THREE FOR BIBLES TWO FOR CHRISTIANITY & ONE FOR RELIGION

Sure to draw the ire of many and require the silence of many others

for fear of offense, but has anyone noted that more space is devoted

to religion (mostly Christian) than to any other subject? History?

Art? Philosophy? We don't have much use for that in America. Not

anymore....

Some photographic, non-philosopical comments: (1) what's with the floating books and severed hand on the right? (2) the flash is kind of overbearing here. This scene I think calls for a more natural appearing light, which would also help with seeing the signs (which is what makes your point). (3) There's got to be a way of working "Don't know much about history" into your title.

 

Your real photo invites social commentary. In walking distance from my house, yet another new shopping centre popped up. I went with some excitement in the huge book store. It was like your photo, All of it. Well so much of a good thing :-) Somebody said religion is opium for the masses. Growing up, In a communist heaven, the book stores well full of Marx, Engels, Lenin and a great assortment of books written by various dictators. So I guess can be worse. Some people still queued in earnest for the classics. Aa, Yoga books were prohibited., too, for some obscure reason. I have few bibles around in few languages I compare sometime for historic detail and translation and omissions. You can have so many. Maybe the store answers a need for all the theologians, or Christian historians living near by. Clever politicians make good use of religious groups. I do not see the rush of crows, nor did I see many buyers in my local store, at all. I see an apologetic picture of Rodin's Thinker, so there, Art. Philosophy -is your love of wisdom, Dave. For history, who cares, Little people are just part of it everyday. Jesus? I like the Man, so did another great and learned leader lately said he admire most.

A story opened to lots of interpretation. Maybe that's why all the Bibles. I still like to think the apologetic one does so for Inquisition, religious wars.. etc.. and a lot of various blood sheds extracted by different and ingenious means. :-) Well, my curmudgeon friend, you too are swimming against the tide, here. I thank you for the picture. From me its 6/7. It's a picture of our times.

 

It is a crappy photo. I guess I have very little excuse. I might try to cling to the fact that some very great documentary photos had all kinds of problems with their technical virtuosity, but still conveyed a powerful message. Yes, I know, this is not such a powerful message to many, and to many others it is a message of good news and vindication.

 

This was taken in a mainstream (Border's) bookstore, so it is not an anomaly. Because of my personal beliefs, this image is almost as powerful as the famous image of the man being executed by the Viet Namese officer in the streets of Viet Nam. Of course that image was far more dramatic and blood curdling, but the current trend in the world of mindless obeisance to self-appointed ayatollahs in both the Christian and Islamic world is a potentially as catastopic as any man made threat to existence that has come along so far.

 

But, I will grant you that if it is so damn important, I could have done a more masterful job of taking it. Amen!

Thanks for the cogent comments, which I have partially addressed in my response to Barry. That is really all I was attempting. Let's face it, the image is pretty mediocre in any technical sense. I just thought the perspective merited some thought, and I was trying to promote that thought. So, if it did promote any thinking, I guess it was a success.

 

As always, I'm indebted to you for viewing and expressing yourself in your very unique manner. Best regards, Ozman.

A worthwhile topic to pursue; but I'd suggest cranking up the ISO on than Nikon thingy of yours and losing the flash. Maybe replace the severed hand with a severed head, and you'd encapsulate even more religious history . . .

As almost always is the case, you are correct. It was just an emotional reaction and I pulled the little point and shoot (the camera, dammit!) out of my pocket and flashed away. Yeah, I should go back and take it more professionally. Then again..... does it really matter?

that little digicam does a good job in lighting the scene. Cranking up the ISO would bring noise - and digicam noise doesn't look very nice. Yes, the white books on the RH side are slightly overblown, but that's too be expected in a situation like this (I rather see that than a high ISO noise). I like the real-lifeness of the scene, to which the hand with the books aids. There is a sign

behind the "Christianity" signs that says "Speculation"...and that's what all these books are. Yet, said that, overall the Bible is a positive book, despite the speculations. A question could be asked, how true are the history books and to what good use has philosophy been? I think lots of books that adorn shelves in bookstores should have never come into existence. I rather see photos that are not perfect, yet that tell a (creative) story, then a beautiful

photos that are just that. Good job. BTW, what's with that Coolpix, are you getting mellow? ;-) Cheers, Micheal

 

Last question first. I was out walking one mornig and saw something I really wanted to photograph. While I do take my D200 with me on many outings, I do not take it on long walks, because it is a lot of weight and uncomfortable. Bottom line is that when I got back home I grabbed the camera and drove back to the scene. The scene had disappeared, and I lost the photo. At that point I made up my mind to get something small that has a fair number of megapixels that I could put in a pocket and carry at all times. Thus, the CoolPix. It's pretty amazing what that little bugger can do.

