Bill to get into heaven?

No rent, clothes, heat. Real things not fantasy.

Interesting. I had read that many of the works were supposed to be glorifying god and gifts to the church were made as a way to get to heaven. I visited Salisbury Cathedral and within it was one of two chantries (beautiful stone contraction) that a bishop had had made and paid for monks to chant prayers in them so that he gained holy favour.

Thank you for the link. It made interesting reading. I was drawn to Tod Allen's piece:

"Atheism is the lack of belief that one or more gods exist. Most people don’t create art or music about what they don’t do or think.

People are inspired to art and music by what they do do, think, and believe, not about what they don’t."

Perhaps putting it another way "Nothing is not inspiring"?

The question was art in celebration of. Pagans can have the celebration of equinoxes and solstices. I have not heard of gatherings of atheists and agnostics to celebrate whatever.

I celebrate all kinds of things. The phases of the moon and sun. The changing seasons. My day of birth and my days of birthing.

Sorry art in celebrating being an atheist or as a concept.

I am glad you have many other events that you celebrate and make you happy to be alive.

And why are equinoxes and stolstices only for Pagans?

i suppose even religious people may create a work of art that is aside from their belief.

Opportunists, the oppressed or slaves to money? One way to benefit from believers.

As far as music is concerned, here's an interesting article:
[bit.ly]
I shouldn't be surprised if the situation in the visual arts was similar.

No, but if they created a hymn to their god, it would most probably be inspired by their belief system.

I have read that the story about slaves building the pyramids were attempts by abrahamic religious believers to demonise the Egyptian religions and pharoahs. The alternative was that the workers were very willing, skilled and were paid for their labours.

oh yeah, the money angle....no kidding....

Yes, artist life should be easier when there is a patron. Create what the patron wants.

I see what you are trying to say, of course there are artworks done by believers of other religions as well.

We do see things such as family shrines and icons painted for personal use etc.

Thanks Johnny. Are you a knife smith?

I work in jewelry a lot.

I read something recently that goes: Atheism is a lack of belief in "god or gods". People are inspired to create art and music by what they do, think, and believe, not about what they don’t.

Secular organisations have customs rituals etc. as do religious organisations. I am not aware of any specific customs, rituals for atheism. Perhaps if they did. it begins to look like a religion or custom?

You see people trying to customize it into a belief system, often. They even have their versions of a bible. I am a devout agnostic. I am open to everything, but a true skeptic in that I question everything, too, without discarding it.

I think I understand what you mean by customise it into their own belief system. Perhaps that is what happened to Buddhism, Confucianism etc. where there is no god and there are different schools of the system. People want to appeal to someone/thing to help them and so pray to revered dead persons hoping they would intercede on their behalf. However if people need these psychological crutches, I let them be until they ask me. Even then I do not like to talk to them because if I broke that psychological religious crutch what have I to give them if they still needed a psychological crutch?

Have you an online gallery of your jewellery work?

I agree about the crutch. We all have crutches or coping mechanisms. People with weak ones are called 'mental patients'...hehe....Religion is just a readily available mechanism with a large support group. And no, I don't have an online gallery as of yet....I generally make stuff and give it away....and I loathe pictures....but I think this will all change soon...

I didn't know Bruce Lee was an atheist....then again, it never was really a thought...makes sense though....

Thanks for your post. Whether Steve jobs was a Bhuddist or atheist, Marie Curie a non practising Catholic or agnostic, Bruce Lee has been quoted as stating he did not believe in god, I am not convinced they created wondrous works inspired by or celebrating their atheism specifically.

So far as I can see, there have not been any arts created to express great emotions of being an atheist. I am not saying it is good nor bad.