1) Christianity and Hinduism make use of art at every level of religious devotio
ID: 3501190 • Letter: 1
Question
1) Christianity and Hinduism make use of art at every level of religious devotion. Judaism and Islam, on the other hand, are suspicious, even opposed to the use of images and other art forms. In your opinion, is concrete artistic expression - and the rituals and rites that go along with religious art - necessary given human nature? Is it just as logical to keep religion in the realm of the abstract without any tangible expressions. Weigh in on this issue based on your personal experience and what you've learned about in this course.
2)
Religion and science can combine to create some thorny questions: Does God exist outside the human mind, or is God a creation of our brains. Why do we have faith in things that we cannot prove, whether it's the afterlife or UFO's? Dr. Andrew Newberg, an author of several books on spirituality and the brain. Newberg states, "the brain is a believing machine because it has to be. Beliefs affect every part of our lives. They make us who we are. They are the essence of our being." Newberg says spirituality and belief don't have to equate to religious faith. He says, "The feelings of enlightenment and well-being some derive from religion can come to others through artistic expression, non-religious meditation, watching a beautiful sunset or listening to stirring music." Atheists have belief systems, according to Newberg. One of his studies looked at the brains of Tibetan buddhists in meditation and Franciscan nuns in prayer, then compared the results to their baseline brain activity levels. Both groups showed decreased activity in the parts of the brain that have to do with sense of self and spatial orientation--which suggests the description of oneness with God, of transcendence sometimes experienced in meditation or prayer.
Can religion and science come together in the brain...post your views with an example for explaining your view.
Explanation / Answer
1) The existance of God is the most unsolved mystery of the universe. There are many views which are in favour or against to the existance of God. Some believe that God exists in each atom of this universe and may be out of the universe and some believe He is in our heart and some believe that He does not exist at all. Though no one ever saw Him but many claim that He must be like this or that. Some say he is like us and some say he is just a point of light. We can only keep on guessing what He might be or how He might be.
But yes, in religions we find some idea about some of the questions, which may be right or wrong. It's upto our belief system or our intelligence that we accept those ideas or not. There are a number of religions which explain us the existance of God. Its our own Choice or may be our upbringing that let us search His existance in its own way. Some of the religions are Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Now we take their example of searching the existance of God.
In Hinduism and Christianity there has been use of art in each level. The reason behind it may be to connect with the ultimate easily. In this concrete world we can not connect with the abstract easily or we can be distracted with other things around us very easily, but if we have something concrete to look at we may concentrate easily. There are also so many stories in these religions which keep us intact in worship and we get inspired and feel connected to God because of it.
On the other hand Judaism and islam oppose this view of using images or art. It may have the idea of God as a point of light or flame. According to this idea God can not be explained in the form of human images or art. He is infinite and only can be understood with a faith on Him. He is beyond the imagination, so how can human beings can portrey Him.
Now, we go ahead to the question : is concrete artistic expression - and the rituals and rites that go along with religious art - necessary given human nature? This question can be answered in two ways .....One is Yes ! God can be given or represented in concrete artistic expression, because this way we can feel connected to Him and then only we will try to achieve Him ( as in religion the main idea is to achieve the God or to immerge in Him). If we will not feel any connection with Him how will we ever try to achieve Him. This art only helps to make a bridge between us and also makes us believe that He is with us and like us.
...The other is No ! When we think that He is like us we may take Him for granted. Then the real idea behind the religion may lost and only orthodox thinking keeps on spreading around and we start to have many blind faith and superstitions. The abstract feeling behind it gets damage. Only the art work keeps alive and the main idea dies behind it.
So it can be said that untill or unless the art work becomes only a medium to connnect us with the ultimate it is acceptable but when it is a piece of art which we have to worship to follow the rituals then the main idea behind it gets lost somewhere. Anything that keeps us in His contact or makes us remember the ultimate (be it a lamp, a tree or anything else) will be worth it. So,there is no need of any tengible expression as soon as we feel connected with Him and are able to experience His presence.
2)Religion and science seem to be two different banks of a river which can not meet but it is not always true because the river flowing in between is our life and life always touches both of these banks.So this way they always meet. Dr Abdul Kalam once said "Science does not take us away from God but on the contrary it takes us nearer to Him as with the help of science we can explore His creations more deeply and admire Him." When religion is not only limited to the rituals and flows from one's heart it becomes spirituality. That's why it is said that ' when religion ends spirituality begins'. Thus,to my view religion and science can come together in the brain as religion raises questions inour existance and science gives us answer of those unsolved questions logically. Religion also tells that in every person there is God and all are same which guides our scientific knowledge and therefore, these both streams make a good combination and it becomes a boon to humanity and mankind.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.