For whom the bell tolls
If you are ever in any European country, you will totally recognize the sound of churchbells spreading their songs.
For some people utter torture, for others something familiar that is part of daily life.
If you ask me? For me it is normal!
Now this is the cool thing coming in from when you lived in 3 totally different countries. You can compare your experience and base your opinion that gets better formed, because you have seen more.
Growing up in the Southern part of Holland which is mainly Catholic churches were a pretty normal sight in my environment. In the town I was living in there was a mixture of old big beautiful churches and newer ones that were not all that flashy, but served their purpose. They all had one thing in common:
The bells would ring on the whole hour and on every 15 minutes.
For me it would be a part of a daily routine, you hear the bell ringing and you remember that you have to leave. Most of the time I would only hear the bells subconciously, and not pay too much attention on them. But they are always there.
Sometimes you would hear these big kinds of song playing, that would usually be when there was a wedding or a funeral starting. A signal so the whole town would be in time.
Those kinds of bell songs would get less and less, mostly because most people aren't actively Catholic anymore over then. Churches are even closing by the masses because not enough people are attending. Reality, if you ask me. But luckily the bells keep roaring to give us all the time of day.
The Caribbean
Pixabay
In the Caribbean the whole practise of religion was totally new to me actually. Almost every street had a church hidden in there. Often not as big as this one, sometimes even looking like school classrooms. And also they would all have a side route in their Catholicism, which is kind of weird for me as a non believer. You all worship the same God right, why make differences between it. But thats another story!
These churches didn't have any bells, but what you would hear on Sundays was a lot of singing. Gospel singing in a positive form. Somebody preaching while live music being played. Totally unthinkable in Holland. In Holland churches are simple, and start from the base that you are guilty because of being born. Caribbean churches were more about celebrating and honouring life. But no bells.
Swiss Bells
Pixabay
Now actually I find that I haven't lived long enough here to have a true sense of how religion is here. And also here in the city it might be totally different from the countryside. As I understand from my colleagues in the small towns there are still a lot of processes, people walking for hours to pay their respect. I also know that when registering in Switzerland you have to enter you religion. If you are a Christian, you will automaticly pay church-tax and it aint cheap. Is this good or not? I don't know. If you ask me, when you are devoted to something you wouldn't mind paying. On the other hand, shouldn't you be able to decide what you want to pay?
Back to bells!
I hear the churchbells here ringing on the full hour, but not every 15 minutes. Every Sunday I wake up with a full orchestra of bells announcing the beginning of the Sunday ceremony. On Sundays EVERYTHING is closed. This is new for me, I grew up in the 24 hour economy which also has supermarkets open on all days.
Is it annoying? Yes.
Is it bad? Well, maybe it isn't! Having a proper day of economy doing nothing and spending time with the loved ones. How can it be bad!
As you see, churches and bells come in all forms, and it is nice seeing more sides of them!!
I think if they aren't too loud even from a distance, it can be very pleasant... Over here in Malaysia, we hear the azan from mosques five times a day - the azan is the call to prayer, here we have mosques everywhere therefore sometimes the call is overlapped with others.
Exactly..If not as a neighbor, its sort of a comforting familiarity I guess.
Yeah Ive been in a couple Muslim towns where this is also was the deal. I can imaging it would be just as comforting as you are used to it then. For me they were at not so logic times (or I didnt get them hahaha) but it is all what you are used to ofcourse!
Lol... especially the first morning call... which here is at 5am! :)
But yes, it gets to be a comforting familiarity...
What a nice post you wrote today! I enjoyed it very much. The pictures were well chosen and gave a good example of the three cultures. Thanks!
Thanks @clio for your reaction! (you are taking posting summer break?) And I find it cool to see the similarities and differences in culture in a way that I am doing now
I've gotten used to the bells in The Netherlands... but what I still can't get used to is the air raid sirens every month!
hahahaha you always forget about it right? :D
And all of a sudden its there, AND LOUD!!
Paying church tax! Sheesh. I guess many religions expect some kind of contribution, don't they?
I miss the bells and churches of Europe. I'm not an organised religion kinda girl, but I do like that kind of sound as a connection to the divine.
Contributing should be a thing I find. You also pay a fee to the yoga studio or the volleybalclub right? But taking it out of tax, that doesnt leave you with much choice I find!
Yeah I am also totally not religious at all, but I like the regularity and the simpleness out of it
I LOVE the bells here in Thailand too - I see a whole Thai temple bell post in our mini-steemfest-future haha. Lovely reflective post, beautiful images. Curated for you in the SMG this morning, my dear. :)
I saw and thx!
Its nice to be able to reflect in such different angles I find :)
I also see a whole Thai squad ringing the bells all of a sudden heehhe
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