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Julian-Faylona — The God Machine
#alien #dark #deity #device #fiction #god #julian #macabre #machine #matte #mattepainting #painting #religion #science #surreal #weird #elementj21 #faylona
Published: 2015-08-27 17:02:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 31155; Favourites: 921; Downloads: 0
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Description
This piece reflects, in an abstract way, how I feel about religion in general these days. Most people, only think of God as some kind of cosmic vending machine or ATM. It's a Middle-Upper Class syndrome where people attribute financial or material acquisition as "blessings" from God. It's really amusing when I hear someone posting updates on their FB, thanking God for the new iPhone, their straight As, and what not. To the average faithful, God is reduced to some kind of a genie in a bottle who grants the wishes of worthy people. This is pretty much the same in any religion for as long as it believes in some kind of deity/deities.Anyway, this is not a bash on religion. But it's something to think about.
(PS: Some folks have been asking why I included Daoism there. Well, do read my comments on their queries and you'll find out why)
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Comments: 181
"Most people, only think of God as some kind of cosmic vending machine or ATM."
^^^ Looks like someone is on the road to eternal life.
That line. This piece. = This generation.
Glad I saw this. I often think the same thing.
God is not a vending machine.
And he is not our "client".
Nor genie (the Arabic word for demon).
God is not a demon.
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Reminds me of an old joke. "My wife and kids treat me like a god. They only acknowledge my existence when they want something."
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sometimes i do feel that way too... my relatives think that i'm their ATM... lol
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This is a really unique work of art, and you're not wrong when you make your point. As a person of faith, I never thought of religion and how people view God in this way. It's quite eye-opening yet depressing, the way in which we seem to take all the good things that happen in our lives (be it blessings or good luck, however you view it), for granted. And when things don't go the way we want them to, we are often quick to curse God for it because when the universe is out of your control, who else can you blame? I've come to believe that religion has caused problems in the past, and still is today, but faith (as well as reason) are even greater gifts for the mind and spirit. Thank you for making this.
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First of all I like the way this piece inspires higher thought.
It would be wrong for me to take the good things in my life for granted. There were times in the past when I didn't accept Gods will as just and cursed him when things went wrong in my life. Looking at my life as less significant is actually a positive. People think they should affect an amount of the universe which is beyond their ability wouldn't you agree? It's not right to think we shouldn't try to make some small positive change that we're capable of.
It's wonderful we're endowed with faith.
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I like the insight behind this drawing! Very well portrayed
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that's pretty much exactly what i came to think about religion.
what religious symbol is the one behind the jewish vending machine?
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that symbol represents Sikhism. mostly adhered by northern Indians, particularly Punjabs. they refer to God as Allah, even though they're not Muslims.
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hm. interesting, thanks.
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Yeah, that's just a different language. In my religion we can call him God or Allah. We're not Muslims either. Allah is the Arabic word for God if you're interested.
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well not here in East Asia... most Taoists and Buddhists here adhere to a pantheon of gods, spirits, and spiritual realms.
pure Taoism is pure philosophy, it doesn't acknowledge gods. it's geared towards self betterment. Buddhism however, though never acknowledging Buddha as a god but more of a great teacher, Buddhists, before offering their prayers inside the temple, pray outside first, because they acknowledge, that there is an almighty-transcendent-divine (monotheistic) force that governs all of creation.
Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism are the sect of Buddhism that adheres to many gods. This is a result of intermingling with many local shamanistic and pagan beliefs of old from China, all the way to the Indo-China regions.
it's quite complicated and confusing really. but the sects of Taoism here really creeps me out. like seriously. their depiction of hell alone is a nightmare fuel.
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Great picture and interesting concept, but I'd like to point out that this is hardly a modern day middle-class phenomenon. The God of the Bible seems suspiciously interested in solving agricultural disputes and distributing spoils of war. Today we want financial success, back then we wanted military and agricultural success. Same pie, different crust.
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Wow awesome concept! Beautiful.
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Wonderful piece! So true, religions poison everything.
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To the contrary, I think your message is rather supportive of what religion should be, which is devotion to your deity and upholding tradition.
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I think it's a good reflection of the changing image of the religion, which has become a consumer like the others, a "product" that can swallow, which is digested to move on, another well still swallowing again and again.
What I like these that all religions are on the same place, different ways of the same name, something that encompasses everything
Great work!
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The product of forgiveness, unity, and love is very tasty. I'll be digesting it for a lifetime and longer. All religions come from the same place so the art imitates life appropriately.
We're glad you liked it. Thank you for your work also.
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You're welcome ^^
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On the upside: It inspired you to create this. I very much like the concept of this one.
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Beautiful and inspiring. In my opinion the universe is too big (as the earth itself is so big in its time-space in a certain way) that we can't be of importance at all in the main things of the universe, so if it is a creator (that I don't think there is any) it doesn't know at all about us. So, there is no god, because that wouldn't met the pre-requisites of a god. Is like if we generate in the future artificial universes in a laboratory and after long time, those universes evolve and have live. Can we be called gods? I don't think so.
Amazing landscape, atmosphere, colors and everything
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i'm catholic (no offense if you are a religion basher), but i think god would more likely be something alien ala Yog-Sothoth rather than a stereotypical man in the clouds.
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don't know what is "religion basher". Interesting point of view. But the existence of an entity like that is not equal to the anthropological conception of a god.
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I believe a creator of some kind exists, but I don't expect any miracles from it. It doesn't spare innocent children from cancers or other good people from all sorts of misery, so why would it help me?
The most positive spin i can try to put on this life is that maybe it is a test of some kind. Seneca said that 'a gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials', and perhaps this life creates deeper and better souls as a result of its sufferings. Or perhaps there is nothing after all, and it's all a pointless exercise.
Nice painting, very thought provoking.
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thank you
i like what you said. yes i've been thinking of the same too.
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Maybe the children aren't being punished by some random act of cruelty. Probably they aren't strong enough and/or smart enough to avoid energy or emotions that would cause their cells to turn on their bodies. Perhaps that's what other evolved adults and children with more experience dealing with all the destructive albeit mostly inadvertent or ignorant forces that cause cancer are for. If I'm believing, (with some science from some cancer treatment centers and the medical establishment to back me and many other millions up), that this is the case then maybe a religion (uh oh, there's that horrible word again) would be one of the ways God could assist those in helping others if they chose of their free will to join it.
Yeah, I kind of agree with you on this. I believe It's how we react to the hatred, thievery, domination, and pain in life that can let us bring about change, understanding, and unification.
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I like your perspective. I think I feel similarly. The idea of God is definitely perplexing 😯
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"Satan's church is nature." Heard that on a Joe Rogan Podcast episode.
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People saying, "I feel blessed" will have me backing up quicker than a garlic flavored silver bullet. Great work!
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