Faith is Funny
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Baptismal font - Taufbecken
Moderne Pfarrkirche St. Peter in Wenzenbach (bei Regensburg)
Die Planer wollten ein Bild der Kirche entwerfen, wie es für die Zukunft von Bedeutung sein könnte: Im mystischen Sinn befinden sich die Gläubigen auf einer Fahrt vom Diesseits ins Jenseits. In der heutigen säkular-materiellen Welt könnte dies ermuntern, die andere Welt anzusteuern. Wer den riesigen Schiffsbauch betritt, wer nach oben schaut und das weit ausladende Gebälk betrachtet, erinnert sich, dass wir letztlich alle „in einem Boot“ sitzen.
(~ aus dem Text der Webseite der Pfarrei St. Peter)
Credit goes to Beyond Originals
for the beautiful outfit that I am wearing in this pic <333
Link to the clothes: .:Beyond:. Shyla
To visit their in world store: Beyond Originals in world store
Margerethenkapelle on top of the Wiehengebirge. One of my special places since I visited a concert on a Winter evening here many years ago. October waved goodby with sunshine and warm tempereratures and we used the perfect weather for an extended hiking tour on the Wittedindsweg, a crest trail on the Wiehengebirge from Porta Westfalica in the East to the Osnabrück area in the West. Before the sun went down we visited the most interesting spots of the Eastern part of the trail.
The little drummer boy plays...
Thank you for all that YOU do to brighten my life, my friends.
Keep shining so bright!
Created for Award Tree Challenge 220.0 ~ Mystical Light ~
All work done in MidJourney and Photoshop Beta23 .
Best viewed Large
Thank you very much for your comments and faves, regretfully, I am finding it increasingly difficult to reply to your comments, because of my very limited time on the internet, due to constant power interruptions in South Africa. I do read and appreciate every one of them! Thanks again!!
”Shakkin’ Briggie” (St Devenick’s Bridge) over the River Dee from Ardoe to Cults, Aberdeen - opened in 1837. Funded by Rev Dr George Morison to give 700 parishioners on the north bank access to his church on the south bank (they were crossing the river by boat). You would need more than a prayer to cross on it now!
Luangpho Yai
Wikipedia: Luangpho Yai (Thai: หลวงพ่อใหญ่), also known as Phra Phutta Rattana Mongkhol Maha Munee and The Great Buddha of Roi Et, is the fourth-tallest statue in Thailand.
Located in the Wat Bhurapha Phiram temple in Roi Et Province, this statue stands 59.2 meters (194 ft) tall (or 67.55 meters (221.6 ft) tall, including the base). Construction was completed in 1973. It is covered with mosaic and made of concrete. The sculptor was believed to be a local sculptor. The overview of the Buddha was criticized as "not to the ratio" of any ordinary Buddha. It's assumed that the local sculpture focused on his faithful belief rather than the outside beauty.
The statue depicts the Gautama Buddha in a standing pose. The statue stands as the province's landmark, as being cited in the province's official quote; Leu nam phra yai (ลือนามพระใหญ่, lit. 'famed for its colossal Buddha'). The statue was built by the order of the 5th abbot of the Wat Bhurapha Piram temple, Phra Ratcha Preechayana Munee over the course of 8 years at a cost of approximately 7,000,000 baht.
A Salt Water crocodile gliding along the South Alligator River, Kakadu National Park. It was named Alligator River because the original Explorer of the region Lieutenant Phillip Parker King in 1820 named the rivers in the mistaken belief that the crocodiles in the estuaries were alligators.
It is one of my deepest beliefs that the animals we have the deepest bonds with in this life, have been with us before. Many times before, even. The ones, who, when they pass on, you Never get over them. We love all our animal friends but with some, the attachment runs so deep it is indescribable. When you see a photo of an animal that looks very similar to them, it is like a hammerblow to your heart. When you think of them, it is always with mixed emotions, joy that they shared your life for a time, but a deep longing and sadness that is like a vice around your heart. These, i firmly believe, are the ones who find us, lifetime after lifetime.
