Loading
You are not signed in

Spo / Photos

Absolution

I am not a religious person, so this photo is here purely for visual reasons. Besides, redemption that this event promises has caused so much misery in the world by assuring pardon for murderers, warmongers and whatnot – and I don't mean among fanatics like in islam today, but among middle-of-the-road christians – that it hardly deserves any other reason to be displayed than visual.

But please don't get me wrong: we do not neccessarily need this chap in order to be cruel to each other; that can be easily seen, say, in Israel today.

I shot this in Venice, but I don't remember in which church. I tried to google photos of it, but in vain. I kind of understand the lack of images, because the church was very, very dark as you can see from the specs, and the use of flash was forbidden.
Visible by: Everyone
(more information)

More information

Visible by: Everyone

All rights reserved

Report this photo as inappropriate

11 comments

Askyr.photo said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl6fyhZ0G5E

nice shot... !
9 years ago

Spo replied to Askyr.photo:

Thank you, Askyr. Manson is just as poignant as ever. Cool beat, too. :-)
9 years ago

dolores666 said:

I agree with the text. ;-) And the light in the picture is splendid. All vey mystical...:-)
Not at all keen myself on that particular chap-symbol-concept, although I do love some of the female counterparts, particulatly the Andalusian baroque variety.
9 years ago

Spo replied to dolores666:

A friend of mine has studied female catholicism practiced in Central America, and what she told me about it was quite interesting as well.
9 years ago

Don Sutherland said:

Outstanding POV.
9 years ago

Spo replied to Don Sutherland:

Thank you, Don. POV made me think of how it would work if a group of people was shot standing in the middle of the church, all of them looking soberly at the camera, which was placed some five meters high. Would it give the impression they are looking at God?
9 years ago

'ºLº' said:

You write : "it hardly deserves any other reason to be displayed than visual.".. after having judged Christianity on moral grounds !!...Oh? tst!
I have trouble with your discourse Spo..
"Visual reason"?.. you mean aesthetics? or like an art dealer? It's practically impossible to look at this picture without putting it into its religious context ( = it is Jesus Christ and he is on the cross) because in our collective conscience all around the world, for believers and non believers alike, this is what one recognises and what it represents.
The emotion comes from the cultural symbolism, does it not?..And for the Christians it symbolises a lot more than for just the passer-by !!

(I'm curious..:.As an atheist or agnostic, you don't believe in atonement in one's life ?)
9 years ago

Spo replied to 'ºLº':

You are right, Leonora; I meant picture is here for aesthetic reasons, not visual. My mistake, I apologize. And yes, it is impossible for many to look at it from any other angle than religious one, and why should they even need to? And yes, the emotion comes from the symbolism. :-)

That outsourcing of conscience to some deity is what I don't like. I think people should try to live their lives according to their own standards (which are remarkably similar all over the world), and when they fail – everyone fails now and then – then they should carry the consequences, that is the guilty. There is nothing wrong with guilty; it is a very useful emotion, and it doesn't need to be cured with pills. :-)
9 years ago

'ºLº' replied to Spo:

There's really no need to apologize ! :)
Um ..there would be too much to say ..
Let's leave it at that ..for now !! :)
9 years ago

Thérèse said:

La photo est belle
8 years ago

Uwe Bollenbach said:

ein schönes foto aber der Text? ....Sie hätten es einfach bei dem Foto belassen sollen. Sie haben Jesus und die Aussage von ihm nicht verstanden wie viele andere Menschen auch.
2 years ago ( translate )
You must sign in to add a comment.