Thursday, December 11, 2008

Devotional

Sounds of 2008
6. Qu'ran Recital, Kuwaiti Mosque


I discovered some stunning Qu'ran recitations on You Tube one balmy summer evening this year.

Ironically, I came across them while I was browsing some of my favorite atheist clips including many featuring the estimable Sam Harris.

Whatever your religious beliefs, this is a profound, affecting devotional, a reminder there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

An atheist should not be interested in Qoran recitations, otherwise it is a big shame for all atheists ;)

Shiffi Le Soy said...

Hi Anonymous,

Thanks for posting a response to this blog.

I'd be interested to hear more from you on this point. I'm a little unclear as to why it's a shame for atheists - and I'm one of them - to be interested in Islamic recitation.

We might have cause to feel uneasy, perhaps even offended, by certain religious beliefs. If that's your point, then I'm in full agreement.

But the point I was trying to raise here was that devotional music can transport our consciousness to wonderful heights, if only we are not too attached to the dogma and realize the inherent truths of its metaphorical connotations.

I explore these ideas a little more fully in my blog on the medieval composer Josquin Des Prez:

http://islandsofecstasy.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-can-u-be-atheist-and-appreciate.html

Anonymous said...

"We might have cause to feel uneasy, perhaps even offended, by certain religious beliefs. If that's your point, then I'm in full agreement."

No, it was not my point. I did not know that atheists have cause to feel uneasy by certain religious beliefs... Thank you for the link, I found your discussion on Josquin Des Prez music very interesting and now I see that your posts have nothing to do with religions but perception of music

Shiffi Le Soy said...

Hi Anonymous,

Thanks for your reply. I'm glad you checked out the other blog and perhaps now my thoughts are clearer.

As for your comment. "I did not know that atheists have cause to feel uneasy by certain religious beliefs", er...isn't that kind of a definition or prime cause of atheism?

Anonymous said...

Atheists are worshippers anyway, they worship earthy blessings