Recovery Board
: RfM
Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum.
The recent events shut Deseret Industries down for several months. Mormons needing to make donations or simply cleaning were forced to use gentile thrift stores such as Savers or Goodwill.
As a result they found new stores to shop in that they might not have used before. It also exposes them to different cultures and thoughts they might not have experienced othsrwise.
Today I was behind an older LDS couple browsing books in Goodwill. The book was entitled "History of the Church" on the cover was St. Peters cathedral and the great cathedral in Istanbul. I forget the name it's Sophie something.
Anyway the lady points to the cathedrals on the cover and ashs her husband which temples they are. He didn't know but thought they needed to find out and go there.
They tossed the book in their cart and wandered off blissfully.
As a result they found new stores to shop in that they might not have used before. It also exposes them to different cultures and thoughts they might not have experienced othsrwise.
Today I was behind an older LDS couple browsing books in Goodwill. The book was entitled "History of the Church" on the cover was St. Peters cathedral and the great cathedral in Istanbul. I forget the name it's Sophie something.
Anyway the lady points to the cathedrals on the cover and ashs her husband which temples they are. He didn't know but thought they needed to find out and go there.
They tossed the book in their cart and wandered off blissfully.
Hagia Sophia is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world with one of the most fascinating histories.
Virtual tour.
http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/hagia-sophia.html
Good book that includes it. About Vlad Tepes but very well written.
The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova
Odd little series but you do get to see Hagia Sophia from time to time and other parts of the city like the Walls of Constantinople.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80189829
Virtual tour.
http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/hagia-sophia.html
Good book that includes it. About Vlad Tepes but very well written.
The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova
Odd little series but you do get to see Hagia Sophia from time to time and other parts of the city like the Walls of Constantinople.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80189829
Bummer. Lot's Wife, I'm sure, disapproves.
The building is routinely studied in art history classes at the university level. It's considered to be one of the exemplary examples of architecture in the world. Many people are concerned.
I strenuously disapprove.
HS is both Christian and Muslim--after 1500 years vandalism becomes art--and has functioned as such for a century. It is also spectacularly beautiful, situated as it is below the hills and on the flat shoreline just minutes from the water. . .
There are other mosques in Istanbul generally further up in Galata at which people in very conservative dress gather and occasionally glare at foreigners, but HS long stood for the old Ottoman tradition of treating Jews and Christians as essentially equal citizens.
Erdogan is a thug. He should have paid a price for having his minions beat American citizens and others when he visited Washington, and he has done much to destroy the best parts of Turkey. It was he, incidentally, who first attacked a constitutional system, deeming the people who ran the country the "deep state," a piece of linguistic legerdemain that has unfortunately attained greater currency. And now he is slaughtering the Kurds, America's most dependable ally in a region where the alternatives are Saudi Arabia and Israel.
I hope Turkey reverts to form over the coming decades. Meanwhile there are still Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, Suleimanya (sp?) Mosque, the Golden Horn more broadly, and the Straits themselves. Istanbul is, for my money, the most beautiful city in Europe.
HS is both Christian and Muslim--after 1500 years vandalism becomes art--and has functioned as such for a century. It is also spectacularly beautiful, situated as it is below the hills and on the flat shoreline just minutes from the water. . .
There are other mosques in Istanbul generally further up in Galata at which people in very conservative dress gather and occasionally glare at foreigners, but HS long stood for the old Ottoman tradition of treating Jews and Christians as essentially equal citizens.
Erdogan is a thug. He should have paid a price for having his minions beat American citizens and others when he visited Washington, and he has done much to destroy the best parts of Turkey. It was he, incidentally, who first attacked a constitutional system, deeming the people who ran the country the "deep state," a piece of linguistic legerdemain that has unfortunately attained greater currency. And now he is slaughtering the Kurds, America's most dependable ally in a region where the alternatives are Saudi Arabia and Israel.
I hope Turkey reverts to form over the coming decades. Meanwhile there are still Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, Suleimanya (sp?) Mosque, the Golden Horn more broadly, and the Straits themselves. Istanbul is, for my money, the most beautiful city in Europe.
Pretty debatable whether it is the most beautiful city in Europe. There are many other strong contenders plus also nearly the best parts of Istanbul are on the Asian side of town, so that's two reasons why not. I haven't been over there in a long time. It was a bit rundown back then, and probably more hideous concrete and metal structures, McDonalds and supermarkets have been put up since then (like every other city), but I hope some historic homes survive.
I enjoyed the time I spent there. I bought some beautiful carpets over there (a cliche, I know) and still have them today. Customs weren't too happy when I tried to bring them back, but I digress.
There was a lot to see there and both Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace were well worth going to. I also remember the little inland sea between the two halves of the city which was gorgeous. It was well worth a visit, but I was last there pre-Erdogan and no doubt it's changed. Still I have fond memories of the place.
I enjoyed the time I spent there. I bought some beautiful carpets over there (a cliche, I know) and still have them today. Customs weren't too happy when I tried to bring them back, but I digress.
There was a lot to see there and both Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace were well worth going to. I also remember the little inland sea between the two halves of the city which was gorgeous. It was well worth a visit, but I was last there pre-Erdogan and no doubt it's changed. Still I have fond memories of the place.
The European side is generally considered a lot nicer than the Asian side, and all the beautiful places either of us have described are to the west of the Strait.
The "inland sea" that you describe is the Golden Horn area and it is indeed stunning. There is also Galata, which is interesting both because of the local architecture and scenery and because it is named after a part of modern Turkey that the Celts occupied in about 300 BCE (Galata = Gallia in the Balkans and Anatolia; also Gaul, what would become France, in the west); and to which Paul sent his eponymous Letter to the Galatians. There was, in short, for several centuries a Celtic region in the heart of the later Turkey.
