Final Project

What follows is the Intro Religious Studies Final Blog. Because of troubles uploading some of the images, I ended up posting it as 19 short chapter-type posts instead of 1 long post, though it is one entity. Enjoy!

Final Project Part 1- Religious Bumper Stickers

Bumper stickers are kind of funny. It’s always interested me to see what people chose to divulge in this one-sentence sound-bite format of personality expression, that others often see without any connection to the person inside the car, or at such a high speed that it is often read only for a second. It is a quick and anonymous design, but is used to show support, opposition, or general affiliation with all manner of political, philosophical, or commercial groups or ideas.

Bumper stickers conveying religious preference (or lack thereof) take the issue in a whole different direction. Why is it that people feel the need to express the importance of their personal beliefs in 6 inches of space on the back of their car? Is religion so heavily polarized an issue in our society that people feel the need to defend it the same way they would a political candidate? Or is it simply an instance of our current society capitalizing on religion, selling slogans about Jesus that are “perfect for your car, truck, van, motorhome, motorcycle, helmet, notebook, cubicle, or office?”

 

 Whatever the reason, religious bumper stickers are vary vastly, from those with a Bible verse to those with a catchy phrase. Though most prominently Christian, examples representing other faiths (and atheism) certainly exist as well.

Final Project Part 2- Bumper Stickers and Religion

Many religious bumper stickers have a straightforward, serious message. I have put these into three categories: “Christian How-to,” “Christian Spiritual,” and “Defensively Christian.” (A large percentage of the bumper stickers pertaining to other religions, particularly Buddhism, would fall into the spiritual category; however, since the great majority of the stickers relate to Christianity there will be a section later exploring the contexts in which bumper stickers from other religions are seen at all, since they are comparatively rarer).

In the context of Clifford Geertz’s definition of religion- “a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic-“ bumper stickers and other such “popular religion” items play an interesting role, allowing the system of symbols of a religion a new mode of expression with which to permeate the consciousness of the general public.

Final Project Part 3- Christian "How-To" Stickers

The common feature of all the stickers in this category is that they create slogans to explain the idea they seek to convey. In this way, they are very conventional bumper stickers- boiling down a deeply held and complex conviction of some sort to a simple, easily understandable phrase.

Despite the similarity in format, there is quite a bit of variation within this category. Some of them (“Pray the Rosary,” “Read the Bible for Life,” or “Life is Short, Pray Hard”) are very direct advice. “I Can Because He Can” and “Yo Quiero Jesus” are structured as more personal statements of faith. Others (“Truth is One, Paths are Many,” “God Promises a Safe Landing, Not a Calm Passage,” and “Don’t Worry God is in Control”) may be interpreted as either personal expressions or words aimed more directly to those reading the back of the car.

Final Project Part 4- Spiritual Christian Stickers

These stickers are all very clear statements of faith.  All either quote or reference particular passages from the Bible or words of major Christian figures. The passages used are very carefully chosen- the words on these stickers are all advice about how to live one’s life according to the Christian teachings.

Like the stickers in the previous section, these very spiritual stickers attempt to reinforce the “conceptions of a general order of existence” of the religion that they represent. The “Christian How-To” stickers and the “Christian Spiritual” stickers have very different ways of presenting their respective “aura[s] of factuality,” however; the “How-To” stickers seem to create their factuality in modern-day terms, by using modern-day jargon. The “Spiritual” stickers gain their sense of legitimacy and factuality by using words straight out of the scriptures, albeit in an unexpected locale.

Final Project Part 4- Defensive Christian Stickers

These stickers are very reflective of religion’s place in contemporary American society. Religion is a major political force, which also makes it a very divisive topic. This heavy polarization is exemplified in these stickers, which have a very defensive tone. It is easy to get the impression that the people with these stickers on their cars feel attacked because of their faith; they want to express pride in their beliefs and opposition to those who disagree.

Final Project Part 5- Snarky Christian Stickers

These stickers are in some ways very much like the Christian “How-To” stickers, only they are sillier and more catchy. Often (though this is most likely unintentional) they are more ambiguous about the depth of their intent, due to their choice of words and styles much more commonly aligned with popular culture than with tradition (for example the psychedelic “God Rocks”). Often using puns (“truth decay”, “faith lift”), clichés (“Real Men Love Jesus”), jokes (“Next Time You Think You’re Perfect Try Walking on Water”), and irony (“My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter”) to get their point across, they express religion with a goofiness very rarely seen in our society.

