Is religion the ultimate expression of performance art?
828908
It must be because performance art sucks and religion sucks ultimately.
405144
Improper Use of Images. Whereas humans are to imitate and endeavor to mirror the qualities of their heavenly Father and model their lives after his Son, the veneration of physical images in worship is consistently condemned throughout the Scriptures. God’s detestation of such practice was clearly expressed in the Law given to Israel. Not only carved images but the making of the “form” of anything in heaven, on earth, or in the sea as an object of religious worship was prohibited. (Ex 20:4, 5; Le 26:1; Isa 42:8) Such objects might be made of any substance, in any form—wood, metal, stone; carved, cast, hammered, hewn; in the figure of humans, animals, birds, inanimate objects, or just symbolic forms—but none were approved by God for veneration. The making of them was a ‘ruinous act,’ the committing of evil in Jehovah’s eyes, a detestable and offensive thing bringing his curse upon those doing so. (De 4:16-19, 23-25; 27:15; Nu 33:52; Isa 40:19, 20; 44:12, 13; Eze 7:20) The decking of them with gold and silver would not make them less disgusting in God’s sight nor prevent their being defiled and discarded as “mere dirt!”—De 7:5, 25; Isa 30:22.\n\nSuch use of images is shown to be inexcusable before God, since it goes contrary to all reason and intelligence and betrays foolish, empty-headed reasoning as well as a refusal to acknowledge obvious facts. (Isa 44:14-20; Jer 10:14; Ro 1:20-23) The images would prove to be of no benefit; giving no knowledge, guidance, or protection; being speechless, helpless, and lifeless, an eventual cause for shame. (Isa 44:9-11; 45:20; 46:5-7; Hab 2:18-20) Jehovah’s prophetic declarations, accurately foretelling future events, thwarted any efforts of the unfaithful Israelites to attribute the outworking of such events to their idolatrous images.—Isa 48:3-7.\n\nDespite God’s clear pronouncements, the Israelites and others foolishly attempted to combine the use of religious images with the worship of the true God, Jehovah. (Ex 32:1-8; 1Ki 12:26-28; 2Ki 17:41; 21:7) A woman in the time of the Judges even sanctified certain silver pieces to Jehovah and then used them in the making of a religious image. (Jg 17:3, 4; 18:14-20, 30, 31) Prior to Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians, detestable religious images had been introduced into the temple area, and one such is described as a “symbol of jealousy,” evidently referring to the incitement of God’s jealousy by giving to an image the praise rightfully belonging to him.—Eze 8:3-12; Ex 20:5.\n\nHowever, certain objects, formed in the image of plants, flowers, animals, and even cherubs, were made at Jehovah’s command and hence were proper. While serving as symbolic representations in connection with God’s worship, they themselves were given no veneration, or worship, as in the matter of prayer or sacrifice.—See IDOL, IDOLATRY.
292846
Religious fanaticism.
