What impact does religious artwork in your home have on others?

[Guest mormonmusic]

My wife is an LDS artwork aficionado. She has it all over the place, and particularly in the foyer of our home. People see it all the time -- a big picture of the Savior.

If you have religious (even non-LDS) artwork in the home, what impact do you find it has on others who come through your house, if any? And what impact does it have on family members in your experience?

Edited December 24, 2009 by mormonmusic

[Relentless]

I have quite a bit hanging up around my home. Shortly after my wife was baptized, we got a picture of the Temple, framed it and hung it in our dining room. It seemed to bring a new spirit into our home.

My boys have numerous pictures of scriptural heros hanging on their wall. My 4 year old's favorite is the one with Samuel the Lamenite standing on the wall. I don't know if it affects them at all, but I hope it does, hence me paying for all the pictures.

[pam]

I will admit I don't have much hanging in the way or religious art etc. I do now have a picture of Christ and a picture of Joseph Smith in the grove in my livingroom. Paintings that some Mormon artists have done. But for myself, I walk in and they are the first things I see..and I find it comforting for myself.

There are a couple more paintings by Liz Lemon Swindle I would just love to have.

[pam]

I have quite a bit hanging up around my home. Shortly after my wife was baptized, we got a picture of the Temple, framed it and hung it in our dining room. It seemed to bring a new spirit into our home.

My boys have numerous pictures of scriptural heros hanging on their wall. My 4 year old's favorite is the one with Samuel the Lamenite standing on the wall. I don't know if it affects them at all, but I hope it does, hence me paying for all the pictures.

If they know who the person is and can tell you basically what the story is about..I see that as being a really good thing.

[Guest mormonmusic]

The subject of religion came up with a saleswoman in our home, and we said we were Mormons.

Later, she commented on the picture of Moroni burying the golden plates we had on the wall, his hands together, kneeling in submissive prayer.

The saleswoman said:

"Why do you have a picture of a human sacrifice hanging on your wall?"

Edited December 24, 2009 by mormonmusic

[Dravin]

Th subject of religion came up with a saleswoman in our home, and we said we were Mormons.

Later, she commented on the picture of Moroni burying the golden plates we had on the wall, his hands together, kneeling in submissive prayer.

The saleswoman said:

"Why do you have a picture of a human sacrifice hanging on your wall?"

Proper response: Act horrified and while frantically looking around the room ask, "Where?"

Actually, Bonus points if you have a picture of the Savior during a phase of the Atonement and assume she's talking about that instead.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Dravin

[beefche]

Th subject of religion came up with a saleswoman in our home, and we said we were Mormons.

Later, she commented on the picture of Moroni burying the golden plates we had on the wall, his hands together, kneeling in submissive prayer.

The saleswoman said:

"Why do you have a picture of a human sacrifice hanging on your wall?"

What did you say, MM?

I would have had some sarcastic response: "Well, we typically don't, but since we were looking forward to your visit...you are a virgin, right?....we thought we would celebrate the anticipation of another sacrifice. Kids! Get in here and sharpen your knives. The last time we did this with your baby sister didn't go so well. We'll have another go at it!"

[Guest mormonmusic]

Originally Posted by mormonmusic

Th subject of religion came up with a saleswoman in our home, and we said we were Mormons.

Later, she commented on the picture of Moroni burying the golden plates we had on the wall, his hands together, kneeling in submissive prayer.

The saleswoman said:

"Why do you have a picture of a human sacrifice hanging on your wall?"

What did you say, MM?

We just explained it wasn't a human sacrifice, the man was praying as he put ancient scriptures into the ground to be found by later generations. Those scriptures became the Book of Mormon.

She lost interest in that point. I like beehche's answer better.

Edited December 24, 2009 by mormonmusic

[Zechariah]

Presently we're living in a sort of transitional situation (one that's taking much longer than expected ) so most of our art work, and a good portion of the rest of our things, are packed up in storage. Ordinarily, though, we have quite a bit of art work that depicts scriptural themes, be they paintings, prints, statues, or even just pictures with scriptural verses, etc.

We also have a penchant for antiques of all sorts, as well as usually having many old family pictures and portraits framed and out and about (though the living relatives are mostly consigned to photo albums ). So, people have a tendency to wander around looking at things, like they're in a museum or something.

We always got a kick out of the missionaries when they'd come, as they would go about looking at everything and want to know all about the ancestors in the pictures. One thing we heard more than anything else from the missionaries, was how much they loved to come visit us, because they felt so at home, like the way they would feel in their grandparent's home. And that was a nice thing to hear, as that was always the atmosphere my wife wanted to provide for anyone who entered.

[Guest mormonmusic]

I had one experience where a real estate appraiser came over to our home to check it out. AT the end I had to give him payment, so I gave it to him in cash.

He looked at the wad of money I handed to him, looked at the big Del Parson picture of the Savior on the foyer wall and said "I don't need to count it'.

He stuffed it in his wallet, and then walked out.

I saw what expectations were raised about my personal conduct whenever people saw we valued the Savior.