judgments made by this council were in fact not Orthodox at all, and were disregarded by the faithful or subsequently overturned by later Russian synods.
This same council has also been cited as authoritative by authors on Iconography such as Leonid Ouspensky, whose theological opinions are not to be considered reliable, since he was a member of the liberal Parisian school, and later applied and was granted citizenship in the Soviet state, and worked on behalf of the Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate, while residing in Paris.
A Rev. Dr. Steven Bigham has also recently written books on Iconography, which also cite the council of 1666 as authoritative, and his opinions should also not be regarded uncritically, since he is a priest in the Carpatho-Russian Diocese of the apostate Ecumenical Patriarchate.
So it would behove us all to learn as much as we can about the history of this Council of Moscow, which took place at the end of 1666 and carried on into 1667.