363002
“In India, in particular, a symbolic image represents one or another of the ‘divine attributes’, which is called pratika, for it is neither an ‘idol’, nor does it take on any qualities from that thing which it really is, an aid to meditation and a supplementary means toward realization".\n                   -René Guénon (1886-1951)\n\nHuston Smith has said: " It is obtuse to confuse Hinduism’s images with idolatry, and their multiplicity with polytheism. They are 'runways' from which the sense-laden human spirit can rise for its "flight of the alone to the Alone". Even village priest will frequently open their temple ceremonies with the following beloved invocation:\n\n   O Lord, forgive three sins that are due to my human limitations:\n   Thou art everywhere, but I worship you here;\n   Thou art without form, but I worship you in these forms;\n   Thou needest no praise, yet I offer you these prayers and salutations,\n   Lord, forgive three sins that are due to my human limitations.    \n\n(source: The World's Religions - By Huston Smith p. 34).\n\nDiane L. Eck observes: "Hinduism is an imaginative, an "image-making, religious tradition in which the sacred is seen   as present in the visible world – the world we see in multiple images and deities, in sacred  places, and in people. The notion of darsan call attention as students of Hinduism, to the fact that India is a visual and visionary culture. God is eminently visible, although human beings have not always had the refinement of sight to see. Furthermore, the divine is visible not only in temple and shrine, bit also in the whole continuum of life – in nature, in people, in birth and growth and death.\n\nIts all together wrong to think that the images are idols as though the statue itself is being worshipped – they are reminders that the God who dwells in the depth of our souls. Wherever an alter is raised, there is the center of the universe. The world’s axis passes through it, yet no visible alter is no more than a symbol for the one time alter – the human heart and to say the cosmic axis pierces it is to say that it is in direct touch with the infinite. \n\n\nBy the way on what basis western religions including Islam believes god made man in it own image? hinduism declares god has no form so he is every form. but they seem to think god looks like humans .\n\nAdded:\n\n someone  below is trying to convert you now thats funny. \n\njust wanted to tell him i find that story of moses plus other stories too primitive. ya ya heard about him. the man who claimed god gave him messeges. i wonder why god was so shy that he talked to moses only. Why did god not address everybody.  why idolise  dead persons and indulge in social idolatery when you claim to be agaist idols..
424800
I believe religion is fiction.  Emotion shouldn't play a part in it.  There has never been any real evidence that there is a god, the whole point of faith makes that clear.
774484
I'd like to suggest football as a substitute for religion.\nI was watching a recording of Saturday's Match Of The Day on Sunday morning a while back and when I switched the tape off I found myself watching a happy -clappy church service and I noticed the movements of the football fans and the church goers were very similar.\nIt set me to thinking. Huge stadiums that are our society's equivalent of cathedrals. Players who are nigh-on worshipped by fans and, most of all, a fierce tribal loyalty for your own side and equally fierce opposition to others, especially one or two chosen ones, which have their roots in history, often along ethnic lines.\nSo what I'm suggesting is that, for some people, the structure of organised religion is still in place. They've just moved the goalposts.
831686
Bodhidharma was asked what is the fundamental principle of Buddhism and he said, "Vast Emptiness with nothing Holy in in."  Buddhism is not a religion!  To worship Buddha is a mistake, unless you are bowing to the Buddha inside, your true self.  Just as in other religions, people make the mistake of making the founder a God, thereby rendering his message meaningless, for no mere mortal could possibly emulate it.  So with religious objects like incense sticks, altars, etc.  Nothing sacred there.  What is sacred cannot be the product of man's thought.
183392
Absolutely. Religion allows people to "escape" death. Rather than deal with reality, it allows them to live in a childish fantasy world...one where they never really die. Instead they get to live forever with their magical sky daddy.
795146
When a delusion is popular it is called religion.
891287
Again, good point. Religion is the great distraction...
42819
I certainly feel that way. Religion provides people \nwith a sense of comfort in dealing with all the difficulties in life. As Karl Marx first said "Religion is the opium of the masses". Opium is a highly addicitve heroin-like substance that is a pain-killer and mood enhancer.
853259
I would argue that even athism is a 'religion' -- a set of beliefs that guides their actions, and are no less miltant than most other sects of 'believers'.   I think that our 'religiosity' is ingrained, we seek to make sense of our world (even if it's: the world makes no sense), it gives us a kind of security.
634593
yes,Sport is above all religion
974377
none.... religious movements are all politically motivated
177865
There is a catagory for that. It's under "society & culture", then click on "Religion & Spirituality".
668264
You are correct, one can be religious, or one can walk in the spirit.  Religion is carnal indulgence.
937621
Not really.\n\nMost religions use an external belief in a 'God' or 'Jesus' to develop love and morality in their minds.\n\nBuddhists believe it is up to the individual to develop these traits. That's why Buddhism is sometimes called 'mind training' or a philosophy and not a religion.