Art or Pornography?

Bismillahi ir-rahman ir-rahim - In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful

A recent exhibition in New South Wales which featured photos of a naked child has stirred much debate.  Police seized more than twenty photographs from the gallery, all of which displayed a naked girl believed to be around 13 years of age.  Prime Minister Rudd referred to the photos as revolting, and others have described them as pornographic.

As a Muslim I obviously disapprove of any such art, and I use the term loosely.  However, in a way I can understand the frustration of the artist in question.  Firstly, the man in question has displayed many similar photos in previous exhibitions and not only it did it not make the news, but also during the course of the exhibitions no complaints were made - all suggesting that the photos were acceptable.  Same photographer, same type of photos, similar aged children.  It begs the question, why this time?  If he is breaking a law, was he not breaking a law previously? I find it strange that something can be considered art one day, and that very same thing can be considered dirty and shameful only a few years later.  Have we changed that much in a few years?  Or is it that we are succumbing to the whims and desires of a few in power?  It must be confusing to have the rules constantly changing - to have the line constantly moving.  One can see how this would cause confusion and frustrating.

Even more confusing, however, is our society’s view on pornagraphy.  So is nakedness in art pornography?  If a naked child in a gallery is viewed as pornagraphic, then surely the same should be said about a naked adult.  I fail to see how ones age should alter the classification.  If anything a naked adult body is almost always seen as a sexual image, as opposed to that of a child which would only be perceived as so by a minority of deranged individuals.  Admittedly the child in question was a bit older than a mere child, but I still don’t understand why the pictures of the child would be considered pornographic but that countless other pictures and drawings of naked adults are considered to be ‘tasteful art’.  Some may argue that the lack of consent would make it immoral, that children are not old enough to decide such decisions, and there is merit to this argument.  However, as far as I understand, this is not a factor in classifying whether or not something is pornographic.

A quick look at the various definations of pornography contain different aspects.  First that the subject matter be arousing, secondly that it be perceived as offensive by public opinion at the time, and thirdly that it contain no artistic merit.  Its quite interesting as it seems to suggest that a) some level of pornography is acceptable in the name of art, and b) the definition can constantly change based on what society’s definition of acceptable is.

The above definition begs the question, who decides what carries artistic merit and what is acceptable?  The problem with definitions that are constantly changing based on public opinion it generally becomes more and more lax as society generally feels the need to move ‘forward’ and outdo their predecessors lest they be viewed as old fashioned and backwords. As such, it is possible that eventually in the future we see a display of two naked adults engaged in a sexual act hung up on the walls of a gallery, and eventually even two children, perhaps even an adult and a chid….all in the name of ‘tasteful art’.  When society decides what is right and what is wrong, it opens a pandoras box that we are not equipped to deal with.  After all, if it is the will of the people, shouldn’t the leaders elected to represent them follow suite?

The problem is that society’s definitions of morality are constantly changing.  And as the rules become more relaxed society becomes faced with more serious and severe problems.  On the other hand, who decides what morality should be if not the people?  To me the answer is crystal clear.  Who is in a better position to know the optimal set of rules under which humans would thrive than He who created us.  Whenever I reflect on such problems and issues that plague us it always leads me to the same place.  My faith is strengthened as the answer to all our problems becomes even more clear to me.  It is Islam of course.  There is no substitute for the guidance of God.  If only we weren’t too arrogant to accept it.

“O mankind, there has indeed come to you an Exhortation from your Lord and a healing for whatever ills there are in the hearts, and a guidance and a mercy for those who believe.” (Quran 10:5

Indeed Islam does have that effect.  It heals my heart and provides guidance in an ever changing and confusing world - it is a mercy for those who believe.

Filling the void

Bismillahi ir-rahman ir-rahim - In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful

Yesterday I was thinking about the role footy (aussie rules) used to play in my life.  I should probably point out that as a teen my life was quite bland.  It pretty much consisted of two things, school and footy.  Although I had friends at school, I didn’t have any friends who I saw regularly outside of school.  So that left footy as pretty much the sole source of real enjoyment and entertainment, and as such I had what could be described as an unhealthy attachment to it.

It would have been more understandable had I been one of the participants, but to attach that level of meaning to something that you aren’t really involved in seems a little immature to say the least.  Football was my life. From the moment a match ended I would look forward to the next week.  The week would be filled with excitement and anxiety in anticipation of the weekends match.  And then my mood, my happiness, in fact my whole frame of mind would be based on the outcome of that match.  If we won I would be on a high, I’d be happy the whole week.  However, on the occasions where we would lose, and there were many, I would be almost depressed - down and dejected.  I know if one of my children were to place such great importance on a mere sporting game I’d be quite horrified.  However, as it were, I believe it may have served an important purpose in my life - it filled a void.