Final Project Part 6- Political Religious Stickers

Patriotism is a very common place for politics and religion to intersect on bumper stickers. Particularly since 9/11, “God Bless America” comes in dozens of styles,  seen on countless cars all over the country. “God Bless Our Enemies” is certainly a different take on it- I am honestly not sure whether this sticker was meant ironically or in the sense of all life being sacred, people needing to be forgiven, all that jazz. In a funny sort of way, the “God Bless America” stickers remind me of the Psalms, in which the early Israelites were often begging God for victory over their enemies. It is interesting to see this theme recur so directly in modern times of war as well.

Final Project Part 7- Political Stickers: Patriotism

Patriotism is a very common place for politics and religion to intersect on bumper stickers. Particularly since 9/11, “God Bless America” comes in dozens of styles,  seen on countless cars all over the country. “God Bless Our Enemies” is certainly a different take on it- I am honestly not sure whether this sticker was meant ironically or in the sense of all life being sacred, people needing to be forgiven, all that jazz. In a funny sort of way, the “God Bless America” stickers remind me of the Psalms, in which the early Israelites were often begging God for victory over their enemies. It is interesting to see this theme recur so directly in modern times of war as well.

Final Project Part 8- Political Stickers: Elections

Likewise, religion is sometimes invoked to endorse particular political candidates, implying that whichever candidate the driver supports has views the most in line with Christian teachings. This is definitely highly subjective (as seen by the fact that stickers for opposing candidates are identical.) Pretty much the same stickers can be found for Obama and McCain as well; this just seemed the perfect example since even the colors and lettering were the same.

Final Project Part 9- Political Stickers: Tolerance

Many stickers also point to the problem that religion is often used as an excuse to subjugate those who do not match with ones own beliefs. These point to the need of major religions to be tolerant of all people, particularly those who practice other faiths or are members of groups that are often discriminated against, such as the queer community.

Final Project Part 10- Political Stickers: Evolution

Another major debate in this country is between creationist Christianity and evolutionary science. These stickers show both sides of this debate- the first proclaiming it’s validity because God says so and God is always right, and the second taking it’s evidence from the fossil record instead.

Final Project Part 11- Political Stickers: Abortion

One of the most well-known issues that Christianity is highly intertwined with in the United States is abortion. Those who oppose abortion regularly claim that it is against God’s will to take any human life, which they feel begins at conception. The “Jesus Wasn’t Planned Either” sticker is a very blatant and interesting take on the subject. It both supports the anti-abortion advocates’ position that you don’t know what lives you might be preventing, while adding an interesting and unexpected dimension to the immaculate conception. The “Keep Your Rosary Off My Ovaries” sticker brings up the question of religious freedom- any other issues aside, is it right to legislate onto all people convictions that are based in an individual’s religion? 

Final Project Part 12- Christian Special Interest

I suppose these stickers tie very directly to the idea of making religion one’s own. Truck drivers, coonhunters, and other seemingly non-religious groups can suddenly find deeper meaning (“an aura of factuality,” in Geertz’s words) in their practices, once they have connected them to the “system of symbols” of a particular religion. This form of conceptual blending allows them to follow their gospels in their day-to-day life.

Final Project Part 13- Other Religions

I feel kind of bad that “Other Religions” is just a category unto itself and looks a little like an afterthought in the layout of the blog, but there are far more Christian bumper stickers in this country than there are of all other represented religions combined. Even then, they are often used as a reaction to Christianity (like the above patriotic stickers, showing that you do not have to be Christian to love America), or a parody of it (like the Darwin fish, gefilte fish, Cthulu, and Flying Spaghetti Monster based on the popular Jesus fish).

Final Project Part 14- Other Religions: Buddhism

With the exception of “What Would Buddha Do?” (which relates Buddhism to a common Christian saying), the Buddhist bumper stickers seem very spiritual, taking pieces of Buddhist teachings and putting them into a format in which they will be read by the general American public. These stickers seem to correlate beautifully with the “system of symbols” that they represent, with the simple phrase and the sitting Buddha on each.

Final Project Part 15- Other Religions: Wicca

The Wiccan bumper stickers seem to be more of an expression of this more often marginalized faith. The first sticker is a simple slogan, but the second is a clear depiction of many of the symbols of Wicca tradition, with the affirmation “Yes, I am.”