As for the city's beauty relative to the rest of Europe, my judgment is of course subjective. But besides the other features you and I have discussed, Istanbul does have the Bosporus running directly through it, with incredible vistas with ships passing through exquisite waters and palaces and mosques along the shoreline. I've been to Turkey a number of times over the years and once had the extreme good fortune to be put up at the Dolmabahce Palace, which was at the time (and may still be) a hotel. The views looking out across the Strait were unforgettable.
I also, incidentally, share your love for the bazaar. There are several, but I'm pretty sure you are describing the main one to which tourists are always treated. There are equally impressive places in Tehran, for instance, but for obvious reasons those are a lot harder to visit.
The "inland sea" that you describe is the Golden Horn area and it is indeed stunning. There is also Galata, which is interesting both because of the local architecture and scenery and because it is named after a part of modern Turkey that the Celts occupied in about 300 BCE (Galata = Gallia in the Balkans and Anatolia; also Gaul, what would become France, in the west); and to which Paul sent his eponymous Letter to the Galatians. There was, in short, for several centuries a Celtic region in the heart of the later Turkey.
As for the city's beauty relative to the rest of Europe, my judgment is of course subjective. But besides the other features you and I have discussed, Istanbul does have the Bosporus running directly through it, with incredible vistas with ships passing through exquisite waters and palaces and mosques along the shoreline. I've been to Turkey a number of times over the years and once had the extreme good fortune to be put up at the Dolmabahce Palace, which was at the time (and may still be) a hotel. The views looking out across the Strait were unforgettable.
I also, incidentally, share your love for the bazaar. There are several, but I'm pretty sure you are describing the main one to which tourists are always treated. There are equally impressive places in Tehran, for instance, but for obvious reasons those are a lot harder to visit.
Haha. That is funny on so many levels.
show up at St. Peter's Basilica and find out the tour is free. That'll blow their minds.
...and they find so much world-class art in one location.
Flashing their temple recommends at the swiss guard and the roaming around in a white suit and dress looking for the endowment room.
Hopefully they will be guided to the crypt!
A recent group of arrivals had just arrived in Heaven and Saint Peter was giving his usual tour.
-And over there we have Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics and Jews. And when we walk around the corner we have to be extra quiet.
A person in the tour piped up- Why do we have to be so quiet?
-Because that trail leads to the Mormons. They think that they're the only ones in Heaven.
-And over there we have Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics and Jews. And when we walk around the corner we have to be extra quiet.
A person in the tour piped up- Why do we have to be so quiet?
-Because that trail leads to the Mormons. They think that they're the only ones in Heaven.
I visited Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom or Saint Sophia - take your choice) many years ago. The church was used as a model for many other Orthodox chapels and cathedrals. Due to Mohammed's prophecy in the Koran, the Muslims were obsessed with conquering Constantinople and eventually they took it. Hagia Sophia as the chief church was smashed up by the invaders with only the shell remaining.
The statues were toppled and the icons removed. All the surfaces were repainted to avoid mention of what they considered to be an offensive Christian past which did not fit in with the new ideology.
There was also a lot of gold, brass and gold leaf in there which was conveniently looted and taken away by the invaders.
In place of the old statues the Muslims put up calligraphy of verses from the Koran. These are in their way beautiful, but probably nothing compared to what was there before. Now Erdogan in his quest to Islamicize Turkey once more and remove Ataturk's legacy, is seeking to turn it back into a mosque. It will likely never turn back into the church it was built as.
The statues were toppled and the icons removed. All the surfaces were repainted to avoid mention of what they considered to be an offensive Christian past which did not fit in with the new ideology.
There was also a lot of gold, brass and gold leaf in there which was conveniently looted and taken away by the invaders.
In place of the old statues the Muslims put up calligraphy of verses from the Koran. These are in their way beautiful, but probably nothing compared to what was there before. Now Erdogan in his quest to Islamicize Turkey once more and remove Ataturk's legacy, is seeking to turn it back into a mosque. It will likely never turn back into the church it was built as.
You omit the additional construction. The cathedral was gutted and a new superstructure added above along with numerous other architectural features. It is one of the few chimera structures that works artistically.
https://www.somagnews.com/the-landmark-hagia-sophia-becomes-a-mosque/
https://ummid.com/news/2020/july/11.07.2020/open-provocation-world-reacts-to-erdogan-reconverting-hagia-sophia-into-a-mosque.html
https://medium.com/@zeykes/hagia-sophia-the-holy-wisdom-a-basilica-mosque-or-museum-db70ac088ba8
https://www.somagnews.com/the-landmark-hagia-sophia-becomes-a-mosque/
https://ummid.com/news/2020/july/11.07.2020/open-provocation-world-reacts-to-erdogan-reconverting-hagia-sophia-into-a-mosque.html
https://medium.com/@zeykes/hagia-sophia-the-holy-wisdom-a-basilica-mosque-or-museum-db70ac088ba8
I should buy a case of "No man knows my history" and donate a copy to every thrift store in town. Maybe the old couple will read it...
Hagia Sophia is one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen. Being inside was a thrilling and very moving experience. We had just been in the Blue Mosque which is also stunning but there's just something about Hagya Sophia...it's age for example.
I also strongly disapprove it being turned back to a mosque although I've heard visitors will still be allowed.
When we were in the Blue Mosque there were people praying..we were just held back to further away from the main prayer area but we could still see all of the architecture.
I also strongly disapprove it being turned back to a mosque although I've heard visitors will still be allowed.
When we were in the Blue Mosque there were people praying..we were just held back to further away from the main prayer area but we could still see all of the architecture.
Not many people make discoveries these days. Most just find old stuff others throw out. They throw it in their cart and do depart.