Power of Relics

[AnthonyGiarrusso]

Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and many other religions have relics. Sometime their small trinkets spanning into weapons and even human body part remains or full bodies. It is fascinating to me that so many people would treasure these relics for so long. It really shows how important they are to each religion.

What do you guys think of the willpower to preserve these relics comes from?
Do you have a particular relic that is of high interest to yourself or fascination of?

 

[Hockeycowboy]

People’s adoration for the cross, amazes me.

If your best friend was killed by a .357, would you make representations of it, kiss it, and adore it? Probably not… you’d hate it!

But yet, that’s what many do with the instrument of Jesus’ death.

His death is precious, not what caused it.

If it (the cross) is precious, then we should make little images of the Roman soldiers, the ones who killed him with it.

 

[JustGeorge]

People’s adoration for the cross, amazes me.

If your best friend was killed by a .357, would you make representations of it, kiss it, and adore it? Probably not… you’d hate it!

But yet, that’s what many do with the instrument of Jesus’ death.

His death is precious, not what caused it.

If it (the cross) is precious, then we should make little images of the Roman soldiers, the ones who killed him with it.

I never understood the attachment to the cross, either, but I suppose I'm an outsider.

On a personal level, I do enjoy religious pictures. Radha/Krishna is probably one of my favorite images(indeed, they're on my living room curtains).

 

[SalixIncendium]

What do you guys think of the willpower to preserve these relics comes from?

Some serve as reminders of events that impacted one's life or the lives of others; some serve as amulets or talismans intended to attract or shield from beings or things in the metaphysical; some serve as tokens of comfort and security. I'm confident there are other purposes aside from he ones I listed.

Do you have a particular relic that is of high interest to yourself or fascination of?

No.

 

[SalixIncendium]

People’s adoration for the cross, amazes me.

If your best friend was killed by a .357, would you make representations of it, kiss it, and adore it? Probably not… you’d hate it!

But yet, that’s what many do with the instrument of Jesus’ death.

His death is precious, not what caused it.

If it (the cross) is precious, then we should make little images of the Roman soldiers, the ones who killed him with it.

I never understood the attachment to the cross, either, but I suppose I'm an outsider.

I think the purpose of the cross is to serve as a reminder to Christians that Jesus gave his life so their sins would be forgiven and so they would be saved.

 

[Mock Turtle]

The cross seems to make its way into so many song lyrics too:

 

[dybmh]

What do you guys think of the willpower to preserve these relics comes from?

I think it communicates that the beliefs and values of the ancient / primitive builder are considered to have historical signficance. Also it is awe inspiring to see what ancient cultures acheived and created with our own eyes.

Do you have a particular relic that is of high interest to yourself or fascination of?

Any ancient temple or structure. Any ancient scripture. Any ancient religious artifact.

I was in New York city recently at a museum where ancient canaanite talimans were on display from 3500BCE. Tiny. Amazing artistry. They made these tiny cylinders from bone, maybe, 1/2 inch tall and 1/4 inch wide. Then carved in them very ornate detailed images of their gods, and other religious symbols. Then they would roll the cylinder along the lip of clay pottery to create a repeating religious motif "blessing" the vessel. Was I facinated? Absolutely.

But also the architecture in New York is amazing. The religious symbols are all around the city. Sometimes so high up, no one would even notice the religious content, like the "Civic Fame", for instance. Here's pictures from the stone work surrounding the ceiling in grand central station. No one needed to put this detail into the construction of the building. But they did it anyway. The same exact image was repeated 6 times for both images. Perfect duplication, in stone. Amazing.



We also visited an old synagogue from the mid 1800s. My spouses dad was bar-mitzvah'd there. All the stained glass was restored. Here's a picture showing chains connecting heaven and earth. There were chains everywhere, even on the undersides of the arches.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think the purpose of the cross is to serve as a reminder to Christians that Jesus gave his life so their sins would be forgiven and so they would be saved.

I understand that logically, but emotionally, I always struggled with it(if that makes any sense).

I guess its probably just my personal preference seeping through; as a Christian kid, I always preferred to see a picture of Jesus happy and smiling as opposed to on the cross.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I guess its probably just my personal preference seeping through; as a Christian kid, I always preferred to see a picture of Jesus happy and smiling as opposed to on the cross.

Like Buddy Christ?

 

[JustGeorge]

Like Buddy Christ?

Yeah!

 

[Quintessence]

For an animist, the willpower to preserve these relics comes from the relationship between the spirit of the relic and the other peoples connected to it. Nothing is "just an object" in the animist worldview, and though the term "relic" is maybe too fancy to describe this, relationships with stones, bones, feathers, and what have you is central to traditional or indigenous religion. I've many such items of significance in my ritual space, some of which I have a deeper relationship with than others. Because it is all very personal, I don't take much interest in "relics" that aren't specific to my tradition because I just don't have that relationship with them. Others do, though, and that's what matters!

 

[AnthonyGiarrusso]

I think it communicates that the beliefs and values of the ancient / primitive builder are considered to have historical signficance. Also it is awe inspiring to see what ancient cultures acheived and created with our own eyes.



Any ancient temple or structure. Any ancient scripture. Any ancient religious artifact.

I was in New York city recently at a museum where ancient canaanite talimans were on display from 3500BCE. Tiny. Amazing artistry. They made these tiny cylinders from bone, maybe, 1/2 inch tall and 1/4 inch wide. Then carved in them very ornate detailed images of their gods, and other religious symbols. Then they would roll the cylinder along the lip of clay pottery to create a repeating religious motif "blessing" the vessel. Was I facinated? Absolutely.

But also the architecture in New York is amazing. The religious symbols are all around the city. Sometimes so high up, no one would even notice the religious content, like the "Civic Fame", for instance. Here's pictures from the stone work surrounding the ceiling in grand central station. No one needed to put this detail into the construction of the building. But they did it anyway. The same exact image was repeated 6 times for both images. Perfect duplication, in stone. Amazing.

View attachment 81747 View attachment 81748

We also visited an old synagogue from the mid 1800s. My spouses dad was bar-mitzvah'd there. All the stained glass was restored. Here's a picture showing chains connecting heaven and earth. There were chains everywhere, even on the undersides of the arches.

View attachment 81749

That's really cool.

 

[dybmh]

That's really cool.

The supernal-wheels + the cadeceus = "have a quick AND a safe journey." Both are repeated 6 times = 12 blessings. And I say: "Thank you" to the maker/builder as I'm boarding the train.