Anger is a legitimate emotion in the face of injustice. Passive acceptance of evil is not a virtue.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Dixit Dominus
Few years back when my father passed away, this was the ONLY music I could listen to. More than 10 times a day for a full month. I, a staunch atheist, found solace in it! Go figure...
Absolutely..It worked and still works for me more like a harmonic shroud or envelop of no particular religious significance but very comforting..It became an integral part of the mourning process. No one around could understand how it became so to me and especially why so LOUD!
The need to search for a transcendental experience seems to be ubiqutious in humanity. Music, religion, art, drugs, technology, have all been used as an aid in that search. The question is: is there really anything to be found in this search, or is this desire some sort of evolutionary device to keep people from killing themselves or each other because of the futility of life's struggles?
<span>or is this desire some sort of evolutionary device to keep people from killing themselves or each other because of the futility of life's struggles?</span>
I'm officially undecided-but the argument could be made that it is athiests who are truly optimistic because if all the diseases, disasters, droughts, etc. that mankind has suffered were purposely inflicted on us by some intellegent being, then two conclusions could logically be drawn:
1. He doesn't like us very much-or very much of the time.
2. He has the power to express his dislike for us in all sorts of creative ways-and there is no reason to think he will lighten up on us anytime soon.
Interesting...I can agree with that....from my own experience the atheists I know are far more optimistic than the religious people I know.
But one cannot help being in awe of the art, architecture, and music inspired by the power of faith. Was Michelangelo a man of faith, do you think? a real believer? Or is it possible to create such wonders without the faith?
True, Michaelangelo was probably a man of faith-but so was Tammy Faye Baker. Sl obviously, faith alone does not a great artist make...But faith in something: God, a cause, loved ones, can make people able to endure almost any hardship. On the other hand, enduring hardship for no reason is one of the worst things a person can experience.
No prblem TGIA, sources for inspiration in music mean very little, it is the work that is produced that counts.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely..It worked and still works for me more like a harmonic shroud or envelop of no particular religious significance but very comforting..It became an integral part of the mourning process. No one around could understand how it became so to me and especially why so LOUD!
ReplyDeleteThe need to search for a transcendental experience seems to be ubiqutious in humanity. Music, religion, art, drugs, technology, have all been used as an aid in that search. The question is: is there really anything to be found in this search, or is this desire some sort of evolutionary device to keep people from killing themselves or each other because of the futility of life's struggles?
ReplyDelete<span>or is this desire some sort of evolutionary device to keep people from killing themselves or each other because of the futility of life's struggles?</span>
ReplyDeleteQuite the optimist, Joe!
vza:
ReplyDeleteI'm officially undecided-but the argument could be made that it is athiests who are truly optimistic because if all the diseases, disasters, droughts, etc. that mankind has suffered were purposely inflicted on us by some intellegent being, then two conclusions could logically be drawn:
1. He doesn't like us very much-or very much of the time.
2. He has the power to express his dislike for us in all sorts of creative ways-and there is no reason to think he will lighten up on us anytime soon.
That was me..and a follow up comment disappeared...it may reappear again, God willing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting...I can agree with that....from my own experience the atheists I know are far more optimistic than the religious people I know.
ReplyDeleteBut one cannot help being in awe of the art, architecture, and music inspired by the power of faith. Was Michelangelo a man of faith, do you think? a real believer? Or is it possible to create such wonders without the faith?
True, Michaelangelo was probably a man of faith-but so was Tammy Faye Baker. Sl obviously, faith alone does not a great artist make...But faith in something: God, a cause, loved ones, can make people able to endure almost any hardship. On the other hand, enduring hardship for no reason is one of the worst things a person can experience.
ReplyDeletethat was me
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNy6ziOyxoA
ReplyDelete