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Julian-Faylona — The God Machine
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Published: 2015-08-27 17:02:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 31151; Favourites: 920; 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
I am an atheist for 8 years, but I find Buddhism to be more like an Ideology, that’s my personal take on that, but I have never practiced Buddhism myself, i have just red a little about it.
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as a catholic myself, i like buddhist philosophy to be honest.
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I was a Catholic, yep, Buddhism seems to be cool and universal to me.
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Thank you for this inspired work. Expresses the idea beautifully and invites some much needed awareness to the topic.
I am inclined to agree . Anything, even a belief, that is invented by humanity is going to end up being put into service. Religion is not an act of faith, it's just another sort of service industry with a social club for people to join. As long as it's convenient for people to identify themselves in this way, they will continue to embrace the labels and use the labels as ways to separate themselves from others. Hope that more people can grow in spirit, look up from their machines and recognize how much all people have in common.
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"Religion is a service industry"... yep! you nailed it! it's just brands where people fight to defend it.
thank you as well
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*hugs* Thank you. May I offer a small amendment to my previous statement? I left out the word 'dysfuntional'. Religion is a dysfunctional service industry. It is full of salesman trying desperately to sell you something that you already own - your soul. It is strange how invested some of these salesmen are in trying to convince you that you don't really have a soul unless you adhere to all their rules - and equally strange how few of them adhere to their own rules or really believe that souls even exist.
While I am truly glad that there are people who are able to find comfort, support and happiness through the social structures that religion can provide; I will remain hopeful that humanity can grow in awareness. The world will be a better place.
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As far as kicking their internet addictions and seeing reasons to live more harmoniously with others, amen sister.
A widely held belief would be that religion in itself isn't an act of faith. Actually serving God through sacrifice while struggling to understand those we disagree with would be. Some of us identify ourselves as someone who believes in the same God most other religions do and just follow different teachings. We don't believe it should separate us either so we agree with you there also. Spiritual awareness is difficult to come by when politics, sexuality, and intolerant people of any religion or without religious beliefs are involved.
I commend you for your quest.
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Thank you for this kind remark. Blessings and patience in your own practices, as well.
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Really cool and creative work, sirrah.
I always find myself somewhat disgusted when people thank god for something as cosmically trivial as their raise at work, their new house, their ability to win a sports game. Because when I hear that, I think "God intervened to let you score the winning touchdown, but not to save a child dying of an infected mosquito bite?" If you want to believe in a God in the grander picture and thank Him/Her/It for the gift of the cosmos, and for the potential for life that we treasure every day, even when it down't turn out so wonderful, I can understand, even if I don't believe in it that way myself. But the idea of a God who seems to pick favorites, giving one man the gift of stupendous sports skills, and the economic and social position to properly exploit those skills, while denying basic necessities to millions of others, seems to me nothing less than vanity and arrogance, masquerading under a facade of assumed humility.
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i used to think that way once upon a time. i got my wake up call when i became a victim of a theft during my travels, in which my passport was stolen (it was one hell of a bureaucratic nightmare!). my knee jerk reaction was to pray for somekind of miracle. but the rationalist side of me began flooding my mind with images of rape victims, typhoon & earthquake victims, the homeless and destitute and those who suffer with no end. and need i mention ISIS' victims? i'm sure those people deserved more miracle than i do.
so instead of waiting for something and just sit around do nothing, i made up my mind that what i need is ACTION! if i don't get my ass moving, i risk getting deported into my home country if i don't get my emergency exit pass within 24 hours. in fact, i kinda remembered when Christ himself reprimanded a lazy man at the well who was asking for a miracle. Jesus kinda told him, "the only miracle you need is getting your lazy ass off the ground and do something!"... lol
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Thought-provoking and powerful!
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It's very thought-provoking and beautiful work!
You're not wrong; there *is* a lot of "vending machine" spirituality out there these days, and that's coming from a Christian! Problem is, a lot of true belief involves eventually having to suffer in some way. Are we able to stay faithful even through suffering? If God doesn't give us what we want, would we still follow Him? Even atheists and agnostics can buy electronics. The difference should be how we handle a crisis, or how deep we're willing to truly go with faith.
(Sorry for the soap box. lol )
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well said... i used to see God as some kind of vending machine once upon a time. i prayed for all kinds of materialistic stuff.
but as i grew up, seeing less privileged people suffering, good people suffering, i decided to change my tune. i pray only for strength that i may be able to help others in need. in fact, that's what we all ought to be doing. Mother Theresa understood that very clearly.
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That's a great description of what happens nowadays, this is an incredible work with a concept that I had never seen before, congrats!
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That's... a good observation I must say.
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I say there's nothing wrong with giving thanks to God for the good fortune He's permitted you to have. The problem arrives when you stop praising Him as soon as things go south. Because He is not a vending machine, that I agree with.
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I agree very much with your concept and I am glad you approached in a respectful manner. I think John Oliver's show in which he exposed televangelists would fit very nicely with your piece.
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oh televangelists... i do my best to stay away from their ilk.
i just had this funny thought, i don't mean to poke fun at the evangelicals but i kinda noticed how preachers elicit money from their congregation. they start with the emotional worship, then pepper the crowd with words of how God will multiply their blessings if they give 10% -talk about being legalistic about that doctrine- to the church. and once people start going "shut up and take my money" in flocks, the preacher goes into a frenzy of worship thanking God. i've seen this way to many times with the charismatic sects, even in catholic gatherings outside of the Mass. it's hilarious...
