Why did the iconoclasts respond as they did to sacred painting or carving that showed human images?

Iconoclasts opposed sacred paintings and carvings depicting human images because they believed such representations could lead to idolatry and distract from true worship of God. They viewed these images as violations of the Second Commandment, which prohibits graven images. The movement was rooted in a desire to purify religious practice and emphasize the spiritual over the material, reflecting a broader theological debate about the nature of divine representation.