Final Project Part 16- Other Religions: Judaism

These stickers all refer to very specific practices, traditions, or ideas of Judaism. All of these are very symbolic of aspects of Jewish tradition- the top image is the seal of Jerusalem (seen as the Jewish Holy Land) and the number “613” is representative of the 613 mitzvots (or Commandments given to the Jewish people by God). 

Final Project Part 17- Other Religions: Atheism

Atheism is obviously not a religion, but it has an interesting enough relationship to religion in American society that I thought it was worth mentioning. As I mentioned before, because of it’s intense political power religion has often been a very polarizing force in American society. Thus, it can be very important for those who do not believe in a higher power to express that very strongly.

Final Project Part 18- Coexist Stickers

The “Co-Exist” bumper stickers are a relatively recent phenomenon. Invented in 2001 by Polish artist Piotr Mlodozeniac, the original design shows symbols from a number of often-conflicting religions (as well as a peace sign and symbols of male and female genders) all harmoniously creating one word. There have been many variations on the design since then, but the intent is always the same- religious and cultural tolerance in a fractious world. It is not arguing for the “system of symbols” of any one tradition, but rather is using pieces of many in an attempt to find common ground among many groups.

Final Project Part 19- Wrap-up

Bumper stickers are a fairly common mode of simple religious expression in our modern culture. After all, one of the main functions of religion in human society is to create a cohesive community. Bumper stickers are a quick and easy way to show affiliation to a particular community, a marker that other people can connect to under otherwise anonymous circumstances. By taking pieces of a tradition’s “system of symbols” and condensing it into a few words and bright colors to be plastered on the back of a car, these stickers make the “moods and motivations” that they represent “seem uniquely realistic,” and applicable to contemporary life.

week 9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuTGPsSXnTE

Unfortunately, I had some technical difficulties trying to upload this video to my blog- but feel free to follow the link to it!

This video points out something that I've always found interesting (and troubling) about religion: the way it is used out of any kind of context to justify discriminatory or hurtful thoughts or behaviors towards one group or another. The creator of this video points out that, while homosexuality is deeply frowned upon in the Bible (this statement is often used to the serious detriment of sexual minorities, as a justification of their persecution), their are a plethora of other things that are condemned at least as strongly.

So why is it that we do not see anyone advocating for the execution of those who curse their parents, or of killing married couples who have sex during the woman's menstrual period, of the stoning of adulterers, or the importance of never mixing crops or materials? These provisions (and countless others) are clearly stated in Leviticus and Deutoronomy, along with the denouncement of homosexuality. Why is it that certain of these rules are sensibly placed in the historical context in which they were written, but a few notable exceptions are not?

It is probably natural for religion to be used for political ends- after all it is such a major cultural force. It is, however, very disturbing how often it becomes a tool for oppression when, as the creator of the video points out, the main message of so many religions have to do with loving other people.

week 8, post 2

One thing has stuck out to me in a big way in all this reading and discussion of various kinds of religious teachings, traditions, and practices. That is the tendency of people to personalize religion. Often, it does not seem to be enough to think something is applicable and important to your life because you believe it is God's will; it seems that people often need to believe that God is talking to them, or their group, directly.

A prime example of this is seen in the Rastafarians. God's word is written in the Hebrew Bible, which includes the story of Solomon, king of Jerusalem. The Ethiopian Kebra Nagast tells a more complicated version of Solomon's affair with the Queen of Sheba, which (through their son) brings the biblically blessed line to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian kings are thus all seen to be descended from Solomon, culminating with Haile Selassie who is seen by the Rastafarians to be a reincarnation of Christ. Though living in Jamaica, the Rastafarians as transplanted Africans feel a deep kinship with Ethiopia, seeing it as an uncorrupted homeland. As the people of this Zion, the Hebrew Bible seems to apply to them in a very direct and integral way.

While the Rastafarians are a good example of this personalizing of religious texts, it is seen in dozens of places and groups, as deeply varied in belief and intent as the small society of Americans who are convinced that their forefathers pointed the way to the Ark of the Covenant to the countless people who live in Israel as the promised land. I wonder what piece of human nature it is that needs to feel like the scriptures apply to us not simply because they were written for all humanity, but because they were written specifically for US.

week 8, post 1

Like any religious practice, Rastafarianism is defined by it's own unique system of symbols. Economic and colonial ills are termed "Babylon;" and a common theme (as seen in Bob Marley's famous song "Exodus") is leaving Babylon, extricating oneself from the society that is keeping you down.

