I guess you know what God meant for art to be. Good for you.
Personally, I wish more people would focus on art and less on “helping” others - which usually turns into taking money out of one man’s pocket and putting it into another’s.
And I will say again: your eye is not used to seeing this sort of ritualized art. And so it shocks you. But for those of us raised in ethnic Catholic families, there is nothing shocking or evil about this. It is weirdly beautiful.
Some of you need to take a look at the book “The Golden Bough,” the bible on myth, ritual and religion.
Putting ostentatious gold and jewels on the bodies of dead people and displaying those skeletons *decorated* with almost unimaginable wealth *art* is not more art than putting a crucifix in a jar of urine.
And as far as caring for the poor, Jesus said ....
Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
What an unconscionable waste of time and resources that God has blessed us with for the purpose of helping one another.
It is not shocking to me at all. Just a phenomenal waste and excess where none is needed.
Yes, I do believe I know what God intended art to be and this is not it.
It was right for Mary to anoint His feet with costly perfume and it was right for the wise men to bring costly gifts at His birth. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and deserves our best. However, even when He died His body was not adorned in this manner. He was gone and there was no need. As I’ve said, the dead have need of nothing from the living except a dignified burial.
Jesus has departed from this physical world and no longer has any need for our earthly treasures. But He has left us the Holy Spirit who gives us discernment in the correct use of our money and talents.
And, I believe, He is sorely grieved at many things in institutionalized religions such as Catholicism.
God bless,
jodyel