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You should go to youtube and watch Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. He does a entire episode about this.
He shows a televangelist living in a million dollar mansion as a parsonage. They say that it is "seed" money. That giving them money is sowing the seeds for future benefits from God. You would find rather interesting.
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I agree with you. It is kinda weird watching the oscars hearing people systematically thank God.
I've almost finished reading "Guantanamo Diary" and Mohamedou has taught me what it truely means to believe in a real God.
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i'll be sure to check out those materials you mentioned. sounds interesting!
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I heartily recommend it! To me it feels like the most genuine story I've ever read.
It's about a man that has been wrongfully imprisoned in Americas war on terrorism.
His absolute faith in a higher power is really something!
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Wonderful concept 
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Very cool! I agree with how some people treat religions like that.
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Why is there a taoist symbol? taoism isn't a religion. Taoists doesn't worship a god.
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true taoism doesn't. but here in Asia most taoists do believe in a pantheon of deities.
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I see... That's weird tho. I read tao te ching and it never mention any god.
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indeed, i think it's due to intermingling with the local shamanistic/animistic and pagan beliefs especially from China and Indo-China.
I prefer original Taoism (pure philosophy) than the modern ones. trust me, it'll creep you out. from where i live, at the end of Ghost Month there's this parade where you'll see some people clad in the ancient garments of each gods, running around in a trance, chanting ceaselessly, sometimes shouting, as if they are possessed. plus they stick sharp objects into their faces as if it's nothing. it is said that the spirits of the gods descend upon these people and use their bodies as temporary conduits to the living world. they even do black magic. go to any temple here and you can request them to make magical talismans for you for whatever purpose. i had this classmate who had burnt pieces of paper talismans mixed in her water bottle. when i asked her about, she said it'll help her excel in the exams with flying colors (well she aced the exams but i think that's just because she's smart and hardworking).
actually, Chinese New Year is pretty much centered around these beliefs. try going to a Chinatown (if you have one at where you live). if you notice them putting up red altars with sticky rice cakes on it, you'll know they believe in these pantheon of gods. the rice cakes are put there before the Lunar New Year's eve, so that the gods would have their mouths shut due the stickiness of the cake, so that they won't snitch on misbehaving mortals, towards the Elders of the Heavenly Realms... lol talk about trolling a god.
it's really fascinating. i could talk on and on about this but perhaps you can do more searching on this in Youtube or Google.
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...still, taoism is not that, truly. Or perhaps today that is the modern face of taoism, but its not true to its source.
just because you use a pen to stab someone doesn't mean that was the original design/purpose of the pen, if you get my analogy, lol.
I would also like to say that i've never heard a buddhist talk or act like that, sure they believe in a deity but it depends of what kind of buddhist you are, many see buddha simply as an ascended/enlightened man and believe all people are capable of achieving buddha-hood.
I've never heard a buddhist say anything like 'thank buddha for giving me a day off work" or "pray to buddha for more money" (that being said there are always bastardizations of any kind of idea)
ANYway, this piece of art is both visually attractive and thought provoking
And i totally agree with the sentiment.
You're exactly right that is how modern middle+upper class people behave with their religion, its most likely due to their selfishness which is rampant in modern society, and also their lack of need for a real religion (real as in authentic not reality imo there is no real religion) because honestly in this day and age with modern science and medicine where does god fit? If there is no perceived need to believe eg. unexplained natural phenomena, natural disasters, lack of knowledge of the world around us; then why would/should we?
I think its interesting to imagine if in a single day the world forgot religion but kept the rest of our memories, would we simply move on with life or would we re-invent religion again?
In my opinion a large percentage of people claiming to be religious are not actually true believers but are simply too lazy to think about it and so just go with what they've been told/raised to believe.
I love to ask christians about the bible, because very often they have no idea what it actually contains besides a vague knowledge of the more popular stories, and haven't read it themselves, which in my opinion is in itself damning.
How can anyone claim to believe in a religion when they dont know what that religion really contains? if you dont read the bible, how can you know you are a christian?
...sorry for the rant but you got me thinking about religion again haha
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also i just realized....where's the crucifix?! you've got everything except that lol
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symbol for christianity? it's actually right there on the right of Judaism.
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thats the symbol of catholicism, christianity is technically different.
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the symbol is a monogram of Chi and Rho, a pre-christian symbol, rehashed by early Christians, to symbolize the crucifixion and triumph over death by Christ. if you notice how almost every image of Jesus out there, you see his right hand doing some kind of a gesture with his thumb, index and middle finger, that's the Chi-Rho/Kyros symbol. That symbol is part of many Christograms out there, including the cross (in it's many variations interpreted by different denominations later) and the fish symbol. they are all recognized as universal Christian symbols. that symbol is older than the cross symbol and was used widely by early Christians long before the cross became mainstream.
ummm btw about your reply... actually, Christianity is a religion encompassing a wide number of denominations. Catholicism is a sub-set of Christianity, and therefore technically, Catholics are Christians. It's not a separate religion.
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yea, catholics are christian but christians arnt catholic, which is kinda what i was getting at
i dont think most christian denominations use the chi-rho and i only recognized it as a catholic symbol (though im willing to admit you're totally correct)
im only nit picking really, but surely the crucifix is the single most recognized symbol of christianity?
in the end it doesnt matter as the art is good and it gets the point across
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