Organized hierarchical religion essentially interposes interpreter/dictator priests between ourselves & whatever we can find to believe in. It also breeds bigotry by dividing people into “us” (the chosen) & “them” (the heathen infidel). Yet who can deny that religion has historically produced much of the world’s finest & most spectacular architecture?
(Click on image to enlarge.)
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| Shinseiji: graceful traditional architecture. (But try not to notice the strategically located spotlight & speaker.) Kōenji, Tokyo, 2007 |
And this charming pathway leads to...? A tea ceremony room? A meditation hall? A tool shed, actually. (Shinseiji again) Kōenji, Tokyo, 2007 |
Bamboo & twine: simple & harmonious. Senjuin, an otherwise drab little temple. Negishi, Tokyo, 2007 |
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| Mont St Michel, a tranquil monastery that also served as a local refuge & fortress in times of trouble. Normandie, France, 2005 |
Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia): for nearly 1,000 years the largest cathedral in the world. Istanbul, 2007 |
Sultanahmet Camii (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), known also as the Blue Mosque for its blue interior tiles. Istanbul, 2007 |