Nobody can say how I would have been at that stage of my life without football, the fact is I had this in my life, and it could never have been any other way.  But it made me wonder about how teens, or anybody else for that matter, feel without anything to keep them occupied.  For me football was important, it gave me a lot.  It gave me joy and ecstacy, which of course was coupled with bitter disappointment.  It gave me something to occupy my time and thoughts with, something to look forward to, something to hope for. Although in the bigger scheme of things it meant nothing, I believe that for me it filled a void.

It wasnt until my life was full in other ways that I stopped attending the matches.  My growing faith, my husband, my children, all filling my life in ways that football never could.

Yesterday as I was reflecting on how much I have changed since then. I was wondering if this was one of the modern day problems that lead to unprecedented rates of depression and suicide. No I’m not suggesting everybody attend AFL matches, but I’m wondering if the problem is that people have a void - an emptiness in their lives.   Nothing that keeps them going, nothing to look forward to, and nothing to hope for.  In the past people have found meaning in their faith, the central role of their families and extended families, and their communities.  However, I wonder if modern societies characterised by a lack of faith, disjointed families, and individualistic lifestyles have created a void that many people have been unable to fill.  This, I believe, is the problem with ideas and movements originating from humankind, things may sound great in theory, and may look good to begin with, but in the end we don’t really know what makes us tick like our creator. It reaffirms once again in my mind the need to follow the guidance of He who created us.

I still like to watch footy.  I love seeing Collingwood win, but when we lose I just turn off the tv and forget about it.

The promise…

Bismillahi ir-rahman ir-rahim - In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful

Earlier today I had a delivery.  My long awaited desk has finally arrived, and with it the promise of a new beginning.  This piece of furniture has the ability to change my life…or so I’ve convinced myself.  I spent months looking for the perfect desk, but to  no avail.  Then a few days ago, after resigning myself to the fact that this perfect desk does not exist (or at least not one with a price tag that appeals to me), I finally found a desk that was a good compromise between functionality and price, so I finally made the purchase and here it is, sitting it its  box, waiting to be assembled.

“So how does a piece of furniture become a life changing possession?” you may ask.  It all started last year.  In a desperate attempt to organise my life I purchased the best seller “Getting Things Done” by David Allen.  I read it with hope and desperation.  I am tired of the lack of organisation that engulfs me.  It devours my energy, my motivation, my optimism, and most importantly it devours my time.  Time that I should spend reading quran, learning arabic, studying this beautiful deen.  Time that I should spend playing with my children, teaching them, being a positive model of organisation and help prevent them inheriting this awful trait that their parents posses.  Time that I should spend making this house immaculately clean.  Time is a precious resource, we have to savour and make the most of every moment before it runs out.  Once time is gone it is gone forever, we can never get it back.

A filing cabinet is an important tool to this Getting Things Done (GDT) system of organisation.  So I needed a desk that had a filing cabinet so I could begin my journey, and here it is…sitting in its box.  It doesn’t look much like a life changing piece of furniture, but this is it!  It has to be.

In the end I know it is just a piece of furniture, it is but a tool, a means to an ends.  I am not naive, I know this will not magically change my life.  The change needs to come from me.  But its a start, and I hope the beginning of a journey that will motivate me to continue to be organised and stay on top of the millions of things that life throws at me.  But I say this hesitantly, full of anxiety.  Have you not had many starts before?  Why is this start different?

My instinctive answer to this question is simple.  This start is different because I need it to be.  However, this is not my only response.  “Getting Things Done” is a great book and a wonderful system.  Its  a best seller that thousands have used to get themselves organised.  I am not the only one who has used this in an attempt to organise their lives, and I know many have succeeded.  I know it won’t be easy, its not a miracle cure, but I also know that there is a reason for my lack of organisation which is a bit deeper than a lack of energy or laziness.  I think these are perhaps a symptom of the problem. It is likely the problem is that I don’t really know how to be organised, and living in an organised manner just reinforces the cycle by leaving you depleted of energy and unmotivated.  After all, if its going to take me hours to catch up, hours that I just don’t have, then I may as well just relax and deal with it when I have time.  Whereas if I was on top of it all, and it would only take me 5 minutes to do, I’d be happy to give up those 5 minutes.

So here I am, trying to achieve what has been beyond my fingertips my entire life.  I probably haven’t chosen the best time, I recently started my 6 month old on solids, and just started toilet training my 3 year old, I wouldn’t blame anybody for thinking I was a little insane for not waiting.  But if i keep waiting for the perfect time it will never happen, there is never a perfect time with 3 young children.  And I need to do this now, for the sake of Allah, for myself, for my children, and last but not least, for my sanity.  I don’t expect it to happen overnight, but I do hope to slowly chip away at it until one day I wake up and I realise I am finally there. Who knows, I might even get to blog about it.  But for now I’m off to read the many blogs from those who have already implemented the GDT system for some much needed advise and wisdom.