Religion Topicals

Typical guys isn't it?,
all the baby wants is the breast,
and the guys turn up with incense and Myrrh.

Thanks for the Elephant, this stamp may have lain dormant
in the Elephant thematic contributions for millenia.

(don't like his tusks, if he's not careful
he could put out an eye)

rod222 - You're welcome. Now for something completely different:

Byodo-in is a Buddhist temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The temple's Phoenix Hall was completed in 1053. Here is an image of a stamp depicting one of the wood carvings in the hall, a Saint on a Cloud, engraved, and issued by Japan on March 25, 1977, Scott No. 1277.

- nethryk

A beautiful stamp, Nethryk,
lovely scan as usual.
I appreciate the inclusion here, but have to say
although some individuals classify Buddhism as a religion per say, per se
I understand it as an interrogation, not a belief system.
and, I'll leave it at that, and won't be drawn into
anything deeper. :)

rod222- Thanks for the compliment on my scan. I'm sure I would enjoy your expounding upon your curious comment about Buddhism, "I understand it as an interrogation, not a belief system." But then again I would certainly agree that there is a proper time and place for everything. Also, please note that per se, a Latin phrase meaning "in itself," is not spelled as you seem to think it is.

The Byodo-in Temple in Uji (which I would hasten to assure everyone in no respect resembles Gitmo!) is shared by the Jodo Shu (Pure Land) and Tendai Buddhist sects. Here are images of a couple of engraved stamps depicting the temple's aforementioned Phoenix Hall: Scott No. 636, SG No. 528, issued by Japan on March 19, 1957; and Scott No. 636A, SG No. 529, issued by Japan on January 4, 1959.

- nethryk

Aargh! what was I thinking?
I have never spelt it like "per say" before
that is a complete mystery, how that happened
Goodness gracious me.


PS. Having English text on the CDS
would have these on foreign mail, I think,
at least, was the case early on.

ummmm....errr...really sorry, and I promise, that from now one I`ll only post stamps here... but maybe this can help (at least it helped me -an irremediable western- in understanding other belief systems, without going deeper (guess that would be impossible for me) ...and if indeed this is not the place, just let me know, and remove it at once..
The author is Rudolf Otto, the book is :`
THE IDEA OF THE HOLY
in the 5. chapter found an answer (at least for me)... and there he speaks about the nature of the `Holy`: one characteristic stressed out in the West and East alike, that it is `totaliter aliter` (wholly other). My question was (as an irremediable westerner), how can one believe in something other, than a God or Gods (nirvana or the Budhism)...


Here`s the whole book:
http://www.archive.org/stream/theid...oft_djvu.txt

Wadmalatz - Thanks for your input. I am reminded of a nifty Buddha quote: "It is better to travel well than to arrive."

Kofuku-ji is a Buddhist temple in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Among its treasures is an 8th-century standing figure of Ashura, one of the Eight Buddhist Guardian Deities (Hachi Bushu) in Japan. This colored hollow dry lacquer figure is 153.0 cm (60.2 in) tall. Here is an image of an engraved stamp depicting the upper part of the Ashura figure, issued by Japan on February 1, 1968, Scott No. 944.

- nethryk

In Southeast Asian Buddhist and Hindu mythology, kinnaris are depicted as half-bird, half-woman creatures, having the head, torso, and arms of a woman and the wings (and sometimes the tail and feet) of a swan. Kinnaris are renowned for their dance, song and poetry, and are traditional symbols of feminine beauty, grace and accomplishment. Here is an image of an engraved airmail stamp depicting a kinnari, issued by Cambodia on April 16, 1953, Scott No. C2.

- nethryk

I tried matching those up with Nepalese icons
without success, but my journies did identify
one I had wondered about for a while.

French Indian territories showed Brahma with a swan
Could be Siddhartha with a wounded duck,
expressing Siddartha's compassion towards ailing animals.

In Buddhism a bodhisattva is one who is motivated by compassion and seeks enlightenment. Here is an image of an engraved definitive stamp depicting a flute-playing Onjo Bosatsu (bodhisattva performing music), after a relief on a bronze lantern in the Todai-ji Buddhist temple (Eastern Great Temple) in Nara, first issued by Japan in 1966, Scott No. 891, SG No. 541.

- nethryk

Here is an image of an engraved stamp depicting a statue of Shikkongo Shin, or Vajradhara, who is a form of Indra. His name means "Thunderbolt Bearer." He carries a thunderbolt (Japanese kongo, Sanskrit vajra) in his right hand, a weapon against the enemies of Buddhism. This statue is made of painted clay, and is about 5'6" (1.7 m) tall, and dates to 733, during the Nara Period (645 to 794 AD). It is on display in the Todai-ji Temple, Nara. This stamp was issued by Japan on December 9, 1976, Scott No. 1273.

- nethryk

The Heidelberg Catechism



here you`ll find more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Catechism
It is one of the most important and widely used & accepted catechisms in protestant churches (those who have their origins in Calvin`s teaching-reformed, presbyterian etc.).The other one, accepted and used in many reformed churches in Europe is the Second Helvetic Confession (Confessio Helvetica Posterior).

Pope Saint Marcellinus

Date of birth unknown;
elected 30 June, 296; died 304. According to the "Liber Pontificalis" he was a Roman, son of a certain Projectus. 30 June the day of his election, and the years 296-304 as the time of his pontificate.

Arrested by Diocletion and beheaded.

Hungary, 2009 - 800 years ago Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscan Order (Ordo Fratrum Minorum).

Bophuthatswana, 1985
Mathew 21,14 & 15 (Palm Sunday)