The Boboshanti Rastafarians seen in the video we watched have "escaped from Babylon" in a way, or are at least at some step in that process. Their community is attempting to separate themselves, at least for the most part, from the mainstream society. On their secluded mountaintop, they are more able to be practicing "ital living," the clean, healthy, homeopathic lifestyle seen as ideal.

Their entire community seems very much modeled on these symbols. The buildings are painted with the classic color scheme of gold, red, green and black; the signs have important quotes and sayings, and the classic dress is dreadlocks in a turban, representing a crown. Through this, they discuss the return to an Ethiopian spiritual ideal.

week 7, post 2

This week, I had a very interesting and new blogging experience. Someone posted a comment on my previous blog (an admittedly not-particularly-inspired paragraph relating to the Kebra Nagast, and what it implies about Ethiopia's relationship to the Ark of the Covenant). The unexpected part of the whole thing was that it was not someone from this class... It was signed by "Patricia, Bible Prophecy on the Web." In response to my discussion of the class readings, Patricia wrote about her own beliefs about the Ark of the Covenant- she says it is at the "temple of God in heaven," and provides evidence from the scriptures.

This might be off topic a bit from the general intent of the blog (as a discussion of religion and class material) but this was a fascinating reminder to me about the nature of the internet. The internet really is a public forum- the things I write for this class really CAN be read by someone somewhere else in the world, and they can and will react to it. (For the record, this was a particularly humbling time for this realization to occur- I'm been extremely busy the past few weeks and am well aware that my last post was far from my best work. The idea of a stranger reading that and having that be all they know of me is both creepy and amusing. Though I suppose, even after looking at her blog, I don't have much idea of who Patricia is either).

The fact that the internet is such a public forum is really interesting in the context of religion as well. All range of perspectives- whether from a religious studies student discussing new concepts from an academic perspective, or someone arguing intensively for their deeply held beliefs- are out in the open. There is a huge potential for dialogue.

Looking at Patricia's blog, there's a lot of it I don't understand. Whether this is because of her interpretation or my lack of knowledge of the Bible is debatable. And unfortunately, she would most likely consider me a heathen, or even an anti-Christ... But I still think it's kinda cool that she posted on my blog :)

http://bibleprophecyontheweb.spaces.live.com/

week 7, post 1

The Kebra Negast, the Ethiopian book that retells and elaborates the biblical story of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, gives special religious significance to the country in which it was written. Ethiopia is shown as having major ties to Jerusalem and the Bible- indeed, it's emperors are descended from Solomon, and are thus kin to many of the major biblical figures. Ethiopia, in this light, could be seen as another major Christian homeland- indeed, this ties into the idea of many earlier European Christians that Ethiopia was the "Lost Christian Kingdom" described in the legends of Prestor John (a symbol of the universality of Christianity). It also provides an explanation to back up Ethiopia's claim that they have the genuine Ark of the Covenant- in the story, Menyelek (the son of the Queen and Sheba and Solomon) brings the Ark back home with him after meeting his father.

week 6, post 1

Gilles Fauconnier rather fittingly describes his idea of conceptual blending using many metaphors and little stories. One particularly memorable one that illustrates the concept involves a ski instructor teaching a pupil "who happens to be French" how to have proper posture while skiing down a steep slope. By telling the student to imagine that he is a waiter in Paris and must keep his tray flat so as not to spill the Champagne, he is able to teach him the proper position. The image and the situation are the two necessary inputs, but conceptual blending in this situation is the act of mentally carrying the tray while physically skiing.

These "blends," Fauconnier argues, are a common part of our thought processes, and an important part of creative thinking. More complicated than simply the combination of the inputs, it is the thing that gives rhetorical meaning and emotional content to thoughts or activities.

