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.