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What has gold to do with religion?!
- Thread starter paarsurrey
- Start date
Nothing whatsoever. In Hinduism any material would do and does do. Soil, stone, marble, any metal. A metal statue that is gold plated will not rust and will last longer. Other noble metals (wiki -In chemistry, the noble metals are metals that are resistant to corrosion and oxidation in moist air (unlike most base metals). The short list of chemically noble metals (those elements upon which almost all chemists agree) comprises ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold.[1] More inclusive lists include one or more of mercury,[2][3][4] rhenium[5] or copper as noble metals. On the other hand, titanium, niobium, and tantalum are not included as noble metals although they are very resistant to corrosion.) will do as well, but only silver is more plentiful than gold and it does not last as long. It has do with logic of chemistry when you do want a metal statue on a permanent basis that looks reasonably good over decades (in households) or centuries (temples).
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
Having gold is yearning for richness and being rich:
"Rich people are greedy and shallow. They get rich by taking advantage of others. They are miserly and selfish. Money is their god. They don't really care about the poor or less fortunate. "
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mind-over-money/201003/rich-people-are-greedy
Regardshttps://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mind-over-money/201003/rich-people-are-greedy
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
I get the feeling I'm talking to somebody who has already decided this is wrong and judging from your other posts you seem to believe it shouldn't count to Hindus as a pious act. Enough of that. Stop speaking for other religions, please - especially when you know next to nothing about them and have already decided they're wrong. It's rather rude.
Gold is a very valuable commodity - using gold in a temple's construction (in the past) was an act of communal sacrifice and devotion. They worked something precious into a building of significance as an act of devotion. One way to look at it is it's like another form of zakat (sacrifice of wealth for the good of the community) and can be done in hopes of pleasing the deity(es) the shrine or temple is devoted to. That aside, there can be more obvious reasons why it is done.
Some gods have associations with gold - solar deities are the most obvious, as others have said. But there are others. Aphrodite is one.
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
You're like a broken record.
Zoroaster is only authoritative for Zoroastrianism. This is not to do with Zoroastrianism. I'm not a slave to the writings of others. I can form my own opinions so why would I quote from him regarding a religion other than his own?
What has gold to do with religion?!
Funny I should see this topic. I was just watching a movie that talked seriously about gold teeth and crowns miraculously appearing in so-called charismatic Christian settings. I know what skeptics will say and I looked into this myself on the internet some and there does seem to be a substantial number of verifications that include dental record investigations. Now, I have not heard enough to convince me yet, but it seems possible and I am open-minded. This subject really interests me because it should be easier to investigate than faith healings because gold teeth and crowns must be done by either a person or a miracle; there is no psychosomatic explanation possible.
Funny I should see this topic. I was just watching a movie that talked seriously about gold teeth and crowns miraculously appearing in so-called charismatic Christian settings. I know what skeptics will say and I looked into this myself on the internet some and there does seem to be a substantial number of verifications that include dental record investigations. Now, I have not heard enough to convince me yet, but it seems possible and I am open-minded. This subject really interests me because it should be easier to investigate than faith healings because gold teeth and crowns must be done by either a person or a miracle; there is no psychosomatic explanation possible.
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paarsurrey
Veteran Member
It is a religious debate forum, not a forum on metallurgy, please.
They say statues are made just for concentration of attention/meditation. Stone would be sufficient for this purpose. Right? Please
"Anna •
I am a Hindu but my idea of the divine God is different. I don't think of God as a "power source". I don't believe that divinity can be manipulated by humans by creating idols and allowing divine powers to flow into them. God is all that is good in us and in nature. I can pray to an abstract form or to an idol form of my own favorite deity from Hindu mythology. When I pray to an idol, it's my own faith and love that empower me. There are no "magical powers" emanating from the idol. When I chant the mantras, which are true love poems written by sages and saints, I evoke the same love in my heart."
http://isha.sadhguru.org/blog/yoga-meditation/demystifying-yoga/hindu-idols-gods-worship/
So even idol/statue is not needed. Right? Please
Regards
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
Sounds like someone doesn't understand what he was told and is trying to brush it aside. If you realised that stone was more durable and longer lasting than wood, what one would you choose to build a mosque out of?
