[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

The reasoning as far as I understand it has to do with it being against "the rules" to worship physical idols in Islam (e.g. The crucifix / statues of Mary in Christianity) and creating physical images of a prophet is inadvertently encouraging idolry. Also the arrogance of the artist assuming that they "know the face" of these holy figures to be able to draw them is apparently offensive.

Again though I am totally with you on religion, it's something I seriously struggle with when it comes to all organised religions. General spirituality, sure, I get it, there's much more to the universe than we know or are capable of understanding. But these rigid faiths with actual holy characters and people communicating with specific supernatural beings? I just can't get my head around how so many otherwise intelligent and educated people manage to convince themselves that it's anything more than a collection of morality tales written by other human beings a long time ago. To explain the unknown, to offer guidance. I even get WHY they created these stories. I absolutely cannot understand, though, why on earth people are still going along with it.

All I can assume is that the power of suggestion on a young mind is incredibly powerful for most people and most are brought into their churches from birth. But then, I was sent to church and Sunday school as a child and remember, aged around 6, just sitting and clear as a bell it dawning on me: "hold on a second... None of this makes any ****ing sense!". But then, when I went home and stated as much, I didn't have parents who turned around and tried to reinforce the nonsense. My mum was always a big "don't really know!" and my dad is a very much EX Catholic, although he had never shared his non-belief with me until I stated it for myself. I guess when it's reinforced in the home, every day, it really does seep right into every corner of a young mind.

Adults turning to religion seems to almost always be after a trauma or because they have a life that is generally going badly and they need something to latch onto.

Almost always? Really? That has not been my experience.

Respectfully, TS, suggesting people are a bit simple because they don't believe the same things that you do is a but much. I don't mind that you don't believe what I do, it doesn't affect me liking you as a forum member and I will make no effort whatsoever to make you try to understand my faith, it's totally your decision. Neither will I comment that you seem "otherwise educated and intelligent" but are really a bit dim because you don't have faith. I'd be willing to pitch my intelligence and education against anyone's, and yet I have faith. I can't explain it, I don't want to defend it and frankly I don't think I should have to.

And on topic... Islamic art is generally based on geometric designs and calligraphy. They don't hold with picturing living animals and people and in some Islamic pictures that do depict living creatures there will be a line through its neck representing it being dead. It's their thing... I do think they should have more of a sense of humour about it if its a non-Muslim producing the picture. Having said that, depicting their Prophet when it's strictly forbidden is a little provocative. Not that I think that should raise anything more than a protest and definitely not violence and killing.