I mean, if you believe all of the details such as the age of the earth etc, doesn't that detract from appreciating the bible as a cultural artifact in itself? I am an atheist and I love sacred art - eg of the renaissance - but surely fundamentalists miss out on the joys of seeing allegory, fable and the like played out in wondrous works of art?.......
2006-12-28 04:51:38 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, if anything it enhances appreciation, but of course artistic value does remain secondary to the truth conveyed.
Fundamentalists, as you call them, and radicalists see more, far more, in allegory, shadow and type, in pictures and pointings, examples and parallels than even the artistically inclined. That very "ability" helps to convince and assure of the bald, literal truth. Only God could achieve such wonderful allusions and pictures, examples and descriptions, both poetic and prosaic, interwoven in such a concise simple and literal account.
Before I was converted, some years after I had left school I found Shakespeare to be such a fine and rich work of art with his descriptions and allusions but after conversion I have found the Bible to be superior by far.
2006-12-28 05:11:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The literal, the allegoric, the artistic, the historic and the mind-blowing symbolic are all part and parcel of the literature that is the Bible (and could we have a capital 'B', please, as Bible is a title for a collection of smaller books? Thank you.)
Jesus was master of the parable (e.g. the good Samaritan; the lost coin) which taught people truths based on real-life things; they could relate easily to the story because it was not far-fetched make-believe. It was not a fable. An allegory is different also because it is based on historic events / people. I'm doing an essay for my theology course - "Paul's Allegory in Galatians 4:21-31". Unless there had been the historic characters Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael etc, and actual locations such as Sinai and Jerusalem, and an actual law given by Moses, there could be no allegory. So the cultural truths at back of biblical statements must be grasped before the 'higher' aspects can be appreciated. So with the artistic qualities inherent in the talents of the various writers; only once these things are brought into the equation does the book live. You might call me a fundamentalist (even though I'm not concerned about the age of the earth) and I certainly find great joy in biblical artistry, be that in use of words, ideas, or visual arts.
I'm so glad you appreciate sacred art and hope that leads you on to delve more deeply into the words, and truths, at back of it all.
2006-12-28 06:52:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You make a good point. The bible is filled with some of the most beautiful poetry ever written. The Psalms. The Song of Solomon. In this, it is a wondrous work of art. Also...
The brilliance behind the creation of the mythologies present in the work is also awe inspiring. If only fundamentalists could read between the lines.
2006-12-28 04:58:45 · answer #3 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great Question. I too tremendously enjoy the religious art from the Renaissance period, and I too am an Atheist.... I do think they miss out on the opportunity to enjoy this book as what it really is - a book of fables...
Im actually reading an interesting book right now on how the Comic superheroes relate to the story of Jesus.... very intersting stuff. Many similarities - including the fact that ALL superheroes are fictional - including the greatest superhero of all - GOD.
2006-12-28 04:57:21 · answer #4 · answered by YDoncha_Blowme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i agree, but the funny thing that gets me is most people take it differently some say most events in the bible are metaphors to show for something, and then people believe it word for word, and it cant possibly be true for the fact the bible states the earth is around like 7,000 years old or w/e but its a scientific fact the earth has been here for 5 billion years. and im like you i love ancient times and they way things were done, the clothes they had, and they way they lived i look at the bible in the aspect that it would be awesome to experience life back then for a day. but everything in it is false!
2006-12-28 04:56:08 · answer #5 · answered by ~*cRaCkNeSs*~ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The activities defined happened (meant happened) one in each of those long term in the past that it may be superb if any record attaining us had very lots unchanged over the centuries. So it style of feels fairly unlikely that the easily activities as defined are defined with any accuracy. and clearly a number of them probably in no way happened in spite of everything (the quite a few myths of creation, the patriarchal historic past, etc.) however, interior the Biblical textual content cloth, i'm confident there's an excellent form of authentic memory of something, and for that reason the entire ingredient is worth of a 2nd look. case in point, the main suitable factor of Israelite historic past is they have been free of slavery, wandered interior the desolate tract for a time, and then popular a native land. I place some credence in this tale, by using fact one would not make those products up. Being descended from slaves isn't something to boast approximately to day, and all of us comprehend it replaced into no longer in those days, by using fact we've present day bills of writers ridiculing Judaism and Christianity as slaves' faith, as though being a faith adhered to via slaves directly made it unworthy of extra communicate. Now the historic stuff is unimportant besides, by using fact it has no longer something by any skill to do with us, however the training approximately a thank you to stay one's existence are in many circumstances very desirable immediately. in actuality, there are a number of putative Christians who do no longer likely have faith in any respect interior the Risen Lord, yet in many circumstances study the Bible for its expertise in a thank you to stay one's existence. in case you throw out the historic past stuff, the the rest stuff is amazingly superb in its point of perception, completely brushing off the question of whether you have faith in God or no longer.
2016-10-19 02:23:47 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry but that isn't the point of the Bible at all. It is just like looking at the wrapping of a gift, but ignoring what's inside. It is more beautiful when people come to believe something that the world deems are "fairy tales" and these people have a deeper love for God.
2006-12-28 04:57:23 · answer #7 · answered by Michael C 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ironic aint it.. the theory of evolution says everything came about through copying errors... but enough already on evolution, the emporers new clothes of the 21st century
Literally does not mean wooden literalism
it ioriginally it mean 'in the sense of the literature'
as a hearer would generally take it.
the Bible is true in the sense intended and claimed
and one of the claims is the sciptures cannot fail (infallibility) and without error (inerrant)
2006-12-28 04:59:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can only appreciate Art if you believe it to be so. The Bible is a support and belief system, whose adherents are interested only in what THEY will get from it for free. Historical research and appreciation are rarely of any importance when you already posses the `truth` of a subject.
2006-12-28 04:59:56 · answer #9 · answered by ED SNOW 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I fully agree with you. Some of my favorite art stems from issues in the 13th and 14th centuries. My coffee cups have works on them (my favorite cups), my wallpaper on my computer is a copy of Romans on parchment, it just amazes me the history behind religion, people's actions, and the art that has been produced because of it.
I don't believe any of it at all, but that just makes it all the better!
2006-12-28 04:57:01 · answer #10 · answered by Concerned 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