Hi, @gavin !

I was in a debate with some Orthodox folks about Icon veneration. Although my criteria for what would satisfy me for me to change my view on icon veneration (which is based a ton on what you have said about this) wasn’t there, they did provide a quote from St Athanasius from 39th Question to Antiochos. The other quote was from Basil, but I think you handled that one already. The quote they gave was this:

“We, the faithful, do not worship the icons as gods. By no means as the
pagans, rather we are simply expressing our relation to, and the feeling
of our love toward, the person whose image is depicted in the icon.
Hence, frequently when the image has faded, we burn it in fire, then as
plain wood, that which previously was an icon. Just as Jacob, when
dying, bowed in worship over the head of the staff of Joseph not
honoring the staff, but him to whom it belonged, in the same manner the
faithful, for no other reason, venerate the icons, just as we often kiss
our children, so that we may plainly express the affection [we feel] in
our soul. For it is just as the Jew once worshipped the tablets of the
Law and the two golden sculptured Cherubims not to honor the nature of
the stone and gold, but the Lord who had given them.”

Any input on this would be great. I know you are busy, but I just want to go where the truth leads. This quote is around the time of Nicea I, I think, and if it is, that could change things a bit.