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The Oakmont News / October 15, 2014
nErnie Rose
Documentary Film Masterworks
Depictions of the deity have had a place in religious art since earliest times. But since followers of many religions believe that God is incorporeal and has no form, how can he (or she) be depicted? The Book of Genesis tells us that “God created man in his own image.” Yet the worship of objects or graven images constitutes idolatry, something rejected by all the world’s major religions. It is therefore confusing that artistic depictions of God’s son, Jesus, are to be found in Christian churches everywhere. Even some of the early Jewish synagogues often represented God himself as a twoheaded eagle in the center of the sun painted on the chapel’s ceiling surrounded by the Zodiac circle. No such contradictions apply to the dominant forms of artistic expression found in the Moslem religion. Although there is no commandment against making images of living beings in the Qur’an, since the 7th century Muslim belief and tradition has rejected any depictions of God or the Prophet Muhammad. The rationale given for not allowing any such depictions was to avoid temptation to worship the image itself. In time, that prohibition was extended to cover pictures of all people and even animals. While these restrictions have eased in more recent times, many devout worshipers still believe that the painting of living things is a sin to be reckoned with by serious punishment in the after-life. Thus, a hallmark of Moslem art work worldwide is the absence of figurative imagery. Instead, much emphasis is placed on geometric floral or vegetallike designs, intricately repeated over and over again in the facades of mosques, the surfaces of furniture, and in the decoration of manuscripts, textiles and ceramics. Perhaps the height of this style of decoration can be seen in the art of Arabic calligraphy.
In 2012 the British Museum gathered together from many parts of the world some of the most striking examples of Moslem artifacts in an exhibition called “The Hidden Art of Islam.” It includes material of a journey to Mecca, and the Hajj pilgrimage to Islam’s most sacred building, the Ka’aba—something forbidden to all but the most devout Moslems. Although more an informational program than a documentary, the BBC has just completed an hourlong, widescreen film capturing some of the highlights of that extraordinary exhibit and the culture from which it grew. At the time of his death almost 15 centuries ago, the Prophet Mohammad succeeded in uniting feuding tribal factions in Arabia under a common belief in one theology and one God. The religion he gave birth to now dominates the lives of nearly one in every four people on earth. Through the generosity of the Oakmont Community Foundation, I have obtained a copy of that BBC production, and will share it with you here in our monthly series of noteworthy non-fiction films. WHEN: Thursday, October 16, at 7 p.m. WHERE: East Recreation Center HOST: Ernie Rose
Emergency Drill Coming Up
nSuzanne Cassell, Oakmont Emergency Preparedness Committee
On Saturday morning, October 18, you might notice residents in yellow vests wandering in your neighborhood. If you do, you will be witnessing members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), better known as Zone Communicators, conducting a simulated emergency drill, in response to a simulated earthquake on the Hayward fault affecting Oakmont. All elements of the ERT will be activated: Emergency/Community Centers at Berger, East Rec., and West Rec. parking lot, including Medical Support, Ham Radio Operators, Counselors, Zone Communicators and some COPE Leaders. Residents are invited to observe some element of the drill at the Berger Center from 9–11:30 a.m.