Bill “Papa” Lee Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 If you feel you must have something to look at, why don't you carry some favorite pictures from the Church art series in your scriptures... there is a set small enough to fit in the zippered scripture carrier... Or, you could choose some other images... I can think of one painting by Liz Lemon Swindle of the Savior that was made into a greeting card... it had him walking with his sheep, wearing a red coat, open down the front. It is a beautiful, pastoral image... You could focus on the images you selected to carry.GGMost have scriptures on IPad or IPod...thousands of pictures.
cursor Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 What's the difference between achieving spiritual heights by 1) simply reading the scriptures, or 2) attending a temple session?Well, this thread is about a artwork in LDS chapels [or the absence of artwork in LDS chapels] ... not about temple experience.
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 Well, this thread is about a artwork in LDS chapels [or the absence of artwork in LDS chapels] ... not about temple experience.True...Temple has much artwork and architecture, and movies.
cursor Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 Most have scriptures on IPad or IPod...thousands of pictures.Very frankly, I don't have anything "i". Apple is NOT for me [absolutely no apologies].
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 Very frankly, I don't have anything "i". Apple is NOT for me [absolutely no apologies].What of smart phones?
Tacenda Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) If you feel you must have something to look at, why don't you carry some favorite pictures from the Church art series in your scriptures... there is a set small enough to fit in the zippered scripture carrier... Or, you could choose some other images... I can think of one painting by Liz Lemon Swindle of the Savior that was made into a greeting card... it had him walking with his sheep, wearing a red coat, open down the front. It is a beautiful, pastoral image... You could focus on the images you selected to carry.GGI want to look up, not down. Does that make sense? Pretty pathetic sounding eh? But I understand your comment. I even thought about it, that if I were totally serious, why don't I just buy some art like you've mentioned and have them in my scriptures? There is a family in my ward that for as long as I can remember, will bow their heads during the sacrament portion, even when they had small chrildren, now they have grown up and still to this day do that. I've always been impressed with the reverence they displayed. But me I guess I like to look up at something. Edited August 11, 2012 by Tacenda
blackstrap Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 ceiling fan = eternal round = wheels within wheels = whisperings of the spirit = ... 2
volgadon Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 ceiling fan = eternal round = wheels within wheels = whisperings of the spirit = ...Brilliant.
Tacenda Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 And I might add that I like the thought of looking up to God too, not just ceiling fans.
Calm Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 Although I absolutely love the Lord of the Rings movies, I almost wish I had never seen them.In my mind, Frodo now will forever look like Elijah Wood.Legolas will always look like Orlando Bloom.So it is with art in the chapels.It's also the reason I wish they would not play organ music in the chapel of the temple.The words and melody dominate my mind, and I am unable to contemplate, pray, orponder on the scriptures.BernardNo rep points, so just must agree here...
Calm Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) When we were doing the tourist route in Russia, the guide pointed out the decoration in chapels were there because the society was illiterate and this was how they were able to teach the scriptures and other events and people in their religious history.LDS have a different need, imo. So much of our society takes the personal contact out of it, with the lack of small town knowledge of our neighbours, the way we communicate more with electronics than face to face, etc.We go to church not to connect with artwork, but with people...specifically with the people sitting next to us and up on the stands. If we are looking for the beauty of the gospel and Christ, then perhaps we should work on finding them in the faces of those around us instead of in artwork. Edited August 11, 2012 by calmoriah
volgadon Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 When we were doing the tourist route in Russia, the guide pointed out the decoration in chapels were there because the society was illiterate and this was how they were able to teach the scriptures and other events and people in their religious history.Not quite true, the artwork is there because of its liturgical, intercessory role, as well as revealing the glory of God and his saints. I do however agree with the rest of your post.
Calm Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) I wondered about that. It seemed an easy answer, but rather incomplete especially considering the reverence given to such works.I think the need to connect with people at church is more obvious to someone like me who can surround herself with all the beauty she desires in her home (and I do desire a whole lot, my mother was an artist who made her home into another canvas, I can't paint but I can follow that example...everything in the house is supposed to be placed there as part of the composition....doesn't work out that way, but that is the ideal), but due to limited face to face social contact recognizes the real gift of the community we have through the Church. Being in Utah has really demonstrated this to me because even though we were in a very close ward in Canada, having the faith community being practically identical to the social/neighbourhood one has allowed me to develop relationships in church in much deeper ways then I have in the past even though my health makes my social life much more restrictive these days then before. Edited August 11, 2012 by calmoriah
prissy Posted August 11, 2012 Author Posted August 11, 2012 The reference from the church handbook (also available on-line) reads verbatim: "Pictures and other artwork may be placed in appropriate locations in the meeting house, however, they may not be placed in the chapel or near the baptismal font. Statues, murals and mosiacs are not authorized. This policy may not apply to works of art that have been on display for many years in the chapels of existing meeting houses."Thank you for your responses: I have come to the conclusion that as the chapel, the baptismal font, and the celestial room are the most sacred rooms of our meetings houses and temples, and in keeping with the sacredness of each room, they are to remain clean and free from distractions. I liked the suggestion that we take a small picture of something that is important to us individually and keep it in our scriptures or on our person for personal reflection, if desired, during Sacrament meeting. Also, artwork can be subjective, what one might find distracting, another may find inspirational. Personally, the few times I have been to a Catholic church, I am always so intrigued by the stained glass or ornate decor that I don't concentrate on my own spirituality or the liturgy, so I might be one easily distracted by artwork. Thank you, Calmoriah for sharing the beautiful photos of the cathedrals and your message.In order to further reinforce the sacredness of our chapels or temples, video productions or photographs are not to taken in the chapels or temples. Visual aids are not be used in Sacrament talks. I was always taught never to wear jeans or pants in to the chapel in order to signify my respect for the chapel. We don't need to go off on tangent, however. Let me know if you have further ideas. 1
Calm Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Not me on the pictures, that was Will.I am not a photographer, by any stretch of the imagination. Edited August 11, 2012 by calmoriah
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 I want to look up, not down. Does that make sense? Pretty pathetic sounding eh? You are an explorer...nothing wrong with that. I have been in houses of worship so overdone, as few pictured above; hard to see or hear anything else.
