The Internet as a Sacred Space

Outside reading #5
"Cyberspace as a Sacred Space: Communicating Religion on Computer Networks: Stephen D. O'Leary

When one considers sacred space, they think of the environment or perhaps houses of worship. And there is obviously an enormous amount of religious content on the internet, and simple search proves this easily. In this article, O'Leary intends to address how religion has been transformed with the help of technological advancements and prospects how it will continue to shape religious practice.

Not only does the internet serve as a research tool for religion at a basic level, it has extended its reaches in order to serve as a means by which to participate and practice religion. It is a forum for connectivity of spiritual people in real time around the world. Church goers may attend services from their office space if they so choose.

It also seems contradictory. The sacred commune that people are meant to experience is potentially lost in cyberspace. It is a convenient excuse to be spiritual. Can intermediate communication take place in cyberspace?

What Are Myths

Outside Reading #4
"The Study of Mythology" Scott Leonard and Michael McClure

"Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions." This definition of myths is short and sweet but only a stepping stone to the all encompassing purpose that myths serve. They are not static artifacts, but mostly living texts. They serve to propose cultural values and behaviors as well as help to develop the intellect by which one questions and achieves self understanding. They are a gateway into understanding a cultures belives and practices and are the underlaying factor in developing moral and ethical belief systems. They are the traditions of life passed down through generations.

Oracles in Central Africa

Outside Reading #3
"Consulting the Poison Oracle Among the Azande" E. E. Evans Pritchard

For the Azande of Central Africa, divination is an important part of their religion. They practice divination through a poison oracle "benge." Azande consult "benge" by reading its effects on chickens. In short, the chickens are poisoned, and their reaction to the poison is interpreted by older men. The legal system of the Azande is based off of this divination.

It is really interesting to think of this as a form of divination. Generally people think of the Oracle at Delphi, or a Diviner. The tools these interpreters use, usally take the form of crystal balls, tea leaves, tarot cards or palm reading. Seldomly is divination taken so seriously in the post-modern world. It is very interesting that it serves as the legal system for these people

Priests and Prophets

Outside Reading #1
"Religious Specialists" Victor W. Turner

One of the ideas that turner considers here is the difference between priests and prophets. First, priests are associated with the function of organized and permanent structures concerning Gods. They interpret and apply predesignated ideas. They maintain the permanency of tradition and represent the tradition in time and space. His/her service is sacred and a tradition

The prophet on the other hand is differentiated from the priest due to a "personal call." The attributes of the prophet are derived from divine association, he receives revelation and is responsible for spreading them with a certain acquired charisma (charisma not meaning exciteableness but with fervency and importance that inspires and alters the masses).

This distinction is important when you think about the difference between religion as a force of social change and as a maintainer of social stability

A Time Before Deception "Indigenous Forms of Communication"

This chapter is very interesting because it explores the other means by which peoples communicate. It is easy to assume the communication is relatively specific, involving a transference of knowledge or ideas. This takes a oral or written form, both of which are based on language and/or text, these are necessary at the basic level. Even immediate connections require an understanding of language, you cannot communicate mental pictures so much as you can communicate ideas.

This chapter talks about communication that takes the form not only with verbal bases, but with signals, art, music etc. things that don't necessitate a communal language. This is an interesting concept. For these things to be used as a form of communication they have to become associated with another thing or meaning, this does not require a name or title, simply a meaning or idea or implication

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #3"

"Communication may be understood only through analysis"

I don't really follower Cooper's train of thought here, not the assumption he makes or his attempt to refute it. He says that communication is not only understood through analysis. He says this is so because individuals, in this case, Native Americans require a communion with each other and with nature. Fair enough, but it seems as if his argument is inconsistent. Communion and communication are two similar concepts but in the end, different things. The way he puts it, it seems as if communion is a means by which individuals communicate though technically there is no communication involved, thereby making it communion.

Even if we assume that communication and communion are the same thing, or interchangeable or what have you, i disagree with his objection: that they cannot be understood through analysis. He presumes that this analysis comes after said information is transfered, be it via communion or communication. If you think about it, without prior information, knowledge, reason, existence...etc even via communion, information is analyzed. This mental connection is only possible because of prior knowledge, something previously (though perhaps subconsciously) analyzed.

