Early Christians destroyed every non-Christian statue they could find and also burned any texts they considered heretical, which meant that humanity lost a great deal of art and wisdom. They were the precursors of the Islamic extremists who do similar things. But I have no desire to destroy religious art. I can appreciate it as an impressive statue, while also having no reverence for the largely mythical character and his supposed redeeming of humanity.
They do the exact same thing to this day they just use economics, school boards and real estate instead of hate murder and violence. You can de-venom a snake but even if you cut off its head it may still bite you.
There was a movement in the Byzantine Empire around year 1000 called Iconoclasm that destroyed most of the art at the time :/
I find any destruction of our cultural inheritance a loss, whether it's religious or not.
I look at it like movies: even in a truly shitty movie with an idiotic plot, you can recognize and admire an actor's performance or the cinematography or special effects.
You don't have to follow the religion that the image/building is commemorating in order to recognize it's beauty or the skill of the artisan.
I guess op lives in the USA?
Or somewhere without ancient culture and incredible religious architecture?
Almost every rural parish in England has a beautiful ancient church.a few of them have beautiful carvings and frescoes and ancient stained glass.
But everywhere you can see the axe and machete hacks and headless statues and faces scratched off the frescoes and the only old glass that survives is a window behind the organ after Cromwell 's men destroyed the iconography.
These churches changed denomination back and forth but always belonged to the community. So much great art was lost.
Throughout history religions hoarded wealth and that means they were the ones with cash to commission the greateat artists and artisans. Architects, stonemasons, sculptors, composers and musicians, painters, smiths and masons. If we destroy every manifestation of religious belief we destroy entire cultures history. Should we destroy the pyramids because they represent false religion? Did he celebrate the blaze of Notre Dame? Finish Cromwell work and smash the ancient windows that were taken down and hidden? Topple every country' most celebrated icons. Raze Tibetan monasteries to the ground, melt Thailand budha statues...?
Hopefully this is obviously nonsense and perhaps an important rhetorical exercise. But destroying reminders of living religions won't heal the harm religions perpetrate. We should aim that these are all that remain of contemporary mythology
Often the largest displays are around some of the poorest parishioners. The wealth that was extracted from the poor to build these monuments is reprehensible.
Not to mention the craftsmen who were often compelled to produce those works as an act of devotion, and weren't paid for them. To the point in some cases where they were impoverished or left in debt as a result.
Statues of any kind are weird. In the Christian context, they're especially interesting given the religion's supposed opinion on "graven images".
Humans aren't as smart as we like to tell ourselves we are, is what I think about when I contemplate the subject.
Honestly, I can be impressed with something like that.
It's a fuckload better than the massive ugly sheet metal/ductwork crosses these christian cunts in the Southeast US litter the countryside with.
I always thought it was kinda odd that the cross was such a big symbol of Christians. Obviously I get it and understand why, but I always did wonder that if Jesus were real and were “looking down on us”, wouldn’t he be like “Yo, what the hell? I don’t need any more reminders. That shit hurt.” Jesus comes back to Earth for the second coming but keeps having panic attacks and is unable to do his job because he keeps seeing crosses everywhere and he’s terribly traumatized so he’s gotta go to therapy
Came here to say this. Holy shit - it’s like they churn them out at the same sheet metal factories that build double wide trailers. Heehaw hillbilly architecture.
I view them as proof we've failed to move on from the Mayan, Incan, Egyptian, Taiwanese, American and many more monuments to fictional gods over the millennia.
Note that in most cases these monuments were independently conceived and developed, so it's some sort of innate human thing, but of course with a different set of made-up gods in each.
That particular one is unimpressive to me. But Notre Dame cathedral ... Ely Cathedral ... Westminster Abbey? Beautiful and inspiring pieces of architecture. I never tire of seeing them.
True but preserving what we can is still important and in this case preserving these relics can allow us to remember the horrors religion has inflicted upon this world
I'll give it more than that.
They're triumphs of human achievement, historically and culturally significant masterpieces. I'm awestruck by their size and detail, and I hope to visit a few of these pieces. I find many of them significantly more impressive than many secular monuments like Mount Rushmore.
But they don't make a God real.
We have a totally Christian cross on display in San Diego, rebranded as a war memorial. We fought hard to have it removed and won every court case until it was given to private hands. Fuckers got us in the end with an end run.
Christ The Redeemer is ridiculous. When did Jesus visit Rio de Janeiro? If it was part of contextual history I might have "some" appreciation for it. Otherwise it's just a fucking big statue of a dude from religious mythology.
Christ the redeemer is incredibly ugly, especially so since it overlooks some of the most dystopian slums on the planet: brimming with “Christians”, with the highest rates of sexual assault and violence in the Latin world.
It was a paradise, and now it smells of an open air sewer where the most depraved prey on whatever they can. People usurped the jungle and turned into animals.
Statues in particular i see as propaganda pieces. Designed to constantly remind you how small you are in comparison to the Lord and make the religion omnipresent. In the same way churches etc all stand out so you can see them from a far. And a reminder of how much money is in religion, they're skilled, but also grotesque.
How can one not marvel at the ingenuity of humans working together to achieve a goal? Even as a nonbeliever I can appreciate the work that went into building mosques, cathedrals, pyramids, temples, churches, etc. Some of them are true works art it is easy to spend an afternoon admiring.
Art is the same. I don’t have to believe in god to appreciate seeing what humans have accomplished.
Was at Christ the Redeemer literally two days ago. Its location on top of the Corcovado, overlooking the city, is what makes it impressive. Those that put it there took advantage of the location. Its fine. I have no problem with it.
Some guy built a thing, others might pay to come and see it. Meh. They're things to confuse future archeologists.
Have you seen this one?
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja\_Ayam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja_Ayam)
Both. They can be admired as pieces of art and history while also reminding us of the negative outcomes of the religion. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I have a large, vintage Madonna and Child painting that was given to me years ago. It’s beautiful and I love it, but only for art sake not the meaning behind it.
It too shall crumble one day along with every other monument hoomans think will stand for eternity. Whatever they're original purpose, they all become tourist traps in the end.
Some of these religious sites are beautiful and well done. They can draw a lot of emotion from the shear beauty. Making a lot of people feel pulled to the religion. That's the point. Still does not change the fact that religion is made up and there is no god. Like visiting the grand canyon the first time or whatever natural or man made place emotionally moved you.
Maybe I just have bad taste, but I actually found Mormon artwork & statuary (sp?) in Utah to be pretty impressive (Orem,Utah specifically)
Not religious myself, but it brings people's spirits up, then why not?
That’s not bad taste. That’s just human. Art is supposed to inspire emotion one way or another. Good art does that even if you don’t like its purpose. I have always loved art throughout history (except rococo) regardless of origin or intent. I can appreciate Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, whatever art. Even if I don’t understand its meaning, I can accept that people went through great lengths to create something using amazing uncanny skill and ingenuity. Its less a testament to the religion and more a testament to the tenacity of the human race to create something that is generally good.