Though Fauconnier himself does not apply his conceptual blending idea to religion, it is very feasible to do. If you think of the French ski student metaphor in a different light- substitute a preacher for the instructor, for example, and parishoner for his student. The preacher, maybe, tells the parishoner how to live a good, moral life, using examples of stories from the scriptures. The parishoner lives his life with the stories in mind, constantly applying them to what he does, and this gives it more rhetorical meaning.

week 5, post 2

I was reading an article today about China's persecution of the Falun Gong spiritual sect. The practices of Falun Gong are peaceful and have a lot to do with meditation-their main, founding principles are truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

Despite this, the Falun Gong have been treated mercilessly over the past 20 years- banned and labelled an "evil cult," it's members have been arrested, tortured, and died in custody, their lawyers have been beaten for helping them, and many have gone into self-exile for their own safety.

This seems strange, but if you think about how powerful an organizing force religion and spirituality can be, the Chinese government's response has some twisted logic. The extremity of it's persecution of the sect started when 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners nonviolently protested in Beijing 10 years ago. The dedication and unity of this many people, even to a cause not directly related to the government, seemed cause for worry.

week 5, post 1

This is Moses. Sometimes his horns are depicted more ram-like than these cute little bunny-ears, but they are present either way in many early statues and paintings.

It seems exceedingly strange that the great leader who lead his people out of slavery in Egypt is portrayed with horns, of all things. But many people, on literal interpretation of their Bibles, felt that this was the most accurate way to do so. Horns was a mistranslation, in the place of the beams of light that are actually described as emanating from the great man's head.

Augustine discusses a similar phenomenon of mistranslation when he indignantly writes that "calves are not rooted to the earth, but walk over it with their feet!" Like "horns" and "beams of light," "calves" and "plants" are confusingly similar words to those translating the Testaments. As are "quick" and "sharp."

Translation difficulties present a challenge for those trying to make the scriptures legible in many languages. Augustine describes this dilemma as that of "unknown signs or ambiguous signs." In his opinion, "a sign is a thing that makes some other thing come to mind," and words are kind of the ultimate signs. And, since "spoken words cease to exist as soon as they come into contact with the air," the written word has tremendous significance.

When you look at the Psalms, which set the religious guidelines of good, bad, and any repercussions in the form of collective songs, the idea of a word as a sign is very interesting. Despite being clear and permanent(ish) signs, words are easy to mistranslate (like above), and their meaning can change depending on the style of writing they are translated into (see previous blog about Psalm 2). Words more open to interpretation and misinterpretation than animal tracks, though I suppose it depends on how deep you want to go. You can tell from the track, maybe, that it's a cougar, but you don't know who that particular animal was, or what it was doing on the path that day.

And, this has absolutely nothing to do with ANYTHING, but while looking for a picture of Moses with horns I stumbled across this link, and I thought some of you might find it funny: 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m175/Mbabalon/moses_with_horns.jpg&imgrefurl=http://synkronos23.vox.com/library/post/popeye-the-sailor-man-meets-the-solar-phallic-gods.html&usg=__T-nEcBsdVxkSIbJpqEHZDg7CP04=&h=600&w=407&sz=58&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=9wS61945CGyahM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmoses%2Bwith%2Bhorns%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Week 4, post 1

The God presented in Psalm 18 is a powerful and mighty creature, a warrior, described rather like a volcano even. He steps in to save the speaker in the midst of battle, leading him to victory. The idea that the speaker presents, of God dealing with each person by their merit (granting good things to the faithful and pure, and ills to the sacreligious) is nothing new- however this psalm seems to take it an extra step further. The God of this psalm doesn't merely save the speaker from death in battle, nor does He create some otherworldly miracle to end the war itself. Rather, He takes the speaker's side above that of his enemies, and leads him to crush them.

This idea, God as a warrior who takes clear sides in battle, is definitely problematic. The God of this psalm is not a benevolent all-powerful being, taking all of his beings' needs and desires into consideration- he is placing one group of greater importance than the other. I suppose if each and every one of the speaker's enemies were horrible people who like ate babies for fun or something and cursed God's name, then maybe it would make sense for him to be mad and put the speaker in complete power over their lives after leading him to win over them in battle. But even if God wanted to punish some of them, shouldn't he take each person into account, rather than making them all "cringe?" (Then again, I'm not sure I'm being particularly consistent at all... The God of the Hebrew bible did all kinds of not-very-pleasant things to the enemies of his chosen people, even when those "enemies" were innocent in and of themselves- ie: the slaying of the first born sons in the Passover story).

Also, if this person won the battle by having a strong faith in God and praying a whole lot, what happens if both sides are praying to the same God for victory?