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #2"

Cooper's 2nd refuted Assumption: "Complexity and Sophistication are Superior"

The title of this assumption alone makes it dangerous. It is clear that in countering these assumptions that Cooper intents to counter cultural bias as a means of better understanding. However, in doing so he becomes a victim of his own cultural bias.

Cooper attempts to refute superiority of the terms 'complexity' and 'sophistication.' However, in applying these terms only to the western world (his example is Mozart) he not fails at discounting the necessity of complexity and superiority, but really suggests that these terms are not even considerably applicable to the non western world. He forgets that these terms are subjective and while his intention is pure he falls victim of his own biases. Technically speaking, any thing may be considered at least sophisticated if not complex relative to the group of people being considered, especially by themselves. Furthermore, it seems a completely individual notion, especially concerning the topics at hand, to determine what is and what is not superior.

A Time Before Deception "Assumption #1"

Cooper's first assumption concerning cultural bias is that "literate cultures are superior."

This is an obviously flawed statement. Literate culture assumes a superiority because of the supposed higher importance of technological advanacemene, scientifically verifiable intelligence and higher socioeconimoc status. The same way you can't consider man today as having progressed over man 200 year ago, you can assume that textual communication alludes superiority. Especially when you consider the social implications of oral traditions, through which it seems that cultural values are better retained and appreciated. Oral traditions emphasise the importance of family and their elders. Oral tradition is absolutely necessary for the survival of such a culture.

We can see that in literate society, less significance is placed on rituals and traditions. In putting religion into writing, it standardizes, making it applicable and accessible to the masses. however in doing so it becomes less personal and less connectable. It removes the role individual commune. In literate culture, it seems as if religion has become more of a moral safehaven than a sincere communion with the sacred.

Martin Buber's "I and Thou" and Immediate Communication

Martin Buber's concept of "I and thou" and "I and it" is very interesting. An I-thou encounter (or I-you) refers to the interaction between two beings, wholistically, they connect. I-it on they other hand refers to the opposite interaction. In I-thou interaction, considers the other being as more than an object, and responds to it and treats it accordingly. Buber suggests that this relationship does not necessarily apply only to humans but also to human interactions with other living beings, so long as there is some form of encounter or exchange. Furthermore, Buber argues that this is the only means by which to seek and communitate with God or a Supernatural.

A precursor of this is an immediate communication, meaning that the two entities must atleast be capable of connecting without necessarily transfering information. In doing so they enter into a communion. While the two may or may not be able to communicate with each other or have a mediated discourse, they at the most basic level must be able to immediately communicate. It seems fair to say that all I-thou relationships require the possibility of immediate communication.

For example I could talk to a table. There would be no transference of information, because a table cannot listen and comprehend what i am saying, we cannot communicate with each other. It is safe to say that I cannot also, enter into a communion with said table. However when you consider the relationship between two individuals, you know that because you can enter into a communion with each other that you can then also enter into communication with one another. If you were on a deserted island, and happend upon one individual, you would know, at intial contact, without having said a word that you can eventually communicate with this individual, and the individual knows the same of you, immediate communication.

Therefore, it seems that in order to ever communicate with an entity, it must first be possible that you can enter into communion with them. This is the qualifying factor for Buber's I-Thou relationship.

"The Resurrection of the Dead"

These two passages are really interesting to read when considering the importance of writing and texts in sacred communication, and the role that they plays as a prompt for ritual behavior. The first passage ponders life without the resurrection of Christ. The second passage negates the first, in claiming that Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, and for this reason, those that seek and follow him and the Word of God may find life in Christ once they have reached mortal death. In short it outlines the life a follower of Christ and how in doing so this follower will achieve salvation.
What is especially noteworthy in this excerpt is the very first line of the first passage, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (line 12). The basis of an entire religion, and really, social institution is that the savior of man, Christ, was resurrected from the dead at which point he joined his father in heaven. But why do Christians believe this? Because the bible says so. And the bible says so because it was first preached, that Christ did in fact die and live again in an eternal paradise as followers of him will also do. The excerpt is a perfect example of how an oral tradition or myth was passed among the people and eventually put into text. Without the Bible, it is hard to believe that Christianity would have grown to the extent that it has. While the oral spread of myth works to great extents it cannot reach the magnitude and consistency of text.