From a selfie.
Cat is pd png.
Pyramids from one of my apps.
Remembering a lovely and adventurous day spent wandering the streets of Hội An, Vietnam.
Located in Hoi An Ancient Town - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Bridge is one of the most attractive cultural destinations in Vietnam. Being built in the 16th century, this monument has witnessed numberless changes in the town.
The Bridge, known as Cau Pagoda (Chùa Cầu), was built in the 16th century with Japanese businessmen’s assistance. The bridge has been associated with a monster’s legend called Namazu, a Japanese mythological monster whose movements cause earthquakes and floods. Its head is located in India, while its body is in Vietnam and its tail in Japan.
The bridge was built with the belief of a magical sword to pin down Namazu’s back. Therefore, the monster could not wriggle, preventing natural disasters in Vietnam, Japan, and India. Hence, the lives of people in these three countries would happen in peace and prosperity.
The Bridge has gone through seven renovations over 400 years, particularly in 1763, 1815, 1875, 1917, 1962, 1986, and 1996. Some small adjustments have been made on the roof, floor, and pillars.
(Canon PowerShot, 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 100, edited to taste)
Darkroom print on ilford rc new, dodge and burn, selenium, selective bleaching agfa brown.
hp5 in d76
RZ67, 90mm lens
General Watkins Conservation Area
Scott County Missouri
Photo taken on October 22, 2020
The sun is hiding were I’m standing but at the top of the hill it's brilliant beyond belief. I want to walk to the top of this hill and let this stunning sunshine rain down on me and be baptized in its brilliance.
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"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” - Buddha
Five years ago if someone would have told me that I'd be shooting rebuilt CP SD9043AC's in maroon and grey paint in St Paul, I'd have thought they were nuts. Or high.
But here we are, doing just that on a beautiful Fall day. And these engines look GREAT! I gotta give them credit, CP really nailed it with these two Heritage units. They're on their first revenue run with train 197. Still can't believe what I saw today.
Barbed-wire in Belfast, segregating the Protestant and Catholic communities. Religion has a lot to answer for in the suffering of people throughout the world.
Seeing artist Barbara Kruger's installation at MoMA yesterday reminded me that I had seen her work installed at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC in 2016.
From the museum's website: "Large areas of the installation are devoted to open-ended questions (“WHO IS BEYOND THE LAW? WHO IS FREE TO CHOOSE? WHO SPEAKS? WHO IS SILENT?”), while the section occupying the bookstore explores themes of desire and consumption. At once addressing the individual, the museum, and, symbolically, the country, Kruger’s penetrating examination of the public sphere transforms one of the Hirshhorn’s key public spaces."
He thought about the fact that he was a burning lamp, and the more he felt that, the more he felt a weakening, a quenching of the divine light of truth burning within him.
Lev N. Tolstoy - "Father Serge"
Life isn´t Easy.
Kai Hansen & Friends "Save Us" (Live at Wacken)
Too late to call for the priest
He is not here anymore
We look at the age of the beast
And we've seen its vast armies form
Hear our call
Please, save us
Please, save us
In permanent madness we live
No time for life and for love
To take is the rule, not to give
Insanity comes from below
To take us all
Please, save us
Please, save us
We believe that the phenomena of nature
Are the expression of infinitive intelligence
We express our belief that all forms of life
Are manifestations of spirit
And thus, all men are children of God
Far from down below one comes prepared to take us all
Waiting for his future and the final call
We stand on the edge of the world
Just one step more and we fall
Guide us and please take our hands
Without you we're weak and alone
Hear our call
Please, save us
Please, save us
Now!
Save us, from the gods of thunder
Save us, from the dogs of war
Save us, from the creeping nightmares
Save us, from the evil's course
Save us, from our own ignorance
Save us, from the man in black
Save us, from the desolation
Save us, from the hate attack
Save us, oh please
Save us, please save us
Save us, oh please
Save us, now!
