Sonic Youth Gossip - Medieval Cathedrals: Their Significance in the Development of the Western World

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Once a cathedral, once a mosque, and now a museum, and perhaps the most beautiful building in the world.

I think that the loss of the cathedral due to protestantism's opposition to the extravagances of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches has led to a world where art is almost reviled by Christians, and in turn we have crude small churches lacking in pipe organs and art. Many lack any iconography as well.

I think this has led the Christians further away from God, because I believe God and art are closely related. What should have been spurned in the old churches was the lack of religious tolerance and hypocrisy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

The Tower of Babel connections is extremely interesting.. the motif in the bible of this tower is the corrupting influence of modernization/urbanization. Essentially the Tower of Babel story is the Bible's version of the modernismo literary movement of South America with authors like Garcia-Marquez who criticised the negative effects of the urbanization of SA countries.. The Tower of Babel story attributes the rise of the city as the rise of moral, spiritual and cultural corruption and decadence.. interesting analogy with cathedrals in the sense of Cathedrals being a driving force behind Medieval urbanization..

What is the interpretation of the confusion of tongues? Was this simply to stop the people building the city or to stop them building upwards and ascending to God?
It seems strange that we build such huge magnificent cathedrals in which to worship him when architecture seems rather an afront to him...?
or a way in___? to understand.

i went to c.of e. primary school and was always terrified of going into church for some reason.
now i find myself constantly drawn to them.