Art, Worship and the JWs

by Sirona 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sirona

  Diamondblue,

  one of the highlights was Gaudi's unfinished catherdral; the building is amazing and is one hell of a piece of architecture; I cannot believe we were all taught that these buildings were evil and that we should 'beware of wolves appearing in sheeps clothing'.

  I haven't seen it, but would love to. I think the thing is that if you can at least accept other people's faith (with respect) then you can appreciate the architecture and religious symbolism. You don't have to believe in it to appreciate it. This is what the JWs miss - they think that *liking* a church is liking Satan. Overall I do believe in God, and although not Christian I love visiting churches.

  Sirona
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  Sirona

  Do they really not worship? I mean, do you think that they have no worship at all?

  I think that their worship is perhaps the prayers they utter in private. Apart from that, they're serving a publishing company.

  Sirona
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  JAVA

  Thinking about this topic again; it seems the more fundamental a religious group, the less likely they?ll use ritual and religious art in their services. Does anyone know an exception to this observation?
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  AuntieJane

  Training centers, I like that definition. Really good way to describe it~
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  Narkissos

  Nice post Sirona.

  After a few years of WT-only spiritual diet I found myself starving for art, symbolism, ritual, mystery, anything but explicit, univocal, plain, flat and shallow "doctrine" and "reasoning".

  The funny thing is I had to get to Bethel to realise that. There were a few Bethelites keenly interested in art (music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature) and they didn't cringe from religious art. We freely visited churches and cathedrals (which the average JW rarely does).

  After I left I met a similar artless trend in a number of Evangelical churches, especially those influenced by American or English missions (darbyists, "brethren", Pentecostals). In the Evangelical church I attended for some time at least some Bach ("the best thing ever happened to God", according to Cioran) was played and sung.
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  jeanniebeanz

  Anything that one can focus on that is not the WTBTS is a threat. For a long time we were not allowed to have art in the KH because it called attention to something other than the speaker and the message. In Redwood Valley, the sisters would frame the societies calendars which used to have lovely paintings in them of Christ's life and ministry, but we were instructed to take them down after a CO took offense. I understand that has changed in some circles though?

  Good Thread.

  Jean