When you complete the article weigh in with a comment that reflects deeply and completely your thoughts. Make sure to give specific places in the book to make your argument or share your insights. Then comment on the thoughts of two others.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Can You Imagine? | Christian Bible Studies
Read this article ... there is an interesting reference and connection to The Picture of Dorian Gray story as it relates to art, to imaginatin and to sinful living!
When you complete the article weigh in with a comment that reflects deeply and completely your thoughts. Make sure to give specific places in the book to make your argument or share your insights. Then comment on the thoughts of two others.
Can You Imagine? | Christian Bible Studies
When you complete the article weigh in with a comment that reflects deeply and completely your thoughts. Make sure to give specific places in the book to make your argument or share your insights. Then comment on the thoughts of two others.
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In the article, it says that the imagination could be a good thing or bad thing. Dorian Gray's imagination made the picture his idol. In his mind, the picture was the best thing ever. Although his imagination, he made the picture seem human. In the actual book, Dorian said that picture was more beautiful than him and would always be that way. In this thinking, he put his looks as an idol too. Like I said, imagination can be a good thing or bad thing. In Dorian's case, it was a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteTaurell is having technical difficulties so I am copying and pasting his answer and then his response to Courtney here! ...
ReplyDeleteWhen I think Dorian Gray, I picture King Solomon. King Solomon was wise but he became obsessed with the most deceptive creatures on earth, women. He turned away from God and worshiped women by letting his wives establish idol worship to their strange gods. Most scholars believe that Solomon lost his faith in God but eventually came back around and wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon describes the pleasures of this world as vanity and encourages the readers to not turn away from God because the end result is always bad. Dorian Gray is obsessed with his beauty and has turned evil towards all of humanity besides Lord Henry, who has become a type of Satan in his life. Dorian Gray worships his beauty and Lord Henry.
Taurell's response to Courtney:
ReplyDeleteResponses to Courtney’s Post: I totally agree with you. Self-righteous led Dorian Gray to make wrongs decisions. His worship of his beauty has made him in a sense evil. He follows the wrong advice that Lord Henry gives him because he is mesmerized by him. I believe that in the future of the story, Lord Henry’s advice will cause Dorian Gray to make a life-threating decision that will hurt not only him but the people he has relationships with.
My response to the article:
ReplyDeleteDorian reminds me of Nebuchadnezzar's selfishness and conceit. So incredibly selfish and conceited, in fact, that he created a nine story tall, golden idol of himself for all to worship. We all know the story but my point is that Dorian idolized himself (or rather his beauty) just as nebuchadnezzar did. Dorian's self-obsession causes him to turn against any and every-one... except of course the infamous Lord Henry, or Harry. Dorian's worship of Himself and Lord Henry is such a sad story of spiritual deterioration.
my response to taurell:
ReplyDeleteI totally and fully agree that women are the most deceptive creatures on earth! And I like how you linked Solomon to Dorian. Their idolizations of what they thought to be beautiful brought them to a very low spiritual valley that would result in nothing good... although like you said, Solomon did turn back to God in the end. I thought it to be a good and interesting response to the story.
The author states that imagination is key when reading the Bible. I agree, because I use my imagination all the time when I read the Bible. His example of Jonathan Edwards and the butterfly/resurrection analogy is exactly how my mind works. It's called General Revelation for a reason.
ReplyDeleteDorian Gray is vain, and he worships not only himself, but, to an extent, also worships Lord Henry. He uses his imagination as a bad tool. He hurts others, and in the process of listening to everything Lord Henry says and doing all that he does, Dorian ultimately hurts himself.
It's kind of like the good angel/bad angel. Basil is the good angel, trying to win Dorian back to his former innocence and life. Lord Henry, the bad angel, wants Dorian to have all the pleasures this life offers, even if it ends up hurting him.
Response to Taurell/Daniel: Ehem. You guys are outnumbered in the class 4 to 2. Just saying. But yall's Bible character uses are spot on! He is a Nebuchadnezzer/Solomon-like figure in that he was once on the good path (path of righteousness, if you will), but then turned to his own vanities and lusts.
