Saw Bill Maher's "Religulous", but somehow found the laughs lacking. I've a lot of time for Mr. Bill but the doc felt as preachy as those he tried to satirize.
Let 'em have their faith. More than ever, people need scaffolding, an imaginary best friend, a sense of morality, an authority to remind them how to behave. Yikes, after watching CNBC yesterday, anarchy must be close if not downright imminent.
Then I read Obama's winding down the the war, gee, just in time, bit redundant, think the thief of Baghdad's already come and gone. Keep your Koran, and don't mind the flying blonde Dutchman in DC.
How patronizing to read this mornings' press; both American and English pray dearly and uncross their fingers long enough to type their anxiety about whether or not Iraqi citizens can keep a lid on their life. Jesus Christ.
Speaking of....
Like Mr. Bill, Joseph Campbell, refers to most religious script as 'fairy tales'. This makes sense, although I prefer Campbell's style of minimizing snark by applying about about 60 years of deep intellectual study, covering several continents, appreciating the classics for both western and oriental religiosity.
Back when, I had to study the bible, didn't want to, but attending private Catholic university dictates one must, so I did. I was taught by the Jesuits, one could share a beer off campus and one could attend a party w/one or two collars in attendance. I've blogged about priests sharing 4 hour luncheons here at Chez Bay, en route from a year at the Vatican back to their black parish in Chicago, great fun. They are always good company, especially with spirit on hand, 'the Irish catholic vs an Italian catholic, completely different, another blessay. Religion is a great topic, when discussed and questioned.
I've debated and listened most respectfully as these priests agree you can't possibly take this script literally and quite frankly, most don't; it's meant to be symbolic. Even Muv accepted my lack of suspended belief, at least, after the nutty evangelicals invaded the family, she almost welcomed the reprieve from low brow religion. However, I respected her private and steady faith, deeply, though only because it was private and steady. Also, she didn't need it to behave well, it wasn't used as insurance or to beat someone else over the head. It was real, to her, although I don't think her maker was kind in the end, but that had more due to do with another false authority, the Doc of Western Medicine.
But today, there's scientific proof of evolution. Once you've studied biology, like Dawkins, it just doesn't compute; only Palins and her wingnuts, the nutty fungelicals and extremists retain their ant-modern reality; taking it literally, able to debate the old and new testament with a straight face. The promised land wasn't supposed to be about real estate, even though it's come to that, relying upon a fairy tale to prove a point.
When placed side by side, in a positive light, as philosophy, the world's religions become a monomyth, a term James Joyce created, i think. But don't quote me as each time I attempt Ulysses, I try, only to quietly put it back on the shelf.
A collective consciousness that can become metaphorical, or mythical, and better yet, metaphysical when one allows it to morph with the psyche. God is maybe just a metaphor and maybe, simply put, half the people believe the metaphor is fact, theists, the other half believe the metaphor is fiction, hence, atheists.
Most of the text appear distorted,today, in the modern age. Having studied it, been asked to take it seriously, literally, or rather, recite it back as if it were, which it wasn't, just rang wrong. Maybe it was the older, tenured Jesuits at Seattle University, but even the younger ones that came and left the order, within the 4 yrs I spent there, were better equipped to teach the paradoxical theories behind philosophy 101 and 201, which were additional prerequisites. Unfortunately, both the priest and the oriental guru, like a therapist, feel just like another false form of authority.
Shouldn't the student study, take on the load, then let it go, live life, have a vice or two, then grow up and take responsibility for their life, as well as their vice, should they have one, like hedonistic me. The banker, the broker and the president had authority, look how helpful they were..
Re-visiting Campbell is not only fun, it makes sense. I recall watching him on PBS with Muv, he was so even, like why wouldn't you say thanks to the animal rather than to a deity before devouring your dinner. Shouldn't you thank the animal for filling your belly?
The Indians, as Campbell suggests had it rough but somehow better, they were certainly far cleaner than the Europeans in their time. When Chief Seattle was asked to sell his land he replied, "How can you purchase land, will you protect my brother the Eagle, will you safeguard my father's voice," or something like that, but they couldn't even begin to conceive of our western notions of finance which have brought nothing but fake expectations and even more perceived slights than we felt before..so many hucksters with their good intentions. Do you really think Glenda was a good witch, but then, maybe that's why I enjoyed the book Wicked.
btw, didn't like the musical in London, do not recommend.
While living in Rome, while visiting all of those gorgeous cathedrals, I can't possibly deny the ambiance, so tempting and beatific. Why not exist within such a womb, but, alas, Christian faith certainly could be argued as one of exile, unlike Buddhism, which actually invites one into the gates, into the garden.
The transformation of conscious isn't immediate, you can't meditate at the age of 26 years and assume you've found nirvana. You need to live. You can't escape to a convent and find experience, you may find peace through solace but you certainly haven't lived through enough relationship to compare and contrast.
I often use Campbell's quote, "Relationships and marriage are not a love affair, they're an ordeal." Too true. Our journey is simply more nomadic than most, in search of jumping off the cliff and living different cultural realities. If there is a god, Libya's our next address. Paris to Libya, yeah, makes sense, after Rome and Paris I've had it living in museums, unbelievable beauty, however, now I need to see change rather than exist within the stagnate.
Is life cosmic consciousness or simply a cosmic joke, sometimes i think it's a little of both. Maybe the Christians should be sued for copyright infringement, but this may not pass as Pirate Bay may just win. In the public mind they will...
The monomyth. The projection of a culture's dreams. The idea beyond. All the wise sages say the same thing so why assume the text is literal when the dream is simply part of a collective consciousness emanating from across the planet.
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