 

As for the Bible being a positive book, I think that could be argued. It certainly had positive parts, but it also has some pretty nasty stuff in it too. And, like almost anything from ideas to nuclear power, it can be used for good or bad. I am merely protesting the way in this country religion (mostly, but not all, Christian) is being mindlessly applied by increasing numbers of syncophants. Of course history and science and all other disciplines are open to corruption and error. We are ONLY human eh? But when those disciplines are at their best, they are approached from the standpoint of finding truth. Whatever that may mean. Most religion is only concerned with trying to prove the tenets of their founding documents (Quran, Bible, Book of Mormon, you name it). Science is diametrically opposed to that process. So is V8 IMHO.

Wow. Technical imperfections aside, this is a powerfull image and great social commentary. Your specialty? I have made exactly the same observation in the past few years as you did - more churches, more Christian literature, more Christian schools, more religious songs on the radio, etc, etc - especially in the south, where I live. Also one's faith used to be something private, now people are quite open about it and at times even agressive. Just look at Coulter and her book: Godless, the Church of Liberalism. Though Europe is becoming more and more secular and priests hold their sermons in almost empty churches, Americans seem to be going in a different directions. One of the reasons may be our government's fear mongering of the past few years. Barb :)

Thanks for your comments. Obviously I could not agree with you more. And, it's not just the South. Trust me, religion has become the "IN" thing all over this poor fearful nation of ours. In my area, you would not believe the money that is spent on newer, better and bigger churches. And most of it is by fundamentalists who claim such kinship with Jesus. Imagine Jesus in one of these big mega churches or a television evangelist fake church. I think He might be a bit pissed off. But then again, I'm no Biblical scholar. And, the fundamentalists all have personal relationships with Jesus, so He must have changed his thinking on this since the Bible was written.

V8 transcends everything. Gulp, gulp, over and out. Micheal

I just went to my local Barnes and Noble, and noted with some amusement that the "Christianity" section (quite large) was right next to the "Transportation" section. The transportation section, disappointingly, just seemed to involve cars . . .

I hear the latest and greatest vehicle for the believers is the Rapture. Did they have anything about that one?

I just received this in an e-mail and thought it may fit your theme. Satire, not meant to offend anyone. :)

Thanks for sending that on. I found it quite humorous, but I'm sure there are those who might not.

As I already told you I really like the questionning and social content of your images David...among the most important qualities for me since beauty for beauty has a rapidly vanishing interest...real nice...we don't have that much volume of religious books for sale here in Switzerland and I am just astonished by the large quantities...do they sell that much ?...

I having a hell of a good time to night. Ha ha ha ha ha. I can't escape from you web site. Reading al the comments and your counter comments, I absolutely agree with you...!!!!! And the main time, I am burst out of laughs. Ha ha ha ha....ha. You hit the nails on the head, all the time. And your answers so punchy.

Just trow the truth to the crowd, and hallelujah....!!!

 

Best regards; Bela

I missed this intriguing, provocative shot when you first posted it. It is a telling comment on current American "culture." I have also noted another unbalanced set of bookmart priorities: compare the combined number of inane self-help manuals plus the numerous shelves devoted to "cracking the DaVinci Code" (and other such idiocies) with the total number of books related to fine arts, history, philosophy, etc. A decadent, incurious culture, my friend, and you've nailed it with this shot. Regards, Joe

Thanks. I fear that this is a true reflection of where we are in this country. Quick easy answers. Everyone has a boat, a car, a house, and a personal savior (not to mention huge credit card debt). And are we any happier? Not to my knowledge.