Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
The Act of Desecration
Picture in your mind an image of myself going into a historic religious building. It could be a temple, monastary, church, synagogue, or a mosque. Then for some strange reason I commit an act of desacreation inside. Would you find it offensive?
Now, of course this only a scenerio. I'm not going to actually do it. But would you consider my actions to be wrong? Even if there is no such things as gods? Would you say an act of desecration is morally wrong? Even though I'm not offending any god.
This is a problem just for you, not the others. Even if God does not exist, is it useful to offend people ? Is there something to gain from that ? It is up for you to decide.
Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
That's exactly what I ask myself everytime I watch the news about some skinheads trashing and desecrating a synagogue. Their reasons are sometimes "There is NO God in there" or "There will never be any God in there".
I would classify that kind of act as wrong not by their philosophical standpoint(if there is one), but by destruction and invasion of property.
But sincerely I donīt think skinheads have a philosophical standpoint, their views are just ways to justificate their hate, not a sincere view of the world.
Honestly you can't insult a god..now really. If people have a problem with desecrating a site, it is sad, because they find some hope in it, though unfounded. I do believe in respect.
And it's to know who to give to which is everyone, yet to a building, though this hurts others...IMO people are more deserving of uplifting then that of a building.
Yet it still inflames hatred that's why it's done.
Well yes because even if it there is no God you are defilling yourself amongst others. Soiling what is there's not yours. Not only would I find it offensive, but rude and utterly stupid. Regardless of the religion, it is a complete lack of respect towards a people in general, and an offense on that kind of scale is seemingly unforgivable...
Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
Yes, in legal matters that would be a wrong. Now let me throw you a curve ball.....suppose there is a team of Archeologist trying to penetrate an ancient temple were they worship gods....would that be consider a desecration by the followers of the gods? Even though is in favor of learning?
Hmmm, in a modern setting, I wouldn't be offended, per say, as you would have to be committing some wrong against my views or me to offend me - and my religious views at this point in time aren't linked really to temples or Churches. However, I would view it as very wrong, legally, and morally, as it lacks basic respect for people,. Gods are irrelevant in this, they can fight their own battles if they exist, but for the people who worship there, work there, find faith or happiness or hope or whatever, well, it's wrong to spit on such things. Respect and decency are the operative words here.
After all, I believe I am going to be cremated when I eventually shuffle of the mortal coil, but I find people who desecrate cemeteries to be aboslute scum. Pointless, meaningless, insensitive destruction. Same with people who desecrate war memorials.
As to ancient temples, well I study a lot of history, and I know it's important to learn about the past, and in a way it keeps the religion alive. And there is a fundamental difference between some yahoo, or religious fanatic or skin head or whatever destroying a temple or church out of malice or just ignorant destruction and archaeologists and historians who preserve and learn from them in a careful, controlled and hopefully non-damaging manner. And once again, it's down to people. Many ancient religions either no longer exist or have changed vastly - thus most ancient temples have no followers to be offended, in fact, if not for archaeologists the temples would probably end up being destroyed by the crawl of time.
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I donīt know... depends on the religion, but personally I think that it is a good thing since it is in favor of learning.
I think that desecretion will be wrong just because people will be destroying someones else property... it does not involves faith, or religion.
But if you are talking about the act of violation of the religious beliefs per se, not the destruction of property... I think that it is not possible to offend a God, Gods donīt get offended. It is you who do the right thing, or commit a mistake that can lead you to suffer, but that suffering is not like vengeange from God, that suffering exist because you did the wrong choices, and your suffering was just result of the natural laws, not provoked by someone. Even if the person donīt believe in God I think there is the problem of respect. Why do you want to offend people ? Is there something to gain from that ? I think that kind of behavior usually results from individual emotional problems that can lead someone to be agressive. So in this case you have to think sincerily if there is some purpose on doing that ?
Touchy subject, like the digging up graves. People don't much like that, and I would think they wouldn't like their site defiled as they would call it. I would find it exciting to uncover history in where ever we can find it. I don't think it would be an easy battle. I think some would rather die instead..Could you imagine digging under the Dome of the Rock?
LOL I love the idea of desecrating churches. What I always thought would be really cool would be to break into one at night and take a huge dump in one of the confession booths, then throw the holy water out of the bowl and take a leak in said bowl. That would just be sheer awesome.
I guess that the preservation of a traditional social order, with certain groups controlling common symbols of authority and other groups remaining as outsiders and/or in positions of subordination, are underlying issues for some acts of desecration.
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Jan 4th, 2006 05:51 PM
