First, a small recap of the last essay:
It took a friend's comment on e-mail to fully clarify just what troubled me about Heather Lynn's Anthrotheology. As stated, the conscious is simply not capable of encompassing in totality the sub-conscious, as Lynn seemed to imply. Leaders may co-opt symbols, but the symbols themselves are projections from the this deep consciousness that point the way to unity. They are not simply made up to confuse and control the masses.
The email discussion with the friend involved the power of the mandala or maze to guide one back to one's origins. That is where the power behind symbols resides. A well-handled religion guides the seeker through the preliminary meanings of the symbols and rituals meant for the purposes of unity. Without them, selfishly- handled religions or governments or individuals might then co-opt the symbols for their own end, stymieing many attempts to find one's center.
A well-handled religion is one that primarily seeks salvation/enlightenment for the individual and not power for the leader or religion. Yes, this might be confusing at times - religions are run by fallible people, and they do wish to continue the religion and so need some power, but the subtlety is in the emphasis. If it is all about the very mortal Dear Leader, something is amiss.
But these are abstract notions, important but sometimes all-too intangible. Sometimes, what matters most is the small things.
Yesterday, our worship group was invited to go to Mass together, and then meet at a park for further discussion and, of course, food. For those who regularly read this blog, they know that I find the first part of the mass almost interminable. But not this time. Somehow, it was full of life and meaning. At the meeting afterward, I mentioned this and many agreed, saying it was the workings of the Holy Spirit. I must be the hard-core rationalist in the group, the Doubting Thomas, for I always restrain from such non-provable comments, but, down deep, I hope it is so. Why else would I be there?
And again: there was someone there who was, and has been, having trouble with a mental illness. Seeing her sitting alone, the priest at the end asked if she would like to have hands laid on her. With this, my heart quickened with surprise. Would I have to participate? As a man raised in reserved rural New England, such things terrify me. One is supposed to always show tactful reserve, something similar to the "space" cultures dictate that one should have from another when speaking.
But, yes, it was so, and we gathered around her, some reluctant like me, others quite comfortable - and touched her as the priest recited comforting words, and invoked the power of God. Others (again, to my astonishment) added comments about her being loved and so on. This was ended with the Lord's Prayer.
I don't know if it helped her - it certainly couldn't hurt - but perhaps, at the least, it helped people like me. How can people love their neighbors if they are afraid to touch them in a deep and well-meaning manner? This, after all, was one reason why I began to attend formal services again, and now it is the only reason - to expand the inner workings of spirit to the outer.
Which, come to think of it, is like the mandala: taking the impulse of the inner spirit by the outer self, and working it back inward, to home. It is probable that I would never do such a thing without such a group. FK
It took a friend's comment on e-mail to fully clarify just what troubled me about Heather Lynn's Anthrotheology. As stated, the conscious is simply not capable of encompassing in totality the sub-conscious, as Lynn seemed to imply. Leaders may co-opt symbols, but the symbols themselves are projections from the this deep consciousness that point the way to unity. They are not simply made up to confuse and control the masses.
The email discussion with the friend involved the power of the mandala or maze to guide one back to one's origins. That is where the power behind symbols resides. A well-handled religion guides the seeker through the preliminary meanings of the symbols and rituals meant for the purposes of unity. Without them, selfishly- handled religions or governments or individuals might then co-opt the symbols for their own end, stymieing many attempts to find one's center.
A well-handled religion is one that primarily seeks salvation/enlightenment for the individual and not power for the leader or religion. Yes, this might be confusing at times - religions are run by fallible people, and they do wish to continue the religion and so need some power, but the subtlety is in the emphasis. If it is all about the very mortal Dear Leader, something is amiss.
But these are abstract notions, important but sometimes all-too intangible. Sometimes, what matters most is the small things.
Yesterday, our worship group was invited to go to Mass together, and then meet at a park for further discussion and, of course, food. For those who regularly read this blog, they know that I find the first part of the mass almost interminable. But not this time. Somehow, it was full of life and meaning. At the meeting afterward, I mentioned this and many agreed, saying it was the workings of the Holy Spirit. I must be the hard-core rationalist in the group, the Doubting Thomas, for I always restrain from such non-provable comments, but, down deep, I hope it is so. Why else would I be there?
And again: there was someone there who was, and has been, having trouble with a mental illness. Seeing her sitting alone, the priest at the end asked if she would like to have hands laid on her. With this, my heart quickened with surprise. Would I have to participate? As a man raised in reserved rural New England, such things terrify me. One is supposed to always show tactful reserve, something similar to the "space" cultures dictate that one should have from another when speaking.
But, yes, it was so, and we gathered around her, some reluctant like me, others quite comfortable - and touched her as the priest recited comforting words, and invoked the power of God. Others (again, to my astonishment) added comments about her being loved and so on. This was ended with the Lord's Prayer.
I don't know if it helped her - it certainly couldn't hurt - but perhaps, at the least, it helped people like me. How can people love their neighbors if they are afraid to touch them in a deep and well-meaning manner? This, after all, was one reason why I began to attend formal services again, and now it is the only reason - to expand the inner workings of spirit to the outer.
Which, come to think of it, is like the mandala: taking the impulse of the inner spirit by the outer self, and working it back inward, to home. It is probable that I would never do such a thing without such a group. FK
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