Il fut un temps sur la terre ou le Grand Corbeau, à l’origine de toutes choses, de toutes vies, s’élevât dans le ciel pour contempler son œuvre…
Chaque ruisseau, chaque rivière ou lac, chaque arbre ou fleur, chaque animal, chaque homme étant le fruit de sa vision.
Satisfait du résultat, il s’autorisât un repos mérité au bord d’un lac.
Songe ou réalité, un cygne vint à passer devant lui…
Penché au dessus de l’eau celle-ci lui renvoyât son reflet et il se mit à rêver… devenir blanc, devenir cygne et chanter en fendant gracieusement l’eau.
Alors sur la terre le temps s’arrêtât. Le vent entre les montagnes murmurât au ciel de faire son possible pour réaliser le rêve du grand Corbeau.
C’est ainsi que Raven, unique et majestueux Corbeau blanc, naquit.
Durant de nombreuses années il entreprit de sauvegarder le monde qu’il avait créé.
Mais courroucé par l’avidité et la corruption qui régnaient parmi les hommes, les dieux décidèrent de les priver du feu… peu à peu la terre devenait hostile et glaciale, alors le Corbeau Raven tenta de leur venir en aide.
Un rameau de bois sec dans le bec il prit son envol et à tire d’aile vola vers le soleil brulant jusqu’à ce que son rameau s’enflamme.
Ainsi rapporta- t’il le feu aux hommes, mais ses plumes étaient devenues noires comme du charbon et son gosier brulé n’émettait plus qu’un croassement strident.
Depuis ce jour tous les corbeaux sont noirs, mais il arrive parfois que dans une même couvée apparaisse un oiseau blanc pour rappeler à tous le sacrifice de Raven.
Aujourd’hui et pour toujours noir, le rêve restât un rêve, le grand Corbeau continuât de chercher la toute première rivière, le tout premier lieu de sa création pour espérer changer son apparence.
Photographe de nature, cette image je l’ai pensé souvent sans parvenir à faire de l’instant une évocation de cette légende Amérindienne.
Alors quand j’ai vu dans mon viseur ce corbeau relevant la tète au passage de ce cygne devant lui, c’est bien évidement à Raven que j’ai pensé…
La photographie de nature est à l’évidence créatrice d’émotions en relation avec nos croyances animistes ou non mais elle est surtout propice
à nous faire nous aussi rêver…
Philip
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Once upon a time on Earth, the Great Raven, the origin of all things, of all life, rose into the sky to contemplate his work… Every stream, every river or lake, every tree or flower, every animal, every human being was the fruit of his vision.
Satisfied with the result, he allowed himself a well-deserved rest by a lake.
Whether dream or reality, a swan happened to pass before him… Leaning over the water, it reflected his image back to him, and he began to dream… to become white, to become a swan and sing as he gracefully cleaved the water.
Then, on Earth, time stood still. The wind whispered between the mountains to the sky to do its best to fulfill the Great Raven's dream.
And so, Raven, the unique and majestic white Raven, was born.
For many years, he dedicated himself to protecting the world he had created. But angered by the greed and corruption that reigned among men, the gods decided to deprive them of fire… little by little, the earth became hostile and icy, so the Raven tried to come to their aid.
With a dry twig in his beak, he took flight and flew swiftly toward the burning sun until his twig burst into flames.
Thus he brought fire back to humankind, but his feathers had turned as black as coal, and his burned throat emitted only a shrill croak.
From that day on, all ravens are black, but sometimes a white bird appears in the same brood to remind everyone of Raven's sacrifice.
Now and forever black, the dream remained a dream, and the great Raven continued to search for the very first river, the very first place of his creation, hoping to change his appearance.
As a nature photographer, I've often thought about this image without managing to capture the moment as an evocation of this Native American legend.
