ERC+Religious+References

Religious References in Art and Culture

=Lesson Plans - SEC. V=

by Pasquale Vari

//The purpose of this assignment is to show you that, like it or not, Religion is all around us. What kind of influence does religion have on society? // //Society and Culture are bound together by codes of behavior, and by tacit agreements to live together in harmony. Some cultures identified themselves by their Religion; i.e., their religion was the centre which held the culture together. Home, farming, relationships, marriage, birth and death, these are all common events in cultures; often these events have a religious significance. // //Religion gives transcendental meaning and purpose, and often, a goal to aspire to when life is complete. So many cultures have bound themselves together in common that they might all achieve the goal of life in common, by providing those social structures which bind religion and man. The word religiare (from which we get our common word Religion) means to bind back.// //Religion often gives codes of behavior for society and culture, such as the Ten Commandments. Another example is "Love God, have morality in society, and abhor sin". All religions have values. Values are guides to behavior, such as do good, avoid wrong. All religions have the five human values, Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non-violence at their core. These are values which sustain the very core of family, home, society, nation, and world.// //It’s really no wonder Religion is imbedded in all of our lives. We see it in our movies, television shows, video games, books, art, music that we all enjoy. //
 * Have students appreciate that religious works of art contain references to religious writings, key figures and objects, and that these references can sometimes be found in secular art. **





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