@tylermunns, agreed. But zero death and destruction with billions of people on the planet is never gonna happen. I'm responding to the use of the superlative word "worst". It's a clearly biased point that uses that word, and that trope. And demonstrably worthy of correction. Back to OPs question. If you deem it as blasphemous then you prob do not view it as OK. If you are agnostic you prob don't see it as such, thus OK. But agreed there are lots of "shock" intentions in the arts. Shock sells.
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@akgwhiz That Norm quote was a joke, and I quoted it as a joke. The joke is intended to mock those who act as apologists for murderous campaigns of any sort. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the statement, “religion is the worst thing ever,” is one that is, “demonstrably worthy of correction.” It is fine to bring up instances in human history where genocide was committed without religion as it’s guiding principle for the purpose of debate. However, thousands of years of stark, indisputable evidence as to the depravity and evil brought upon the human race in the name of religion speaks for itself. We’re in the middle of it right now, in 2022, when publicly elected officials explicitly denounce the separation of church and state, proudly call themselves “Christian Nationalists,” attempt to systematically revoke our individual rights on religious terms, explicitly express their desire to force their religion on our children (forcing them to be born into poverty and destitution because they took away our right to abortion, forcing their religion down our children’s throats with “Don’t Say Gay” bills, calling for prayer in public school, working to keep our children in danger by supporting the NRA over their safety) and Salmon Rushdie is currently on a ventilator and may lose an eye from an attempted murder over a book he wrote 35 years ago. |
Providing 'Shock' to some people is also what art has an obligation to sometimes do. Art should be more than just pretty pictures and songs. Perfectly legitimate, as not everybody will have that reaction; what shocks you might make me yawn and vice versa. I like the quote 'Art is not a mirror, art is a hammer'. |
Great post @tylermunns! As further evidence of the hypocrisy, cynicism, lust for power, and even greed (geez, sounds like many politicians ;-) of the Catholic Church, one need only remember how it conspired with the Nazis to rid the world of Jews, the Church’s "competition". And of course their protection of Priests they KNEW to be serial-child abusers, mostly of young boys. I think child-abusing Priests should be executed (or at least castrated ;-), and the Church hierarchy prosecuted for aiding and abetting known child-rapists. And they have the nerve to judge others?! Tax the Church! They are obviously a profit-motivated business enterprise. |
@larsman Agreed! Art is not an ideological manifesto. It’s efficacy in what it sets out to do is not predicated on satisfying the totality of an individual or group’s ideological precepts. An artist is not a philosopher or a public leader. An artist is just an artist. One doesn’t like a particular piece? Fine. Leave it alone. Enjoy whatever it is you enjoy. Simple. We can discuss, debate, whatever, but silencing an artist because of their work, work that is irrespective of their real-life intentions as a citizen, is antithetical to the behavior of a free society @bdp24 100%. It can’t get any more hypocritical than that, can it? |