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
What has gold to do with religion?!
The truthful Word of G-d says:
Regards
The truthful Word of G-d says:
[9:34] O ye who believe! surely, many of the priests and monks devour the wealth of men by false means and turn men away from the way of Allah. And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah — give to them the tidings of a painful punishment,
http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?ch=9&verse=33Regards
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
Using gold to decorate a public building is not hoarding. Hoarding gold would be collecting it for your personal possession and storing it some place where others wouldn't benefit from it or its use. So this isn't at all relevant to the example of the Hindu temple.
You want the correct answer or not? You asked a question that has nothing to do with theology, so get an answer that is correct and nothing to do with theology.
Yes, and so would metal or wood or earth. Hinduism is agnostic with what a statue is made of. Gold is a reasonable choice to coat a metal statue just as certain kinds of stones (easier to carve but not brittle) as easier to make stone statues with.
And others believe differently. What she thinks works personally for her and some other Hindu people think differently. Its hilarious that you linked a website with an article that states outright that idols contain special divine energy.
Hindu's have no injunction or divine writ to think alike on such trivial issues.
Even a belief in God is not needed to be a Hindu, far less an idol. No holy book is needed either. Nothing is needed, but everything can be used if you personally find it beneficial to lead a dharmic life.
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
Kindly quote from Krishna in Bhagavad Gita in this connection, please.
Regards
Why? Do you think the BG is normative to Hinduism? Who gave you that idea?
There are three atheistic schools in Hinduism. Samkhya, Mimamsa and Vaiseshika. Nyaya veers from theistic to agnostic. Advaita Vedanta is monistic. The three theistic schools are Dvaita Vedanta, Visishta-Advaita (and gaudiya) and Yoga. Each have their own seperate standard texts. Samkhya-Karika, Mimamsa-Sutra, Nyaya-Sutra, Yoga-sutra, Brahma-Sutra etc.
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
You are so exasperating, man. I honestly can't tell if you're doing this deliberately or not any more.
paarsurrey
Veteran Member
And I don't with you.
Regards.
I completely missed the link. I do not support such a gigantic and ostentatious gold covered temple in any way shape or form given the cost of gold and how Indian economy is being constantly going into trade deficit partly due to the demand of gold. Hindu religious groups are always free to do what they wish with their private donations, but such a wasteful expenditure should be criticized, not praised.
As almost everyone on this thread has already said, gold has been linked to solar deities throughout the world and time. Much like silver has associations with lunar deities. (Though I do not know if the latter association is as widespread as the former in the world.)
Aside from that, a LOT of cultures have placed a high value on gold. With that high value, it tends to get associated with other things a society finds important. In America we talk about something being the "gold standard", meaning it is the best of its kind. Gold gets associated with power and greatness, secular and divine. Yes, you will see statues of the Buddha adorned with gold leaf. If the Buddha is the most precious and greatest man to have ever lived, it is not strange that He would be depicted in the most beautiful and precious manner.
Aside from that, a LOT of cultures have placed a high value on gold. With that high value, it tends to get associated with other things a society finds important. In America we talk about something being the "gold standard", meaning it is the best of its kind. Gold gets associated with power and greatness, secular and divine. Yes, you will see statues of the Buddha adorned with gold leaf. If the Buddha is the most precious and greatest man to have ever lived, it is not strange that He would be depicted in the most beautiful and precious manner.
Nefelie
Member
The Sun is life giving. Work or no work, nature needs the Sun to continue existing.
So, I don't really see your point.
P.S.: <<The sun was a symbol of bounties of G-d which humans enjoyed in life without putting any labour into it>> quote please?
.
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