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Filed under Art, Faith Foundations, Holidays, Paris 2012

Notre Dame – Window Details

Detail

Silhouette

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7 Comments CherryPie on Nov 17th 2012

7 Responses to “Notre Dame – Window Details”

  1. Don QuiScottie says:
    November 17, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Stunning. I love the silhouette in the 2nd one, which for me, not being religious, provokes thoughts of humanity’s relationship to the wonders of nature (for which the religous may substitute “God”, whatever that means)

    • CherryPie says:
      November 17, 2012 at 11:31 pm

      Thank You for your ’stunning’ comment, I quite like that photo too and I am always very critical of my own photos.

      Since my teens I have had thoughts and pondered the wonders of nature. I attended Sunday school in my younger years where we discussed such things, along with morals, love and peace (based on passages in the Bible). When I was too old to attend Sunday school I was subjected to lectures of a Preacher in church. I found that what he preached in no way related to what we had talked about in our Sunday school discussions or what my grandfather (who had a deep belief in God) discussed with me.

      What I learned from that Preacher is that ‘Religion’ is a form of control. Much like some Governments do.

      It also lead me to the belief that God was (is) Nature (the universe) and that as humans we are part of that whole. I still ponder on the question, who or what is God…

      When I delved into the various scriptures I found that they all talk about the same thing… The Nature of the universe and how it works…

      In respect of Biblical writings they were altered and inappropriate content was left out (deemed as heretical) by the ‘Religious’ bodies who were controlling the people.

      Not unlike the media today!!

      I think I better stop there for now, before my thoughts get too confusing…

      • Don QuiScottie says:
        November 18, 2012 at 3:11 pm

        Your thoughts make good sense to me Cherie, but if God is Nature/the Universe then I wonder why we need to complicate our musings by using the term God. To me, most people who use the term God seem to be implying something different from Nature/the Universe. Especially the ones who claim to know all the details of God’s supposed plans for us and rules for us and all the rest of it.

  2. Suzie says:
    November 18, 2012 at 5:29 am

    Cherie, you surprise me! A little bit of controversy suits you.

    As a person from a Jewish background who attended a rather posh Catholic convent school, I have spent much time pondering whether religion is a force for good. At it’s worst, it is not. Nevertheless, it can be an effective moderator of bad behaviour. By that, I mean that if people believe that they will be held accountable for their evil deeds then they are less likely to do them. In a nutshell, the form of control that you speak of so eloquently.

    As an aetheist, or maybe an agnostic, someone who would like to believe, but can’t, I would say this: we should all behave decently towards one another. We should all care for our neighbours and look out for the vulnerable. if religion, or belief in a higher power makes people behave better, I’m all for it.

    I have a very good friend who has a fairly high profile, but doesn’t possess an ego. He is probably a saint, in the eyes of the religiously inclined, but I know him. Sometimes, the greatest people are not motivated to do good, they just are, and they care for others because they do, and sometimes, extraordinary intellect goes hand in hand with empathy for others. We look and learn.

    • Don QuiScottie says:
      November 18, 2012 at 3:22 pm

      There is no doubt, Suzie, that religious faith can be of great benefit and comfort to people, and can spur them to do significant good; but as you refer to it can also promote terrible bad, and always has done and will continue to do so. For me, the crucial point is whether there is any truth whatever in what people believe, and for all those religions so sure of so many details the details seem so obviously human-made as to be laughable. You sound more like an agnostic (as I am) than an atheist. An atheist believes there is no higher power, which in itself is a belief, albeit a much less specific one than most religious beliefs. As an agnostic, I haven’t got a clue what is really going on, deep down and far out, and find it rather preposterous to think that I ever could, (even though I teach science at university level, and admire all its glories). I do rather suspect that whatever is really going on isn’t too concerned about me though.

    • CherryPie says:
      November 18, 2012 at 9:47 pm

      I don’t mind ‘discussing’ controversial topics :-) When people have different ideas to mine it makes me think and leads to interesting conversation.

      You are right about the moral teachings but I believe that can also be taught outside the framework of religion or faith. I agree with you about behaving decently to one another and looking for and helping others.

      What I didn’t mention in my rather lengthy comment was that Religion and Spirituality are two different things. I explained my thoughts on Religion and my thoughts on what I believe God is (which requires much more than a few words to explain properly) partly explains what I mean by Spiritual. In some ways they opposite of each other.

      I always say ‘Life is for learning’.