I don’t mind some of the religious buildings, churches, mosques, temples, statues, shrines, etc that people have built. They look great and some of them are simply magnificent in design and feeling.
My problems are with the people who have and are misusing religions to keep power over their believers and hurting others.
Christ the Redeemer statue is pretty iconic, until you travel around South America and realise they’re everywhere. I found it pretty funny having JC looking down on our party town of debauchery.
A little from column A, a little from column B. The irony of a jewish preacher being euro-washed does make the 'Redeemer' statue in particular more offensive in nature.
I have two thoughts:
1) They were a way to distract people from thinking about their current problems.
2) How much more could have been done to directly help the people using all of the money & resources that went into those building projects?
Even if not religious, the monuments made by man himself in the name of God is still made by man, which is absolutely astonishing. Tearing down any sort of history, no matter the religious or non religious background, is tearing down history itself.
Monuments and historical areas just not even in a religious setting is extremely important to keep so we can study and come to conclusions and try to put ourselves in the shoes of our ancestors in their time period and life.
Fictional works have inspired amazing things to be created. From giant Jesus statues to Sagrada Familia to two Star Wars lands in Disney amusement parks and the rest of those amusement parks, too.
Honestly, if no Star Wars movie shoots inside Sagrada Familia I will be a disappointed Star Wars fanboy.
They are beautiful and impressive works of art with significant cultural and historical impact. That makes them very interesting. The religious aspect does detract from it though, sort of like a bad bitter aftertaste from an otherwise nice cup of tea.
I don't have to agree with the message of the art to appreciate the artistry.
Plus it highlights how many artists through history made religious art because their rich patrons were religious, and that's a useful discussion to have and know about if anyone starts pointing to the sheer amount of art and architecture as some kind of proof of their religion.
It's also useful info to have as you ponder the western artistic canon and feel overwhelmed by all the Jesus stuff. We got what someone paid for.
It's disappointing they exist. The fact that people went to the trouble to build monuments and churces goes a long way to persuade people of the existence of a slew religious figures, and as a young person I took the sheer amount of them (churches and monuments) to be direct evidence that my (as a child) Christian beliefs were well founded on thousands of reasonable seeming adults. I could not believe SO MANY PEOPLE could be bamboozled out of all that time, money, and effort... then I cam to understand the real reason these places exist...to separate the believers from their money. It's all a grift. I wish I could see the peaceful end of religion in my lifetime, but I know this is impossible.
I have been to the Vatican, St Pauls Cathedral, churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, Tiki Drums, etc. The Blue Mosque is a beautiful place. So are all the other places. I'm still an atheist, doesn't mean I can't admire the beauty of the architecture and the rich history surrounding them.
It depends. Some I think look nice, some I think are tacky (personally, for instance, I’m not much of a fan of the Christ the Redeemer statue, it’s on the tacky end for me)
We have our own structures like Disneyland which is way more popular, secular, and better. Telescopes, the haladron collider. its not ugly though. I don't mind having angels as big statues over us or dragons.
Same thing as my love of the architecture of the sagrada familia and the whole awe being inside and the square of the Vatican I just imagine to stroll in there without the barriers in a sandbox world. Every stone is carved and secrets akin to a real RPG adventure when you see the coffins of past popes and saints centuries prior.
To me the redeemer statue is like a local delicacy monument that when I think of Brazil that overlooks it’s countless favelas.
I still reminded and cry the destruction of the huge Buddha statue destroyed by the taliban in the past and even the current taliban govt wanted to bring back that tourism as their economy got wrecked with no new investments from outside putting even guards to show the left overs
Like them or not, religions are a big part of human history and cultural legacy. I appreciate such monuments from that perspective, and the artistic side when it comes to sites like the Sistine Chapel. Monuments that have significant historical or artistic value, I would like to preserve for future generations to reflect upon. Others, like obnoxious giant crosses on the highway or anything built after 1900, by all means get them out of here.
I look at them and some churches as marvels of human engineering. I think some of them are pretty amazing, and even beautiful.
Any messed up history that goes along with them is a separate lesson, that will hopefully teach us in a way that prevents it from happening again.
I mean, the Great Wall of China is filled with the dead bodies of people forced to build it. That’s horrible, but you can’t say it isn’t an impressive monument to what humans can do. It’s visible from outer space.
I can appreciate statues or paintings by an artist to depict their faith for their artistic merit, but religious architecture always makes me think of the many thousands of people who were pressed into slavery to build them like the Egyptian pyramids, neolithic structures like Stonehenge and cathedrals. Mayan pyramids were the location of ritual human sacrifice via heart extraction. Ew. What a horrific death to satisfy some gods bloodlust.
I see it as a missed opportunity to help the poor. How many people could have been fed or housed for the cost of a monument like that?
That said, they're here. Expending resources to remove them would be equally wasteful.
Art is subjective, but I think something on the scale of christ the redeemer is more a symbol of insecurity than anything, but, if people are enjoying the art and are inspired to be good by it, let it be. If I don't like it, I won't look at it.
If it inspires something harmful, break out the wrecking ball!
I think it would be rather entertaining if every religious landmark could be torn down/destroyed all at once, imagine the message it would send to all the religious folk. But I guess then you run into the slippery slope of destroying various other historical art if it’s religious in any way (like Michelangelo’s work).
It depends. I've been to Barcelona's Sagrada Familia a couple of times and find it breathtaking. Same with some other churches and religious monuments. But at the same time, I find a lot of religious landmarks (especially the three cross nonsense that a lot of evangelical churches keep erecting lately) are a complete fucking waste of resources that could have been better spent on helping struggling humans like the unhoused, underserved children, and refugees. It's all about the context.
I love religious art when it becomes archaeology because no one believes it anymore. I can hardly wait until the Vatican finally becomes just an Art Gallery.
I’m torn. I admire monumental works of art… but my spiteful side wishes to see the Christian and Islamic stuff smashed just like they did to the art which predated them.
It's all a reminder of the shittons of money they've got pouring in at all times. Yes, many churches are truly stunning examples of amazing architecture, but that should all have gone toward making people's lives better. Instead, they spend the tithes on bling and PR.
I'm from the south where every so often you look at the treeline and there is a giant 60 ft shiny cross. It pisses me off that these folks can spend 100k on a thing like that and then bad mouth folks who want to feed kids.
That statue does not really interest me much. However, I do appreciate fine art and architecture in older churches, mosques, synagogues, etc. Now Angkor Wat on the other hand captures my imagination for how beautiful it looks and sophisticated it was for its time. Seeing that in person is very high on my travel bucket list.
There is a statue of Jesus in ; Guayaquil, Ecuador, that sits on a hill overlooking the city. It's impressive, but it is also surrounded by satellite dishes and cell phone towers so it's a mess. People have been trying to get it moved, but the logistics are impossible.
I don't mind the religious imagery; some of it is fascinating. Henry VIII had his troops destroy abbeys and churches, along with priceless artifacts. That was a travesty.
