The Correlation Committee strikes again

[Joe Public]

In addition to any potential chilling effect it may have on art, such emphasis seems misguided. Why is it critical to be accurate regarding wings when artists take the ultimate license with things like the very appearance of the Savior's face, the clothes he wore, his physical build, etc. These paintings are not intended to be examples of hyper-realism.

Another thing I learned about the Harry Anderson painting.....not only did the Church ixnay the wings, they also asked Anderson to fix the Savior's hair. The original version featured an Ernest L Wilkinson approved short haircut. The Church, likely under the influence of Mick Jagger and his rock and roll music, asked Anderson to add some length to the locks.

I have heard on more than one occasion, and always through the unofficial Mormon lore channels, that the basic Christ-in-the-red-cloak painting was given a knowing nod by the prophet as being accurately depicted. I think there is a significant part of the Mormon community that believes the prophet talks with Christ in the temple from time to time. Anyone who believes that could, by extension, agree with the LDS church "correcting" some art.

[creekster]

According to Isaiah, they should have added 4 wings to each, instead of removing the two. Unless Seraphim wings were a Law of Moses thing that was done away with.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

I think Erich Von Daniken (sp?) thinks that describes a pressure suit with a rocket pack or something like that. Now that would be cool to see in a church painting.

[Jacob]

I have heard on more than one occasion, and always through the unofficial Mormon lore channels, that the basic Christ-in-the-red-cloak painting was given a knowing nod by the prophet as being accurately depicted.

I've heard those completely false stories as well.

[byu71]

I have a friend who has an awesome picture of Christ in his front room. It was supposed to go into one of the Temples, but there was something they didn't like. Can't remember exactly what. He got a heck of a deal on it.

Sometimes I just get the idea the leaders don't trust the membership. If they show someone elses idea of what an angel looks like, many of us will be corrupted into believing that.

I still think it is very funny everytime I hear BYU wouldn't have the moral standing it does without the HC. In other words, the youth of the church who get ecclesiastical endorsements would become dirtbags while at BYU without the honor code.

[LA Ute]

Wait...from this thread I am getting the impression that angels might not have wings. Is that true? If so, how long has this information been kept from us?

[Moliere]

It's funny that we try so hard to not look Catholic. I am surprised they didn't remove the halo around his head.

[jay santos]

It's funny that we try so hard to not look Catholic. I am surprised they didn't remove the halo around his head.

Yes, and the Jesus is looking a little Mediterranean. They could tweak the features to make him look more Northern European.

[creekster]

Yes, and the Jesus is looking a little Mediterranean. They could tweak the features to make him look more Northern European.

He has a red beard and is pale like a fish belly. How much more northern European could he look?

[DU Ute]

I think they nailed it. In the original I can picture Him saying "Come on! What's with the skanky angels?"

If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek to mess with these things.

[Solon]

May be more due to doctrinal reasons to clip the wings. From my understanding the Catholic Church started portraying wings on angels to copy Isis, the Egyptian goddess who is often portrayed with wings. Would not surprise me as most of the "religious" holidays we celebrate borrowed heavily from Paganism. If the Pagans had copyright laws back then they could have brought suit for infringement.

This is the guy to ask:

http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/C/Rangar...ebsite/CV.html

Rangar is one of Penn State's finest.

I believe winged "angels" have more to do with Iris & Hermes, the messengers of the gods in ancient Greece. Isis, in my opinion, is more in line with a divine mother figure and less easily compared to an angel's role.

One interesting thing Rangar has spoken about (not sure if he's written it out or not) is the difference between "angels" and "demons." In religious contexts, both words came to mean essentially the same thing in ancient Greek (a "daemon" is a heavenly messenger that brings inspiration; Socrates talks a lot about the daemon that visited him), but early Christians decided that the word "daemon" should refer to diabolic messengers, and "angel" to heavenly ones. It could just as easily gone the other way.

Also, coincidentally, earlier today I bought a cheap knock-off of this Byzantine icon depicting Michael and Gabriel. I'll try to color out the wings when I get home. Maybe I'll be able to erase the halos as well.

[Katy Lied]

Also, coincidentally, earlier today I bought a cheap knock-off of this Byzantine icon depicting Michael and Gabriel.

Are you in Turkey?

[Solon]

Are you in Turkey?

I'm in Greece.

In the icon I bought, it says above their names that these are "the holy taxiarchs". Taxiarch is a military term, which I thought was an interesting way to categorize the "arch-angels." So, I sprang for the 5 euros.

[byu71]

I'm in Greece.

In the icon I bought, it says above their names that these are "the holy taxiarchs". Taxiarch is a military term, which I thought was an interesting way to categorize the "arch-angels." So, I sprang for the 5 euros.

Greece. I will be tactless here because I don't have time to put in a tactful way.

Are the Greeks totally naive?

[Solon]

Greece. I will be tactless here because I don't have time to put in a tactful way.

Are the Greeks totally naive?

About the economy? Maybe. They feel betrayed by their political leaders who made all these promises and now it's obvious their egos were writing checks their GDP couldn't cash. In that way, I guess they were naive.

It's sinking in now, from what I gather, that there's no leaving the euro-zone (that would crush Greece) but they have to just tighten their belts and fight through it for years to come. The non-centrists won big gains in the elections 2 weeks ago, but couldn't form a government. New elections in mid-June will (so I hear) actually see a decrease in the fringes as people are coming to realize that the communists and fascists are equally bat-shit crazy.

[pellegrino]

This puts Bloch in very good company, as the pope back in the day ordered fig leaves drawn on a number of the figures in the Last Judgment painting on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel.

I can't decide if this is a defense of the church's actions or an indictment of the Catholics.