Week 3, Post 2

...This completely doesn't have to do with anything, but this morning I put tea in my eyes, and it made me think of the impact of religious or magical beliefs and how they relate to people's practical lives. 

I know that putting tea in my eyes sounds odd or maybe a little bit gross, but it's actually a very effective and soothing folk remedy, which my great-uncle taught me about that when I visited him in Ireland a few years ago. My uncle is a healer- now in his 80s, he is more or less retired, but he is able to cure many ailments. Some of the things he practices- like tea for eyes (or apples for warts, his son's specialty- many members of the family have healing talents)- could easily have a component that could probably be understood by modern medicine, others less so. He is a diviner- using his pendulum, he diagnoses allergies, finds underground water sources, and even finds missing people.

Very often the things religion is concerned with (immortal souls or such) seem very remote and distant from our lives on the average day. Other things (such as faith-healing or unexplainable powers) are much more directly intertwined with day-to-day life.

Psalm 2, "The Book of Psalms," 2007-

Why are the nations aroused,

and the peoples murmur vain things?

Kings of the earth take their stand,

and princes conspire together

against the LORD and against His anointed.

"Let us tear off their fetters,

let us fling away their bonds!"

He who dwells in the heavens will laugh,

the Master derides them.

Then will He speak to them in His wrath,

in His burning anger dismay them:

"And I- I appointed My king

on Zion, My holy mountain."

Let me tell all is due of the Lord.

He said to me: "You are My son/

I Myself did today beget you.

Ask of me, and I shall give nations as your estate,

and your holdings, the ends of the earth.

You will smash them with a rod of iron,

like a potter's jar you will dash them."

And now, O you kings, pay mind,

be chastened, you rulers of the earth.

Worship the LORD in fear,

and exult in trembling.

With purity be armed,

lest He rage and you be lost on the way.

For His wrath in a moment flares up.

Happy, all who shelter in Him.

Psalm 2, "The Bay Psalm Book," 1640-

Why rage the Heathen furiously?

muse vaine things people do;

Kings of the earth doe set themselves,

Princes consult also:

with one consent against the Lord,

and his anoynted one.

Let us asunder break their bands,

their cords bee from us throwne.

Who sits in heav'n shall laugh; the lord

will mock them; then will he

Speak to them in his ire, and wrath:

and vex them suddenlie.

But I annoynted have my King

upon my holy hill

of Zion: The established

counsell declare I will.

God spake to me, thou art my Son:

this day I thee begot.

Aske thou of me, and I will give

the Heaven for thy lot:

and of the earth thou shalt possesse

the utmost coasts abroad,

thou shalt them break as Potters sherds

and crush with yron rod.

And now yee Kings be wise, be learn'd

yee ludges of th'earth (Heare)

Serve yee the lord with reverence,

rejoyce in him with feare.

Kisse yee the Sonne, lest he be wroth,

and yee fall in the way,

when his wrath quickly burnes, oh bless'd are..."

I suppose, given that they were translated and published nearly 400 years apart, these two versions of Psalm 2 bear a pretty good resemblance to each other. But it certainly is interesting to see how the time of translation, with its prevailing cultural and educational norms, can influence the style or even content of a poem (a poem that was actually written many centuries previously).

For one thing, the style is completely different. While the more recent translation is written in what is seen as more classical "Biblical" language (for lack of a better word), the second is much more colloquial (particularly with lines like "yee ludges of th'earth" instead of "you rulers of the earth.") Words like "Heathen" instead of "nations" or "people" make the standpoint very clear- also in relation to the political or social opinions of those reading the little psalm book- that those who do not share their belief are heathens. The more recent translation is also more careful about the Hebrew poetic format. 

Week 2, post 2

One of the most fascinating things about the Indian Mounds of Wisconsin is just how well they fit in with the natural world. While they are outlined for easier viewing today, at the time of their creation the mounds would have simply risen up as part of the landscape. What is even more remarkable is the fact that, despite the amount of dirt used in their making, no evidence was found of giant holes to obtain such materials- it seems most likely that the mounds' creators took a little bit here, a little bit there, in a sustainable fashion that would not harm any one area.

It is almost inconceivable to think of this kind of care being taken today. Our current society does not worry much about living in balance with the natural world- at this point, we have created a system where there is very little of the natural world left that has not very deeply felt the effects of human civilization. Even our most mundane "monuments-" buildings, parking lots, (even our customary graveyards require the clearing and extensive manicuring of the land), end up pushing nature away rather than trying to live alongside it.