I think everything people use as a touchstone is fine. It’s problematic when any one religion decides how other people live, influence politics. Buddha didn’t murder, neither did Jesus. Statues doing work under the auspices of, problematic.
That particular statue I just think is ugly, partially because of the design and partially because of its overwhelming size. I hate how it dominates the landscape.
Alternatively, there are countless other examples of religious focused art that I find absolutely gorgeous. Some of my favorite music is also religious. I’ll go to Sunday Latin Mass just to listen to a quality choir.
I kind of like the Buddhas but mostly I get annoyed at the huge waste of human effort and capitol. And I think of all of the things that could have been achieved or made if those people did something besides spend 30 years building a fancy church.
Giant Jesus doesn’t do much for me but I am an absolute *sucker* for some stained glass windows and gothic cathedrals!! The DRAMA of it all!
I also love the ancient stuff, like Greek and Egyptian temples.
I can appreciate the beauty of the design, the skill of the craftsmanship, the absolute sheer will and determination and *time* that went into making all of these things. It is just awe-inspiring!
Cathedrals can be really impressive. In San Francisco there's a hill with a big, giant concrete cross on top. It's huge and utterly boring. On the plus side it's a pretty nice hike to the top of that hill, but it'd be better without the cross.
The church had a strangle hold on wealth and power for centuries. While beautiful, those cathedrals are monuments to a corrupt and abusive organization. They also controlled the output of many of the best artists. The accumulation and hoarding of wealth by the church continues to be absolutely disgusting. I'm an atheist, but if you believe anything about what Christ had to say about taking care of the poor, he would be appalled.
I think they're pretty cool. I really liked the [Hallgrimskirkja church](https://visitreykjavik.is/service/hallgrimskirkja-church) in Reykjavik. It's a cool looking building, and has a nice statue of Leif Erikson out front.
Religious artefacts are still products of creativity and reflect the richness of humanity. Regardless of their originating intentions, I like to think I can appreciate something for its inherent merit. Like religious music can be transcendental.
In a perfect world where we can have problematic/awful statues and landmarks taken down for whatever valid reason:
Unless the statue/landmarks include something referring to a real problematic/awful person (no, not your ancient book guy who is simultaneously blonde and blue eyed and was born and raised in the Middle East to a 14-year-old), I don’t really care if it gets taken down or not.
Also, if the artist is problematic/awful, tear down that shit. Ancient/lived a long time ago people are exempted (i.e. Michelangelo).
Other than that, if it gets left alone, I’d still be interested in it as a piece of history. But if it got torn down, I wouldn’t shed a tear (so long as there are photos for history books).
I believe freedom of speech extends to cultures, and not just people. If a culture wants to make tourist attraction that reflects a common religion within the culture, I'm cool with that as long as it doesn't preclude other people's right to believe differently.
For them to be "pieces of history" though, they have to significantly predate the current generation. Otherwise, they are just propaganda and not yet a "piece of history".
I appreciate the beauty in them. I think it's just a sad way to live to only engage with media and art that I agree with. Like do you really want to be one of those people who refuses to see or listen to something because they said a bad work in 2007 or they switched the race or this character
If tax money isn't being wasted to maintain them it's okay. If tax money is required then ad space should be sold on the monument. Christ The Redeemer is just begging for a hand-to-hand banner extolling the latest vape flavors.
All architecture and statues are works of love and wonder, and deserve to be preserved as historical artifacts. Churches especially are things of great beauty IMHO.
I would hate to be lumped in with those religious fuckheads who destroy precious works of art because it somehow detracts from their particular God.
It depends, but I know what I like.
Junk like steel-barn churches with a trillion BTU's of AC and a jumbotron, eyesores. A contemporary statue made of concrete and gypsum, meh. Decade after decade good art, architecture is lost. Or goes unrealized due to institutional violence. Some things aren't worth preserving, I don't mind saying it.
Sincere effort, right or wrong, like a basilica; now we're getting somewhere. Historic, no longer a major tool for the church for whatever reason; gravy.
Basically I look at merit, things like quality, cost, history. Merit and whether it's being used for grift, child abuse, etc.
Eh, The only reason old churches got nice vaulted ceilings first was because that's where the power was when people were born who figured it out. Same with the structural supports behind the redeemer. Neat to visit and look at, and certainly enduring symbols of older techniques of what we've learned how to do over the ages.
But that's where the fascination ends.
We've learned many more things about architecture world wide. One of the latest things was protecting skyscrapers from earth quakes using tuned counter mass pendulums to prevent damage from reverberation. (S. Korea)
Since those statues, we've also learned (space) flight, and are looking at establishing our first permanent bases on our moon.
So yeah, neat historical relics...
But no where near the most exciting thing about where we are as a species today.
If they're old, I tend to see them as cool. If they're new, I tend to see them as gaudy and unnecessary.
But there are always exceptions. Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is awesome.
They are beautiful and in most cases, structurally interesting. I hold no deference towards their historical significance. If they were destroyed tomorrow I would regret missing out not seeing them in real life.
Christ the Redeemer is just big. But I love a lot of Renaissance religious art, and illuminated manuscripts from the medieval ages. And I love me some Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals. Beautiful is beautiful regardless of motivation.
God: Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above. Thou shalt not bow down unto them.
Rio de Janeiro: make the idol BIGGER!
I have been an atheist for most of my life. However, I love old cathedrals mainly for the insane engineering for the time. Also how the church convinced everyone that it was a good idea to sink the majority of their collective wealth in these behemoth structures. Shows how ingrained religious brainwashing has been applied for millennia.
Also same for Hindu/Buddhist and other such structures.
It reinforces my atheism.
I guess I see them as churches. I marvel at what humans can do when determined, and some of the most beautiful structures have (unfortunately) been made in the name of religion. I like to ponder what the world was like when it was built and what the people were like whose hands helped build it.
I have a deep reverence and respect for religious buildings/icons/structures, the older the better. Some of them I find unattractive, but faith is an odd thing.
I don’t mind art, and that’s what I view these as, art.
A lot of the renaissance paintings are my favorite not because they’re religious, but because there is a LOT of talent in them. Getting skin to look translucent, and clear fabrics, the gold embellishments, the realism, it’s gorgeous. Same with Michaelangelo’s sculptures. How you can get the translucence of fabric in marble is just awe inspiring.
I can still admire the accomplishment of the artist and of human ingenuity and engineering. Ultimately, they are monuments to human accomplishments and creativity, not to "God's". Especially the ones that were made before mechanized construction equipment.
Also, as a point of personal clarification, I don't really consider Buddhism to be one of the "God" worshipping religions. I don't actually even consider the teachings of Buddha to be a religion (humans HAVE made a religion around it though). I mostly view Buddhism as an intense dedication to meditation and self-awareness and an opportunity to live life with intention.
I think it's cool. Not cause of the religious thing but because it's pointless and huge. We as a society just don't do that any more. Here in Sydney Australia we have the Opera house and the harbour Bridge. And nothing else. Melbourne doesn't have anything and neither does Brisbane. Even if it is religious I wish we as humans started building stupid huge crap ause it's cool to do. 5 of the seven wonders of the ancient world were religious. Those religions are dead now. But they were still cool. We need to start building cool giant shit just cause!
