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Spirit News Blog - religion
Religious and artistic similarities between the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths are to be shown in a ground breaking exhibition of some of the world's earliest surviving sacred texts.
Sacred: Discover What We Share, opening tomorrow at the British Library in London, will feature rare and exquisite examples of early Bibles, Korans and Torahs.
Graham Shaw, the head curator of the exhibition, said the show was conceived in order to explore and examine the interactive nature of these sacred texts.
"What can been seen is that the Old Testament Christian Bible is essentially the same as the Hebrew Bible of Judaism, and in turn, Islam takes many of its stories from Christianity and Judaism. There is a textual link that can be studied in the exhibition," he said.
Sacred Discovery what we Share at British Library
news info from Independent
Shaker Barn
"Heaven on Earth: Shaker Aesthetic Philosophy" by Sumangali Morhall
"Hands to work and hearts to God" so the Shaker work ethic went. The term 'Shaker' is best known as a style of furniture, but how did it evolve? Where did the Shakers come from, and why did they start to disappear after 100 years?
In modern Europe and America, craftspeople are still reviving not just the Shaker style, but in some cases the Shaker dedication to integrity. A form of aesthetic Chinese Whispers has inevitably crept in over the years, and one may now even buy such anomalies as Shaker jewellery boxes. The simple and beautiful style can arguably be applied to anything, but the philosophy behind the style makes it all the more interesting as an art form.
The first Shakers came from Manchester, England, in the late 18th Century. They began as a small group of Quakers, but developed their own doctrines, based largely on a strong sense of community and self-sufficiency. Community tasks were clearly defined and rotated so that anyone could be replaced on any job if unable to work on a particular day. The day started early and ended late, and was punctuated by regular prayer sessions.
Despite the continued presence of religious fanaticism and bigotry in the word, the twentieth century has witnessed a significant growth in religious tolerance. The idea that different religions and spiritual traditions have a valid approach is more widespread than at any time. To a large extent up until the 19th Century a defining feature of religion was the idea of the one true religion, and through its adherence you were either saved or damned. There was little if any ecumenical tradition and views of other religions were often clouded in myth, superstition or even contempt.
However the ideal of religious harmony is however increasingly shared by many. A crucial event in shaping a more pluralistic, tolerant view of religions was the inaugural World Parliament of Religions in 1893.
A Tribute to Hinduism was started in 1996 by Sushama Londhe, an Indian-American who came to the U.S. and became interested in learning about the religious traditions of Hinduism. Over the past 10 years the site has done a very good job in presenting Hinduism in a good non sectarian light.
Many misconceptions about Hinduism abound. But at the heart of Hinduism are the sacred scriptures of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hinduism has also continually been reinvigorated by a succession of Saints, sages and Avatars.
The site has recently been renamed to Hindusisdom.info
Speech from World Parliament of Religions
"It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects..."