Buzzard Posted August 12, 2012 Posted August 12, 2012 I thought of that but it just made me mad and wonder. Does the church handbook say something about this? Like prissy mentioned.Taken from book 2 in the handbook:"Pictures and other artwork may be placed in appropriate locations in the meetinghouse. However, they may not be placed in the chapel or near the baptismal font. Statues, murals, and mosaics are not authorized. This policy may not apply to works of art that have been on display for many years in the chapels of existing meetinghouses."Before this policy came out, there were two framed objects in the chapel. The large framed portrait of Christ they left up, and it is there to this day. A photo of the 19th century church that our present chapel replaced was removed and currently hangs in one of the bishops offices.
Stargazer Posted August 12, 2012 Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) If the church use to have paintings in there chapels, the only thing I can attribute it to is them not wanting to be like the other faiths just like when crosses were taken down back in the day. I'm not asking for gold & ornate here. I'll bet we could manage soomething to look at. I guess the statue of Christ might be asking too much here. No really, just some art.Thinking back over the past 46 years I have been a member, I cannot remember having seen any artwork whatsoever in any LDS chapel I have been in. Maybe there was some, in some place, but I don't remember it.Now that my children are all grown and gone, and I have time to pay attention to the meeting and not trying to keep them from running down the aisles, I find myself easily taken to introspection by the purposes of the meeting, and when I need to pay attention to something other than the speaker, I tend to open up my scriptures to gain some inspiration.In the previously current Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, there is a policy stated that applies to artwork. In pertinent part it says:Pictures and other artwork may be placed in appropriate locations in the meetinghouse. However, they may not be placed in the chapel or near the baptismal font. Statues, murals, or mosaics are not authorized. This policy does not apply to works of art that have been on display for many years in the chapels of existing meetinghouses.So, it is an actual policy, not merely an omission, which I guess is as you suspected. Now, while I don't share your feeling of omission in this regard, I do sympathize with you over this. Perhaps as an exercise of faith you might consider the possibility that the lack of artwork in the chapel is there to help you focus more on the reasons for the meetings held there, and not on any artwork that could have been displayed. Make the best of the situation? Just a suggestion.Just by the by, the gorgeous chapel photos that Will posted earlier in the thread are certainly wonderful, but I believe I would find myself so distracted by the art that I might not even pay attention to the worship service. That's me, of course.ETA: I see that Buzzard and I were composing our posts at the same time. Edited August 12, 2012 by Stargazer
DH Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) ceiling fan = eternal round = wheels within wheels = whisperings of the spirit = ...Where are the "Like" and "Laugh Out Loud" buttons when you need them? Edited August 13, 2012 by DH
cursor Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 I recall seeing artwork in our church in the late 50s to early 60s in Springville UT. As a matter of fact on very hot Sundays, the greeters at each door to the chapel would pass out stiff cardboard fans with thin wooden handles. Each fan was offset printed on both sides with an inspirational picture and some text message. At the end of the meeting, the fans would be collected by the same greeters. Portable art. 1
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 I recall seeing artwork in our church in the late 50s to early 60s in Springville UT. As a matter of fact on very hot Sundays, the greeters at each door to the chapel would pass out stiff cardboard fans with thin wooden handles. Each fan was offset printed on both sides with an inspirational picture and some text message. At the end of the meeting, the fans would be collected by the same greeters. Portable art.Funeral home fans...every time I got to a funeral I grab one for church...even with air I am hot natured.
thesometimesaint Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 DH:One of my many earthly failings. I become easily distracted by beautiful art, and don't pay as much attention to my worship as I should.
Tacenda Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) DH:One of my many earthly failings. I become easily distracted by beautiful art, and don't pay as much attention to my worship as I should.I guess I don't get it, how alot of what is said here, is that you'd be distracted from the spirit or distracted from worshipping by viewing artwork. Where to me, just like music helps me worship so does a picture of Christ help me worship. I guess my brain needs the help and perhaps my soul. And don't get me started on the music. But I gotta say, we had a lovely young woman sing yesterday in Sacrament and she was awesome!! Edited August 13, 2012 by Tacenda
thesometimesaint Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 Tacenda:For better or worse I'm very visually oriented. I pay more attention to what I see than what I hear. So in the Chapel I can close my eyes and let the music fill my soul. When my eyes open the dream vanishes, and I'm back in the lone and dreary world.
Tacenda Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 Tacenda:For better or worse I'm very visually oriented. I pay more attention to what I see than what I hear. So in the Chapel I can close my eyes and let the music fill my soul. When my eyes open the dream vanishes, and I'm back in the lone and dreary world.Thank you for that. I was feeling like something's wrong with me.
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