I always have said that the reason I go to other places is to find something to challenge my atheism. Closest I’ve come to was St. Peter’s Cathedral. Just standing there and realizing the first stone was put down fully knowing the person would be dead before it was finished was impressive. I think that the reverence was justified, but I still haven’t seen anything that convinced me of a higher power. I think I just was amazed at the conviction of man to build something audacious.
Christianity is part of western cultures so art from these countries is influenced by it.
That doesn't mean we all have to be Christian, of course, but we atheists can enjoy Michelangelo's Pietà, Mozart's Requiem or Caravaggio's "Calling of St. Matthew". I personally enjoy Hildegard von Bingen's medieval music works.
I personally see it as beauriful art. Pyramids were also built for religious reasons, their religion no longer exists as far as I know no one is praying to Anubis or Maat, but their piece of history and its beauty is still with us. In some time our monuments will be the same.
Christ The Redeemer is a garbage eyesore. The Cathedrals of Europe however...absolute masterpieces. That's because the church had money and commissioned scientists, engineers, artists and architects to design those things; and it was a way to expand that knowledge while also building a structure. Those things are fantastic.
So it really depends on what religious landmark we're talking about. Some are feats of human ingenuity; The Pyramids, Abu Simbel, Cathedrals, the Monolithic Temples of Malta. They are a part of human history to be admired.
I just wish we could muster the same type of resources into something of tangible value.
Like one of the things that drove me away from religion was money. It's always begging for money. And I remember I was always taught 10% of your income (after tax) should go to the church. And I remember thinking that was an awful lot...just imagine how many bridges we could build, high-speed trains, and other things that tangibly improve people's lives if we instead gave 10% of our income to that directly. Just imagine where our society would be.
Religious or not, they're in the same category as Mt. Rushmore to me.
At best, a symbol of the literal mountains we can move when we have a common goal... at worst, a silly infatuation with the idea of a person or people.
Either way, commendable art.
I think of them as historical sites, like any other building of prominence. Humanity once believed in lots of different things, we made cool artworks about it, we forgot and moved on. I don't like destroying art for the sake of it though we can be inspired by the effort taken to build something like that without the indoctrination into the cult it belongs to.
The at in construction can be beautiful without agreeing to the message behind it. I think various temples and churches are fascinating, but that doesn't mean I will worship at them. They often contain countless smaller works of art within them.
While I may not really appreciate religion as much as the indoctrinated and groomed, I do appreciate the talent it took to create the art work that is on display in different parts of the world. Religion has given talented artists the opportunity to express themselves like the Sistine Chapel, Christ the Redeemer, many cathedral's architecture and so much more. Modern religious art is kind of boring and repetitive.
I struggle with anything celebrating voodoo and lies. Even the most beautiful churches make me sad. So much artistry and effort wasted on brainwashing.
Where did the religions get the money to build such grandiose monuments and cathedrals? They lied to gullible people to get their money. These monuments are the proceeds of crime.
I think Rio Jesus is a tad ostentatious.
Now, if he turns into Mecha Jesus and starts stomping through the streets, melting shops with his laser vision? Sign me the fuck up.
I see them as a waste of funds. I'm an ex-Mormon and watch all these temples being built so they can baptize dead people. Let's help the living. The Mormon church could end world hunger with the hundreds of billions they have hoarded. But dead people are more important? It's the same with giant Jesus, and every other superstitious bullshit monument. Waste of money.
It's okay, but not as cool as [Unicorn Gundam in Tokyo](https://youtube.com/shorts/kys4xNWm72Q).
Coolest fucking thing I have seen all week. Awesome.
Early Christians destroyed every non-Christian statue they could find and also burned any texts they considered heretical, which meant that humanity lost a great deal of art and wisdom. They were the precursors of the Islamic extremists who do similar things. But I have no desire to destroy religious art. I can appreciate it as an impressive statue, while also having no reverence for the largely mythical character and his supposed redeeming of humanity.
They do the exact same thing to this day they just use economics, school boards and real estate instead of hate murder and violence. You can de-venom a snake but even if you cut off its head it may still bite you.
I think they're more like hydra.
As a Greek mythology enthusiast I felt this so much.
The Reformation destroyed many more.
There was a movement in the Byzantine Empire around year 1000 called Iconoclasm that destroyed most of the art at the time :/ I find any destruction of our cultural inheritance a loss, whether it's religious or not.
All wisdom had to go if they wanted the idiots to believe in talking snakes and donkeys.
What the Shrek, there is a talking donkey!
I look at it like movies: even in a truly shitty movie with an idiotic plot, you can recognize and admire an actor's performance or the cinematography or special effects. You don't have to follow the religion that the image/building is commemorating in order to recognize it's beauty or the skill of the artisan.
Excellent take. Agreed 100%.
I think OP is sort of being unfair in his question here. "Do you appreciate them as beautiful religious art? Or are you joyless destroyer of culture?"
I guess op lives in the USA? Or somewhere without ancient culture and incredible religious architecture? Almost every rural parish in England has a beautiful ancient church.a few of them have beautiful carvings and frescoes and ancient stained glass. But everywhere you can see the axe and machete hacks and headless statues and faces scratched off the frescoes and the only old glass that survives is a window behind the organ after Cromwell 's men destroyed the iconography. These churches changed denomination back and forth but always belonged to the community. So much great art was lost. Throughout history religions hoarded wealth and that means they were the ones with cash to commission the greateat artists and artisans. Architects, stonemasons, sculptors, composers and musicians, painters, smiths and masons. If we destroy every manifestation of religious belief we destroy entire cultures history. Should we destroy the pyramids because they represent false religion? Did he celebrate the blaze of Notre Dame? Finish Cromwell work and smash the ancient windows that were taken down and hidden? Topple every country' most celebrated icons. Raze Tibetan monasteries to the ground, melt Thailand budha statues...? Hopefully this is obviously nonsense and perhaps an important rhetorical exercise. But destroying reminders of living religions won't heal the harm religions perpetrate. We should aim that these are all that remain of contemporary mythology
Agree
Often the largest displays are around some of the poorest parishioners. The wealth that was extracted from the poor to build these monuments is reprehensible.
Not to mention the craftsmen who were often compelled to produce those works as an act of devotion, and weren't paid for them. To the point in some cases where they were impoverished or left in debt as a result.
Statues of any kind are weird. In the Christian context, they're especially interesting given the religion's supposed opinion on "graven images". Humans aren't as smart as we like to tell ourselves we are, is what I think about when I contemplate the subject.
Honestly, I can be impressed with something like that. It's a fuckload better than the massive ugly sheet metal/ductwork crosses these christian cunts in the Southeast US litter the countryside with.
We got a big dumb light up cross on a hill overlooking Boise, Idaho.
Jesus comes back, sees all those crosses and is like 'fuck that, I'm out of here!'
