Nonc Hilaire wrote:Heracleum Persicum wrote:Torchwood wrote:At least it's not another mosque
Pretty much all Spanish churches are built on Mosques
Interesting phenomena I recognized : all European Cathedrals, are "cold", SCAREY places, with all those "creators" on their exterior walls and very high and cold ceilings .. one get a cold scary feeling entering one .. question was WHY where they built that way ? .. a good (Jewish) friend explained, reason was, those Cathedrals were built to "scare" the commoners, the farmers into "submission", message being, be afraid of "all mighty", that guy with big sword on the top of the entrance and those creatures on the walls if you don't obey
In contrary, when one enters those Spanish mosque
mesquitas in Cordoba and all over El Andaluse, one feels a sense of "tranquility" and peace .. in short, those mesquitas were a place to feel the "spirituality" and those cathedrals were the place to "FEAR" the almighty, this not so much a credit for Islam, but the culture and civilization of (IMO, Persian philosopher who brought to that time a deep culture and civilization), and, that is not a condemnation of Christianity but those "Phalange" Catholic mindset in "dark ages" of Europe
Drawing a line from Barcelona to Saragossa Madrid Lisboa, everything below that line is warm, happy, peaceful .. and .. everything above that line is cold, tryst and
fearful
That is my observation after driving by car every inch of Iberian Peninsula 3 times last few yrs
In fairness, visiting Russian cathedrals in a few European cities, I had not same feeling as those Catholic cathedrals in many other European places
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Your impression might have been different in medieval times. People congregated outside the cathedrals in crowds with streets which served as sewers and were subject to early death from unknown causes. Inside the cathedrals were dozens of altars set up around the periphery, with multiple masses being said continually and simultaneously. They were vibrant and lively places. Poor people were rarely allowed into the cathedrals, much less intimidated. Alms were distributed on the steps.
Life itself was intimidating enough. Cathedrals were designed to protect the sacred space from human corruption, a holy and protective haven set apart from common life that one might aspire to.
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Very much True ..
" People congregated outside the cathedrals in crowds with
streets which served as sewers and were subject to early death from unknown causes "
Europe had no toilet until AFTER French revolution, 1789 .. not that there is no toilet in Versailles palace, but there is non in any European palaces of that time, no toilet in Schönbrunn Palace in Wien
.. have not checked Buckingham Palace (yet)
Same with BATH .. Europeans did not wash themselves, hence "french perfume".
Not only Muslim had to wash themselves 5 times a day (each time B4 praying), but, Pomegranates had "public BATH" for 1000s of yrs, still today every neighborhood in Iran has public BATH
True, all that made traversing European streets of middle ages an adventure, balcony were used as toilet sh*ting down to the street (and wiping themselves with a hanging rope) .. Muslim El Andaluse brought toilet and BATH to Europe
and
IMO, there is a very profound reason why Christian Cathedrals are no place of Joy but Muslim Mosques a place of Joy, that goes to heart of Islam and Christianity
Christianity says we all sinners, Jesus paid and suffered for our sins .. hence, we must suffer and 4get about enjoying good things of life .. in that sense, Christianity "creates" a TRYST environment in life, hence tryst and fearful Cathedrals
On the other hand
Islam says, relaaax and enjoy life to the fullest .. no talk of any sin or paying for somebodies suffering etc .. visit Al Hambra than visit a Christian palace .. Al Hambra like being in Garden of Paradise, Christian Palaces a cold tryst place
This difference in Islam and Christianity very vivid in attitude re SEX.
Sex in Christianity is a (more and less) SIN .. sex should not be enjoyed but only a tool for making children .. puritan sex, or no sex at all
In Islam no talks at all about making children (in fact many teaching how to have sex and not make children
) .. in Koran, a woman's main job in life, main "assignment" is "provide enjoyment" to her husband .. enjoying life "explicitly" ordered in Islam .. hence, Mosques no place 2B tryst but happiness
Nonc Hilaire wrote:Cathedrals were designed to protect the sacred space from human corruption, a holy and protective haven set apart from common life that one might aspire to.
True, Christianity assume we all sinners, bad guys,
"human corruption", hence
"protective haven set apart from common life" .. Islam does not assume we all sinners, and, sets punishment for those ones who not a good guy and sin (could be said,
not a religion of morality but a religion of clear cut laws .. forgiveness plays a central role in Christianity as we all sinners .. not so in Islam, you SIN (steal), you will be f*cked, wrist cut ..
In Islam we all good guys, but must pay attention "devil" (Sheitaan) does not fool us (into sin), in Christianity we all sinners and must prove we not bad guys by accepting to "suffer" to prove we want to be a good guy
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