ReplyDeleteThis article states that using your imagination alongside of the Bible is beneficial to the reader. I totally agree with him there. Although i believe that, like the author later stated, letting our imaginations be influenced by the "world" can cause us to distort the message of God's word. But if we keep ourselves in constant check, our imaginations will only serve to
ReplyDeleteDorian's imagination leads him to believe that this painting is somehow a part of him. When he listens to Lord Henry's compliments he is lured into believing that he is someone much more beautiful than the rest. He thinks that this beauty and power that he has can live his life however he wants. And as is proven later in the story, his bad life choices brought him nothing but an empty, unfulfilled life.
I totally agree with Christina about the angels. It totally reminds me of the cartoons with the little angels on people's shoulders.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Taurell: Even thought i don't think woman the MOST deceptive creatures on earth, i think your analogy is really good. Dorian has let his pride get in the way of what could be a very good life. He let Lord Henry's compliments go straight to his head.
Helping out Britney who also is having computer problems! Here response and her comment are both here!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry Mrs.Ford for this inconvenience...my computer is not cooperating at all, I have tried to post my comments, but it has failed. (everytime i hit enter to post it goes blank so i have to type again and the same cycle continues) So I am going to email it to you instead, I am the last person to post, and I am sorry for it being after 12, it has been a very busy day and the computer has been acting up, anyways here are my two posts:
After reading this article i have gaineed a lot more understanding about this book. The first sentence which states that faith is the act of the imagination explains to me Kord Henry's view of life. It takes just as much faith for him to believe what he believes as it does for us to believe in God. And when we do allow ourselves to imagine things about life we have to base it from fact, and not like Lord Henry does out of his own false reasoning. Dorian also places faith in Lord Henry's way of life, he allows himself not only to imagine, but to be mesmerized by what Lord Henry is thinking.
I am going to comment on Jessica's response: I agree with her that when reading the Bible imagination is beneficial, however what is more beneficial to believer is the Holy Spirit who will guide you in truth when reading, so that you are not led astray by your own thoughts. I also agree that the world can definitely influence our thoughts, and that we should constantly keep our minds in check. sadly, Dorian did believe into Lord henry's lies about life and now his imagination is out of control in a sinful pattern.
Thank you for understanding Mrs. Ford, I hope you will be able to receive this before class tomorrow...look forward t our discussions on the book :)I am so sorry Mrs.Ford for this inconvenience...my computer is not cooperating at all, I have tried to post my comments, but it has failed. (everytime i hit enter to post it goes blank so i have to type again and the same cycle continues) So I am going to email it to you instead, I am the last person to post, and I am sorry for it being after 12, it has been a very busy day and the computer has been acting up, anyways here are my two posts:
After reading this article i have gaineed a lot more understanding about this book. The first sentence which states that faith is the act of the imagination explains to me Kord Henry's view of life. It takes just as much faith for him to believe what he believes as it does for us to believe in God. And when we do allow ourselves to imagine things about life we have to base it from fact, and not like Lord Henry does out of his own false reasoning. Dorian also places faith in Lord Henry's way of life, he allows himself not only to imagine, but to be mesmerized by what Lord Henry is thinking.
I am going to comment on Jessica's response: I agree with her that when reading the Bible imagination is beneficial, however what is more beneficial to believer is the Holy Spirit who will guide you in truth when reading, so that you are not led astray by your own thoughts. I also agree that the world can definitely influence our thoughts, and that we should constantly keep our minds in check. sadly, Dorian did believe into Lord henry's lies about life and now his imagination is out of control in a sinful pattern.
Thank you for understanding Mrs. Ford, I hope you will be able to receive this before class tomorrow...look forward t our discussions on the book :)
This is my response to Taurell.
ReplyDeleteI can see where you are coming from with comparing Dorian to King Solomon. They both made "idols" out of material things. King Solomon made "idols" out of women. Dorian made "idols" out of his portrait and looks. Dorian let his pride get ahead of his better judgment when it came to the painting. I also agree with the fact that he let Lord Henry become and idol in his life also. He let Lord Henry influence him in many ways that were not right. Lord Henry, in a sense, is leading Dorian down the wrong road. But I absolutely do NOT agree with statement that "women are the most deceptive creatures in earth." that is a false statement. Women are just smart. I agree with Christina though, you guys are out numbered.