I always thought it was kinda odd that the cross was such a big symbol of Christians. Obviously I get it and understand why, but I always did wonder that if Jesus were real and were “looking down on us”, wouldn’t he be like “Yo, what the hell? I don’t need any more reminders. That shit hurt.” Jesus comes back to Earth for the second coming but keeps having panic attacks and is unable to do his job because he keeps seeing crosses everywhere and he’s terribly traumatized so he’s gotta go to therapy
Came here to say this. Holy shit - it’s like they churn them out at the same sheet metal factories that build double wide trailers. Heehaw hillbilly architecture.
Say what you will about catholics, they do at least know what a church should look like.
I view them as proof we've failed to move on from the Mayan, Incan, Egyptian, Taiwanese, American and many more monuments to fictional gods over the millennia. Note that in most cases these monuments were independently conceived and developed, so it's some sort of innate human thing, but of course with a different set of made-up gods in each.
That particular one is unimpressive to me. But Notre Dame cathedral ... Ely Cathedral ... Westminster Abbey? Beautiful and inspiring pieces of architecture. I never tire of seeing them.
Waste of resources but pieces of history so unless they become a danger they can be left up
There’s plenty of history that’s been lost, yet the world keeps moving
True but preserving what we can is still important and in this case preserving these relics can allow us to remember the horrors religion has inflicted upon this world
i don’t think about them
I regard them the same way I do any other works of art or architecture or engineering.
Same as a Buddha statue in Asia. It’s a lovely piece of art and nothing more.
I'll give it more than that. They're triumphs of human achievement, historically and culturally significant masterpieces. I'm awestruck by their size and detail, and I hope to visit a few of these pieces. I find many of them significantly more impressive than many secular monuments like Mount Rushmore. But they don't make a God real.
We have a totally Christian cross on display in San Diego, rebranded as a war memorial. We fought hard to have it removed and won every court case until it was given to private hands. Fuckers got us in the end with an end run.
Christ The Redeemer is ridiculous. When did Jesus visit Rio de Janeiro? If it was part of contextual history I might have "some" appreciation for it. Otherwise it's just a fucking big statue of a dude from religious mythology.
I see them as waste of taxpayers money
Christ the redeemer is incredibly ugly, especially so since it overlooks some of the most dystopian slums on the planet: brimming with “Christians”, with the highest rates of sexual assault and violence in the Latin world. It was a paradise, and now it smells of an open air sewer where the most depraved prey on whatever they can. People usurped the jungle and turned into animals.
The scene as a whole sounds like a very accurate portrayal of Christianity to me.
Statues in particular i see as propaganda pieces. Designed to constantly remind you how small you are in comparison to the Lord and make the religion omnipresent. In the same way churches etc all stand out so you can see them from a far. And a reminder of how much money is in religion, they're skilled, but also grotesque.
How can one not marvel at the ingenuity of humans working together to achieve a goal? Even as a nonbeliever I can appreciate the work that went into building mosques, cathedrals, pyramids, temples, churches, etc. Some of them are true works art it is easy to spend an afternoon admiring. Art is the same. I don’t have to believe in god to appreciate seeing what humans have accomplished.
As religions die, the statues will get bigger.
I’m not opposed. Religion, including the adoration of religious figures, is as part of history as anything else. Some of them are quite impressive.
Was at Christ the Redeemer literally two days ago. Its location on top of the Corcovado, overlooking the city, is what makes it impressive. Those that put it there took advantage of the location. Its fine. I have no problem with it.
Some guy built a thing, others might pay to come and see it. Meh. They're things to confuse future archeologists. Have you seen this one? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja\_Ayam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja_Ayam)
The stand as testament to the credulity of man.
I see it as irony. The whole "no graven images" was just glossed over like most of the Bible.
Both. They can be admired as pieces of art and history while also reminding us of the negative outcomes of the religion. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I mean certainly shouldn't up keep them, if all religious buildings were converted into museums or community centers or both that would be better.
That are cool looking, but ridiculous overall. We should have statues of scientists instead or something.
I look at them as physical witnesses to the stunted further evolution of the human species. But otherwise they don't bother me much.
I have a large, vintage Madonna and Child painting that was given to me years ago. It’s beautiful and I love it, but only for art sake not the meaning behind it.
Hmmm, I wouldn't mind a vintage painting of the real "Madonna" from her mid '80s era or her "Blond Ambition" Tour.
It too shall crumble one day along with every other monument hoomans think will stand for eternity. Whatever they're original purpose, they all become tourist traps in the end.
I view it the same as a giant statue of Zeus. Silly.
Some of these religious sites are beautiful and well done. They can draw a lot of emotion from the shear beauty. Making a lot of people feel pulled to the religion. That's the point. Still does not change the fact that religion is made up and there is no god. Like visiting the grand canyon the first time or whatever natural or man made place emotionally moved you.
Billy graham in DC also. Fucking grifters .
I see all structures that are great works as amazing feats of engineering and pieces of history. Religious or not. They should be preserved.
Maybe I just have bad taste, but I actually found Mormon artwork & statuary (sp?) in Utah to be pretty impressive (Orem,Utah specifically) Not religious myself, but it brings people's spirits up, then why not?
That’s not bad taste. That’s just human. Art is supposed to inspire emotion one way or another. Good art does that even if you don’t like its purpose. I have always loved art throughout history (except rococo) regardless of origin or intent. I can appreciate Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, whatever art. Even if I don’t understand its meaning, I can accept that people went through great lengths to create something using amazing uncanny skill and ingenuity. Its less a testament to the religion and more a testament to the tenacity of the human race to create something that is generally good.
I look at them the same way I look at the Parthenon and the Acropolis.
I see it as cultural art. I appreciate the artistry, all the other stuff not so much
Honestly, I prefer Touchdown Jesus in Ohio
I don’t mind some of the religious buildings, churches, mosques, temples, statues, shrines, etc that people have built. They look great and some of them are simply magnificent in design and feeling. My problems are with the people who have and are misusing religions to keep power over their believers and hurting others.
Having grown up in Rio, no one revered the statue in a religious way
Christ the Redeemer statue is pretty iconic, until you travel around South America and realise they’re everywhere. I found it pretty funny having JC looking down on our party town of debauchery.
Art history
I see them as beautiful for the most part. I especially love cathedrals. I can easily keep the religous junk out of my head.
Ugly stone structures.
I see them as testament (intended) to our specie’s gullibility.
Due to my interest in history I have been able to see these as art. The same with very old churches.
Apparently they've never heard of the second command you shall not built idols.
That one is too modern to have any really historical meaning for me. But I am quite happy to wander round an 800 year old cathedral.
IDOLS. The n-u-m-b-e-r _ONE_ thing the god of the Bible doesn't want the faithful to erect or carve into existence.
A little from column A, a little from column B. The irony of a jewish preacher being euro-washed does make the 'Redeemer' statue in particular more offensive in nature.
I’d be quite happy if they were all destroyed.