One thing that I thought of in relation to these ideas is Robert Jetson's environmental art piece, "Spiral Jetty." 1500 feet long and 15 feet wide, this spiral coil in the middle of Utah's Great Salt Lake was intended as a statement for environmental protection and against an increasingly consumeristic art world. The rocks used were all native to the area, but certainly some direct changing of the landscape (and hardcore use of dumptrucks) was necessary for the piece's creation. On the other hand, in recent years, the presence of "Spiral Jetty" has prevented oil drilling in the lake that would otherwise damage it's delicate ecosystems.

Week 2, post 1

According to several of the possible interpretations of Wisconsin's effigy mounds, they fit into Geertz's definition of religion. Geertz describes a system of symbols: with the thunderbird, bear, and water-panther representing the elemental states of air, earth, and water, respectively, this seems to be the case. There is also some debate about whether these beings symbolized clan affiliation as well, given the fact that most were concentrated in particular areas, though generally with an opposing effigy for balance. In this way, they do seem to "formulate conceptions of a general order of existence" by their symbolism, location, and balance towards one another.

Week 2, post 2

One thing that was discussed in class this week that really stuck out to me was the relationship between religion and hierarchy. It is certainly true that a social hierarchy can be an integral component of a religion- with a shaman or priest carrying a lot of power as the intermediary between the lay-people and the divine being, though usually seen as possessing less power than the divine being itself. These hierarchies are seen in many religions, and may be simple or vastly complicated, such as those seen in the Catholic Church. What is interesting about these hierarchies is whether they are a necessary product of religion, or if they are imposed on religion by certain cultures or societies. In fact, it seems like strict hierarchy may be a relatively modern component of religion- something coming from the time and place the religion is practiced, rather than by the religion itself. This relates to an idea described in depth by Rupert Ross in his book, "Returning to the Teachings: Exploring Aboriginal Justice." Ross describes how the original religion and culture of the Ojibway was based on a system of dependencies, rather than hierarchy. Things were important in their relationship to one another, which meant that all things were equally important, though in different ways. Their society was organized in a similar fashion. When Europeans settlers met these people, they were perplexed at this method of organization, and insisted that the people pick a leader for them to converse with. As the Europeans came to power, the hierarchy became more enforced. Ross credits the imposition of a forced hierarchy with the destruction of many Native American cultures.

Week 1, post 1: Paleolithic Cave Art and Religion

The "cave paintings" in Lascaux, Les Trois-Freres, and other locations date so far back that there is no record of who made them or of what they meant. We have no way of asking the early artists whether the horses, bison, "monsters," and stick-figure people were simply exciting and pretty, or if they had deeper cultural significance. Recently, much evidence has pointed to the idea that these paintings were very likely of major cultural import- traces, even, of a very early religion. What this ur-religion may have once consisted of is still open to debate: did it consist of ideas of totemism? Sympathetic magic? Structuralism, creating a binarily based "sanctuary"? Shamanism? A broader question that it brings to the forefront, though, is why have human lives and  history been inextricably intertwined with religion for so long?

People have toyed with all kinds of explanations to this question, each of which makes plenty of sense but does not seem to cover the whole picture or scope of human religion. As a species, we are drawn to religion because we want to explain our universe, and to control the frightening parts: we want to restore or strengthen a lost or tenuous sense of balance. We need religion as a cathartic way of dealing with crisis, or with our own feelings of guilt. We use religion as a means of social cohesion and continuity, in which ideals and rituals can represent the society we belong to. I would guess that these are all components of any organized religion. Perhaps many of us have these characteristics, innately or by socialization. I know I see them all in my own quirky spiritual tendencies, though I've never belonged to an organized religion.

Honestly, I don't know what to say as the primary element of religion. The only word I can come up with is "people." All of these theories of religion, whether they are socially or psychologically driven, seem to be integral to human nature. In general we are social, worried beings who like to think about things. But this is kind of getting into the chicken vs. the egg, and now I'm rambling.

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I was going to upload an image from Les Trois-Freres- a drawing of an odd creature, with what appears to be the body of a horse, the legs of a human, the face and paws of perhaps some kind of rodent, branching antlers, and about the most worried-looking face I've ever seen. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, this beast (whether sorcerer or doodle) cannot join the blog today :(

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