So when I saw in my viewfinder that raven raising its head as the swan passed by, it was obviously Raven I thought of…
Nature photography clearly evokes emotions related to our animistic or other beliefs, but above all, it allows us to dream as well…
Philip
It was my Mum's funeral today, and I'm not looking for sympathy or mentioning this for any reason other than to again show the beauty and majesty of nature in our lives.
After the ceremony in the chapel we all got together in the cafe of a garden centre that was very near to the crematorium. This was very appropriate as Mum had a great love of plants.
This Robin suddenly appeared and perched peacefully near our table.
Amongst the many symbolic interpretations, there is the belief that the Robin represents a loved one who has recently passed over, telling you all is fine and there is nothing to worry about. Your loved one is watching over you and wants to see you happy.
30x22 " Watercolor
This is a downtown New Bern busker on Middle Street. New Bern is such a wonderful town!
Dec. 16th, I just found out that his name is Howard Matthews, and that everyone around here seems to know him. I just read an article on him from a few years ago that told his story. It confirmed my belief that he is a wonderful man!
The Parable of the Sheep and Goats is found in Matthew 25:31-46.
In this parable, Jesus uses the example of a shepherd who separates his sheep from his goats in order to help his followers understand what judgement will be like.
Jesus explains that people will be separated into two groups:
Those who have lived good lives and believed in God will be put on one side and have a place in Heaven
And
Those who have rejected the belief in God and sinned in their lives will be placed on the other side and will go to Hell
-- So much for a kindly God that loves all! The bible is full of contradictions.
The books that make up the Bible were written by various people over a period of more than 1,000 years, between 1200 B.C.E. and the first century C.E. The Bible contains a variety of literary genres, including poetry, history, songs, stories, letters and prophetic writings.
If you are interested here is a link to a web site explaining who and when things got into the bible - or were left out or removed.
This Nkisi Nkonde, captured at Faro Municipal Museum, is a type of power figure from the Congo Basin in Central Africa, specifically associated with the Kongo people. It is a form of Nkisi, a term referring to sacred objects in Kongo spirituality that are believed to house spirits or spiritual forces. The Nkonde (meaning "hunter") is a particular type of Nkisi known for its aggressive, protective, and judicial roles.
Key Features of Nkisi Nkonde:
Appearance:
Typically, these figures are humanoid in shape and made of wood.
They are often adorned with metal objects like nails, blades, or other sharp implements driven into their surface.
The inclusion of these materials is symbolic of the figure's activation or its use in fulfilling spiritual or legal purposes.
Function:
Hunter of Justice: Nkisi Nkonde was used to enforce laws, settle disputes, and exact punishment for wrongdoers. It was believed to "hunt down" those who broke oaths or contracts.
Protector: It served as a guardian against evil forces, illness, or malevolent spirits.
Healer: In some cases, Nkisi Nkonde was associated with healing, balancing spiritual forces within the community.
Activation and Ritual Use:
A spiritual specialist known as an nganga would "charge" the Nkisi Nkonde by embedding medicines (bilongo) into cavities in the figure.
The bilongo materials could include herbs, animal parts, minerals, or other substances with symbolic or spiritual significance.
The act of hammering nails or driving blades into the figure was a way to "wake" or "activate" it, often accompanying rituals and invocations.
Cultural Context:
Nkisi Nkonde reflects the Kongo people's intricate belief systems, which intertwine law, spirituality, and community order.
It was both a physical and metaphysical tool, acting as a tangible focal point for spiritual forces and social accountability.
Colonial Misunderstandings:
When European colonists and missionaries encountered Nkisi Nkonde, they often misinterpreted them as "fetishes" or objects of idolatry, failing to grasp their deeper cultural and spiritual significance.
Many Nkisi Nkonde figures were taken to museums, where they remain as artifacts of African spiritual heritage.
In Modern Times:
Nkisi Nkonde is studied as an important symbol of Kongo art and spirituality.
It is often featured in museum collections and exhibits focused on African art and the spiritual practices of Central Africa.