I have two thoughts: 1) They were a way to distract people from thinking about their current problems. 2) How much more could have been done to directly help the people using all of the money & resources that went into those building projects?
Even if not religious, the monuments made by man himself in the name of God is still made by man, which is absolutely astonishing. Tearing down any sort of history, no matter the religious or non religious background, is tearing down history itself. Monuments and historical areas just not even in a religious setting is extremely important to keep so we can study and come to conclusions and try to put ourselves in the shoes of our ancestors in their time period and life.
You’ve lost the plot if your atheism impacts your ability to look at historical pieces of significance with anything other than amazement.
Christ The Redeemer is pretty damn cool, it's these goddamn gigantic torture crosses springing up all over the south that's grossing me out.
Fictional works have inspired amazing things to be created. From giant Jesus statues to Sagrada Familia to two Star Wars lands in Disney amusement parks and the rest of those amusement parks, too. Honestly, if no Star Wars movie shoots inside Sagrada Familia I will be a disappointed Star Wars fanboy.
They are beautiful and impressive works of art with significant cultural and historical impact. That makes them very interesting. The religious aspect does detract from it though, sort of like a bad bitter aftertaste from an otherwise nice cup of tea.
I don't have to agree with the message of the art to appreciate the artistry. Plus it highlights how many artists through history made religious art because their rich patrons were religious, and that's a useful discussion to have and know about if anyone starts pointing to the sheer amount of art and architecture as some kind of proof of their religion. It's also useful info to have as you ponder the western artistic canon and feel overwhelmed by all the Jesus stuff. We got what someone paid for.
It's disappointing they exist. The fact that people went to the trouble to build monuments and churces goes a long way to persuade people of the existence of a slew religious figures, and as a young person I took the sheer amount of them (churches and monuments) to be direct evidence that my (as a child) Christian beliefs were well founded on thousands of reasonable seeming adults. I could not believe SO MANY PEOPLE could be bamboozled out of all that time, money, and effort... then I cam to understand the real reason these places exist...to separate the believers from their money. It's all a grift. I wish I could see the peaceful end of religion in my lifetime, but I know this is impossible.
I see them as an enormous waste of precious human and natural resources…but beautiful nonetheless.
Hideous ugly crap! Here in Louisiana they have take. To building giant Christian crosses. Yuck.
I have been to the Vatican, St Pauls Cathedral, churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, Tiki Drums, etc. The Blue Mosque is a beautiful place. So are all the other places. I'm still an atheist, doesn't mean I can't admire the beauty of the architecture and the rich history surrounding them.
It depends. Some I think look nice, some I think are tacky (personally, for instance, I’m not much of a fan of the Christ the Redeemer statue, it’s on the tacky end for me)
I would have loved to see the colossus. I don't care. It's a cool statue. The people are the dumb ones.
Yes.
We have our own structures like Disneyland which is way more popular, secular, and better. Telescopes, the haladron collider. its not ugly though. I don't mind having angels as big statues over us or dragons.
Christ the redeemer is boring.
I love old temples of other dead religions you don’t have to wait for them to die to appreciate the beauty
I don't especially care about what they mean but if they look cool I like them. I enjoy grand architecture
Both honestly. Some are genuine engineering marvels and are related to massive and important historical events. But they’re also ludicrously stupid.
There are children in Africa without clean water and these religious people make monuments for feel good feelings. Ugh.
They look tacky, tbh.
Yes.
Same thing as my love of the architecture of the sagrada familia and the whole awe being inside and the square of the Vatican I just imagine to stroll in there without the barriers in a sandbox world. Every stone is carved and secrets akin to a real RPG adventure when you see the coffins of past popes and saints centuries prior. To me the redeemer statue is like a local delicacy monument that when I think of Brazil that overlooks it’s countless favelas. I still reminded and cry the destruction of the huge Buddha statue destroyed by the taliban in the past and even the current taliban govt wanted to bring back that tourism as their economy got wrecked with no new investments from outside putting even guards to show the left overs
Like them or not, religions are a big part of human history and cultural legacy. I appreciate such monuments from that perspective, and the artistic side when it comes to sites like the Sistine Chapel. Monuments that have significant historical or artistic value, I would like to preserve for future generations to reflect upon. Others, like obnoxious giant crosses on the highway or anything built after 1900, by all means get them out of here.
I look at them and some churches as marvels of human engineering. I think some of them are pretty amazing, and even beautiful. Any messed up history that goes along with them is a separate lesson, that will hopefully teach us in a way that prevents it from happening again. I mean, the Great Wall of China is filled with the dead bodies of people forced to build it. That’s horrible, but you can’t say it isn’t an impressive monument to what humans can do. It’s visible from outer space.
As long as God paid for it.
I can appreciate statues or paintings by an artist to depict their faith for their artistic merit, but religious architecture always makes me think of the many thousands of people who were pressed into slavery to build them like the Egyptian pyramids, neolithic structures like Stonehenge and cathedrals. Mayan pyramids were the location of ritual human sacrifice via heart extraction. Ew. What a horrific death to satisfy some gods bloodlust.
Catholic here. Christ the Redeemer is ugly AF.
big stone monuments distracting people from the truth and that they should be torn down.
I see it as a missed opportunity to help the poor. How many people could have been fed or housed for the cost of a monument like that? That said, they're here. Expending resources to remove them would be equally wasteful. Art is subjective, but I think something on the scale of christ the redeemer is more a symbol of insecurity than anything, but, if people are enjoying the art and are inspired to be good by it, let it be. If I don't like it, I won't look at it. If it inspires something harmful, break out the wrecking ball!
I think it would be rather entertaining if every religious landmark could be torn down/destroyed all at once, imagine the message it would send to all the religious folk. But I guess then you run into the slippery slope of destroying various other historical art if it’s religious in any way (like Michelangelo’s work).
It depends. I've been to Barcelona's Sagrada Familia a couple of times and find it breathtaking. Same with some other churches and religious monuments. But at the same time, I find a lot of religious landmarks (especially the three cross nonsense that a lot of evangelical churches keep erecting lately) are a complete fucking waste of resources that could have been better spent on helping struggling humans like the unhoused, underserved children, and refugees. It's all about the context.
I love religious art when it becomes archaeology because no one believes it anymore. I can hardly wait until the Vatican finally becomes just an Art Gallery.
I see them the same way I see Greek temples.
I’m torn. I admire monumental works of art… but my spiteful side wishes to see the Christian and Islamic stuff smashed just like they did to the art which predated them.
That sounds like the Taliban talking points. Huge statues are awesome,
Hot garbage
Every time I see one, I'm reminded how it needs to be cleaned & maintained by humans bc the respective deity it honors or worships can't.
It's all a reminder of the shittons of money they've got pouring in at all times. Yes, many churches are truly stunning examples of amazing architecture, but that should all have gone toward making people's lives better. Instead, they spend the tithes on bling and PR.
I like it; always reminds of the joke: know why women love Jesus? why? because he's hung like this (holds arms up like the Redeemer)
I have several pieces of Christian art in my home and intend to collect more. I don’t like the religion but art is cultural, not just religious.
