Paulus
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 18:46
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Hi Fitz
It's a peculiar one. Isn't the lack of seeing the importance of ritual a reflection of a person's lack of integration in the world? If we define it semantically as something done by others, it's obviously because we simply do not enact ritual events in our own lives. This comes from a lack of a sense of the 'sacred': not a sacredness which seems entwined with religion, for religion tries to bind the sacred into parcels of right and wrong. But I think a larger part comes from our relationship with the world. It's a 'mythic' thing and I mean 'mythic' in the way ascribed by Campbell, Eliade, Jung and the modern transpersonal psychologies.
If our mythic worldview is inorganic, cut-and-dried, factual, striving-to-define, so our ideas on the sacred, or ritual (which manifests as a by-product of recognition with the sacred) will reflect that. Indeed, they will go as far as denying it any validity. But surely much of this modern cultual ritual of running about at Xmas, far from being some obsessive disorder, is an internal attempt to give order to the year: to define it, to give it sanctity. I know that isn't the way it manifests itself nowadays, but are there not unconscious (natural) drives in us which strive to make special certain times, places, events. To ritualise them. If we have lost touch with the world of ritual and the sacred, is it not because we have lost touch with ourselves?
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fitzcoraldo
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 18:56
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Come on Peter stop being so smug and tell us why you refer to the webmaster of the portal as "the guv'nor"?
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Jane
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 19:30
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'I think people can display true "christian" characteristics without resorting to religion.'
Yes! Followers of organised faiths do not have a monopoly on justice, morality, compassion, humanity, charity and kindness.
We atheists have to work hard on our moral codes because we don't get it prescribed from dogmas.
J
x
Channel 4, 8pm tonight. Should be interesting!
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PeterH
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 19:38
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Does that mean that you consider "justice, morality, compassion, humanity, charity and kindness" to be "true "christian" characteristics" ?
I grew up in a Jewish community and recognise all of those characteristics as being true Jewish characteristics.
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PeterH
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 19:42
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Taking the piss is a favourite hobby of mine. People are so funny - in groups, out groups and social conformity is even funnier.
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PeterH
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 19:49
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Did I? I suppose I did once. I call him all sorts of things. We argue about everything and agree about nothing - well almost nothing. But he is the guv'nor and sole owner of the Portal. So at the end of the day, if I cannot persuade - I must go along with him or withdraw. Haven't adopted his quirky spelling yet though (he often excludes the second "a" in archaeologist, but don't tell him that I noticed)
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goffik
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 20:04
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Ah! You see! There lies the difference between the capital "C" and the small "c"! It means it's not confined to any one religion - you're spot on!
Why SHOULD "they" have the monopoly on these characteristics!
I think we're all in agreement - hoorah! :o)
G x
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goffik
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 20:04
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Ah! You see! There lies the difference between the capital "C" and the small "c"! It means it's not confined to any one religion - you're spot on!
Why SHOULD "they" have the monopoly on these characteristics!
I think we're all in agreement - hoorah! :o)
G x
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fitzcoraldo
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 20:17
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"We argue about everything and agree about nothing"
I find that very hard to believe (-:
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PeterH
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Re: Ritual
Jan 09, 2006, 20:46
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Sorry mate that doesn't make any sense at all - even though you've posted it twice. A christian is a follower of christ just as much as a Christian is a follower of Christ. Your odd spelling or lower case make not a jot of difference.
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