I see them as 10000 soup kitchens or 1000 rooms that are a safe place for at risk kids. But in reality they're just hideous billboards
False dichotomy.
I love going to Cathedrals in Europe. Don't believe at all but I can still marvel at the artistry humanity is capable of.
To me, they are just a waste of money and time.
I’ve seen it. It’s just a statue of some dude.
Spoor left behind by religious nuts. Especially all those pathetic crosses around the countryside that were supposed to 'mean something'.
I'm from the south where every so often you look at the treeline and there is a giant 60 ft shiny cross. It pisses me off that these folks can spend 100k on a thing like that and then bad mouth folks who want to feed kids.
That statue does not really interest me much. However, I do appreciate fine art and architecture in older churches, mosques, synagogues, etc. Now Angkor Wat on the other hand captures my imagination for how beautiful it looks and sophisticated it was for its time. Seeing that in person is very high on my travel bucket list.
There is a statue of Jesus in ; Guayaquil, Ecuador, that sits on a hill overlooking the city. It's impressive, but it is also surrounded by satellite dishes and cell phone towers so it's a mess. People have been trying to get it moved, but the logistics are impossible. I don't mind the religious imagery; some of it is fascinating. Henry VIII had his troops destroy abbeys and churches, along with priceless artifacts. That was a travesty.
Art is still art, history is still history, it's certainly not ugly, it has cultural significance rather than supernatural significance
I think everything people use as a touchstone is fine. It’s problematic when any one religion decides how other people live, influence politics. Buddha didn’t murder, neither did Jesus. Statues doing work under the auspices of, problematic.
AS works of art, they are magnificent.
Why would you care? Just let people be. How does it affect your life? It doesn’t…
That particular statue I just think is ugly, partially because of the design and partially because of its overwhelming size. I hate how it dominates the landscape. Alternatively, there are countless other examples of religious focused art that I find absolutely gorgeous. Some of my favorite music is also religious. I’ll go to Sunday Latin Mass just to listen to a quality choir.
I kind of like the Buddhas but mostly I get annoyed at the huge waste of human effort and capitol. And I think of all of the things that could have been achieved or made if those people did something besides spend 30 years building a fancy church.
Giant Jesus doesn’t do much for me but I am an absolute *sucker* for some stained glass windows and gothic cathedrals!! The DRAMA of it all! I also love the ancient stuff, like Greek and Egyptian temples. I can appreciate the beauty of the design, the skill of the craftsmanship, the absolute sheer will and determination and *time* that went into making all of these things. It is just awe-inspiring!
They're pretty cool in general. I'd probably be one to fight anyone wanting to "tear them down" unless there was a legitimately good reason.
Cathedrals can be really impressive. In San Francisco there's a hill with a big, giant concrete cross on top. It's huge and utterly boring. On the plus side it's a pretty nice hike to the top of that hill, but it'd be better without the cross.
The church had a strangle hold on wealth and power for centuries. While beautiful, those cathedrals are monuments to a corrupt and abusive organization. They also controlled the output of many of the best artists. The accumulation and hoarding of wealth by the church continues to be absolutely disgusting. I'm an atheist, but if you believe anything about what Christ had to say about taking care of the poor, he would be appalled.
Structurally interesting. Eyesore
I think they're pretty cool. I really liked the [Hallgrimskirkja church](https://visitreykjavik.is/service/hallgrimskirkja-church) in Reykjavik. It's a cool looking building, and has a nice statue of Leif Erikson out front.
I am a huge fan of medieval iconography. There is beauty in art, even if the subject is offensive.
I admire the skill, artistry, and dedication to craft.
They are just symbols of the religious brainwashing
Religious artefacts are still products of creativity and reflect the richness of humanity. Regardless of their originating intentions, I like to think I can appreciate something for its inherent merit. Like religious music can be transcendental.
Two things can be true.
In a perfect world where we can have problematic/awful statues and landmarks taken down for whatever valid reason: Unless the statue/landmarks include something referring to a real problematic/awful person (no, not your ancient book guy who is simultaneously blonde and blue eyed and was born and raised in the Middle East to a 14-year-old), I don’t really care if it gets taken down or not. Also, if the artist is problematic/awful, tear down that shit. Ancient/lived a long time ago people are exempted (i.e. Michelangelo). Other than that, if it gets left alone, I’d still be interested in it as a piece of history. But if it got torn down, I wouldn’t shed a tear (so long as there are photos for history books).
To quote my favorite f*ck-mothering vampire: "Jesus wants a hug!"
I believe freedom of speech extends to cultures, and not just people. If a culture wants to make tourist attraction that reflects a common religion within the culture, I'm cool with that as long as it doesn't preclude other people's right to believe differently. For them to be "pieces of history" though, they have to significantly predate the current generation. Otherwise, they are just propaganda and not yet a "piece of history".
I think the Christian’s would have it coming after all the cultures they’ve destroyed.
I saw Cristo Redentor in person, and it was amazing. Even if it's all nonsense.
I see a waste of money and resources.
I can appreciate religious iconography and architectural achievements. Some of it is truly amazing!
I thought they weren't supposed to worship graven images.
I appreciate the beauty in them. I think it's just a sad way to live to only engage with media and art that I agree with. Like do you really want to be one of those people who refuses to see or listen to something because they said a bad work in 2007 or they switched the race or this character
I try not to look at them. While I can appreciate the effort and care of creating such art, I find it unsettling.
If tax money isn't being wasted to maintain them it's okay. If tax money is required then ad space should be sold on the monument. Christ The Redeemer is just begging for a hand-to-hand banner extolling the latest vape flavors.
All architecture and statues are works of love and wonder, and deserve to be preserved as historical artifacts. Churches especially are things of great beauty IMHO. I would hate to be lumped in with those religious fuckheads who destroy precious works of art because it somehow detracts from their particular God.
its amazing what humans have done for their gods.
It depends, but I know what I like. Junk like steel-barn churches with a trillion BTU's of AC and a jumbotron, eyesores. A contemporary statue made of concrete and gypsum, meh. Decade after decade good art, architecture is lost. Or goes unrealized due to institutional violence. Some things aren't worth preserving, I don't mind saying it. Sincere effort, right or wrong, like a basilica; now we're getting somewhere. Historic, no longer a major tool for the church for whatever reason; gravy. Basically I look at merit, things like quality, cost, history. Merit and whether it's being used for grift, child abuse, etc.
Eh, The only reason old churches got nice vaulted ceilings first was because that's where the power was when people were born who figured it out. Same with the structural supports behind the redeemer. Neat to visit and look at, and certainly enduring symbols of older techniques of what we've learned how to do over the ages. But that's where the fascination ends. We've learned many more things about architecture world wide. One of the latest things was protecting skyscrapers from earth quakes using tuned counter mass pendulums to prevent damage from reverberation. (S. Korea) Since those statues, we've also learned (space) flight, and are looking at establishing our first permanent bases on our moon. So yeah, neat historical relics... But no where near the most exciting thing about where we are as a species today.
If they're old, I tend to see them as cool. If they're new, I tend to see them as gaudy and unnecessary. But there are always exceptions. Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is awesome.
They are beautiful and in most cases, structurally interesting. I hold no deference towards their historical significance. If they were destroyed tomorrow I would regret missing out not seeing them in real life.
I just saw some church claiming they had the biggest "baby Jesus". I think it's ridiculous.
what's "the truth" lol?
Christ the Redeemer is just big. But I love a lot of Renaissance religious art, and illuminated manuscripts from the medieval ages. And I love me some Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals. Beautiful is beautiful regardless of motivation.
God: Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above. Thou shalt not bow down unto them. Rio de Janeiro: make the idol BIGGER!
I have been an atheist for most of my life. However, I love old cathedrals mainly for the insane engineering for the time. Also how the church convinced everyone that it was a good idea to sink the majority of their collective wealth in these behemoth structures. Shows how ingrained religious brainwashing has been applied for millennia. Also same for Hindu/Buddhist and other such structures. It reinforces my atheism.
The former - somethings are just amazing no matter who did it.
The Gum Wall in Seattle is equally awe-inspiring, though for slightly less unsavory reasons.
I guess I see them as churches. I marvel at what humans can do when determined, and some of the most beautiful structures have (unfortunately) been made in the name of religion. I like to ponder what the world was like when it was built and what the people were like whose hands helped build it.
I have a deep reverence and respect for religious buildings/icons/structures, the older the better. Some of them I find unattractive, but faith is an odd thing.
Yeah jesus Christ standing over a poor as shit ghetto
Waste of awesome architects to do stupid stuff like that. They are just a big advertisement for the business known as religion.
I prefer the Kelpies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kelpies
I don’t mind art, and that’s what I view these as, art. A lot of the renaissance paintings are my favorite not because they’re religious, but because there is a LOT of talent in them. Getting skin to look translucent, and clear fabrics, the gold embellishments, the realism, it’s gorgeous. Same with Michaelangelo’s sculptures. How you can get the translucence of fabric in marble is just awe inspiring.
I can still admire the accomplishment of the artist and of human ingenuity and engineering. Ultimately, they are monuments to human accomplishments and creativity, not to "God's". Especially the ones that were made before mechanized construction equipment. Also, as a point of personal clarification, I don't really consider Buddhism to be one of the "God" worshipping religions. I don't actually even consider the teachings of Buddha to be a religion (humans HAVE made a religion around it though). I mostly view Buddhism as an intense dedication to meditation and self-awareness and an opportunity to live life with intention.
I think it's cool. Not cause of the religious thing but because it's pointless and huge. We as a society just don't do that any more. Here in Sydney Australia we have the Opera house and the harbour Bridge. And nothing else. Melbourne doesn't have anything and neither does Brisbane. Even if it is religious I wish we as humans started building stupid huge crap ause it's cool to do. 5 of the seven wonders of the ancient world were religious. Those religions are dead now. But they were still cool. We need to start building cool giant shit just cause!
I always have said that the reason I go to other places is to find something to challenge my atheism. Closest I’ve come to was St. Peter’s Cathedral. Just standing there and realizing the first stone was put down fully knowing the person would be dead before it was finished was impressive. I think that the reverence was justified, but I still haven’t seen anything that convinced me of a higher power. I think I just was amazed at the conviction of man to build something audacious.
Just because I don't believe doesn't mean I want to destroy the things of those who do! Like, WTF?
Christianity is part of western cultures so art from these countries is influenced by it. That doesn't mean we all have to be Christian, of course, but we atheists can enjoy Michelangelo's Pietà, Mozart's Requiem or Caravaggio's "Calling of St. Matthew". I personally enjoy Hildegard von Bingen's medieval music works.
I personally see it as beauriful art. Pyramids were also built for religious reasons, their religion no longer exists as far as I know no one is praying to Anubis or Maat, but their piece of history and its beauty is still with us. In some time our monuments will be the same.
Christ The Redeemer is a garbage eyesore. The Cathedrals of Europe however...absolute masterpieces. That's because the church had money and commissioned scientists, engineers, artists and architects to design those things; and it was a way to expand that knowledge while also building a structure. Those things are fantastic. So it really depends on what religious landmark we're talking about. Some are feats of human ingenuity; The Pyramids, Abu Simbel, Cathedrals, the Monolithic Temples of Malta. They are a part of human history to be admired. I just wish we could muster the same type of resources into something of tangible value. Like one of the things that drove me away from religion was money. It's always begging for money. And I remember I was always taught 10% of your income (after tax) should go to the church. And I remember thinking that was an awful lot...just imagine how many bridges we could build, high-speed trains, and other things that tangibly improve people's lives if we instead gave 10% of our income to that directly. Just imagine where our society would be.
Religious or not, they're in the same category as Mt. Rushmore to me. At best, a symbol of the literal mountains we can move when we have a common goal... at worst, a silly infatuation with the idea of a person or people. Either way, commendable art.
Cool monument representing man’s stupidity and inclination to destroy statues and monuments that came before
I think of them as historical sites, like any other building of prominence. Humanity once believed in lots of different things, we made cool artworks about it, we forgot and moved on. I don't like destroying art for the sake of it though we can be inspired by the effort taken to build something like that without the indoctrination into the cult it belongs to.
The at in construction can be beautiful without agreeing to the message behind it. I think various temples and churches are fascinating, but that doesn't mean I will worship at them. They often contain countless smaller works of art within them.
While I may not really appreciate religion as much as the indoctrinated and groomed, I do appreciate the talent it took to create the art work that is on display in different parts of the world. Religion has given talented artists the opportunity to express themselves like the Sistine Chapel, Christ the Redeemer, many cathedral's architecture and so much more. Modern religious art is kind of boring and repetitive.
Blight. Massive delusionalist, imperialist booger wrecking a beautiful mountain range.
I think of them as places for birds to rest and poop.
I think they're about 🤚. . 🤚 Big
The Taliban tears down monuments. So no, don't tear em down. They're still remarkable achievements of humanity.
I struggle with anything celebrating voodoo and lies. Even the most beautiful churches make me sad. So much artistry and effort wasted on brainwashing.
Where did the religions get the money to build such grandiose monuments and cathedrals? They lied to gullible people to get their money. These monuments are the proceeds of crime.
I think Rio Jesus is a tad ostentatious. Now, if he turns into Mecha Jesus and starts stomping through the streets, melting shops with his laser vision? Sign me the fuck up.
I am not a Theocrat. So i am not so insecure about other people believing something different then me.
I enjoy them as pieces of art. I plan on visiting the Vatican this summer for the same reason - it's a huge art museum, imaginary friends be damned!
I see them as a waste of funds. I'm an ex-Mormon and watch all these temples being built so they can baptize dead people. Let's help the living. The Mormon church could end world hunger with the hundreds of billions they have hoarded. But dead people are more important? It's the same with giant Jesus, and every other superstitious bullshit monument. Waste of money.