[MD] New Model Army, Mystic(DQ) Experience, and Religion (SQ) as Power

[David M]

Hi Arlo

I agree

David M

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ARLO J BENSINGER JR" <ajb102 at psu.edu>
To: <moq_discuss at moqtalk.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2006 5:39 AM
Subject: Re: [MD] New Model Army, Mystic(DQ) Experience,and Religion (SQ) as 
Power


> [David M]
> Like any other form of explanation, religion tries to makes sense of 
> experience,
> some of this explanation can be useful, some of it less so, some of it, 
> goes
> the wrong way entirely and creates problems. MOQ has less problems, but we 
> can
> still use the good stuff that religion, SOM, science, feminism, whatever 
> have
> brought to the party.
>
> [Arlo]
> As metaphorical narratives that attempt to encapsulate "reality", looking
> broadly at the metaphors and backing away from any literalness seems to me 
> the
> best way to move forward. Both the MOQ and Christianity, Islam and
> Existensialism, Semiotics and Odin-ianity, in my opinion, are metaphorical
> narratives, and as such should never be assumed to hold truth inclusively. 
> This
> has been the crux of Joseph Campbell's work, and supports the MOQ 
> assumption
> that there are multiple "truths", that are culturally, historically and
> temporally bound. To say Christianity is "right" and Buddhism is "wrong",
> places the dialogue on some false literal level, where "truth" is 
> inclusive,
> acultural and overshadows (or even obliterates) the metaphor.
>
> It also evidences the fact that the historical instantiation of "religion" 
> has
> in nearly all guises been paralled with a quest to "use" the literal to
> subserviate people and consolidate power. One of the more interesting
> summations of history I've heard is that it is "ongoing killing over WHO 
> said
> 'thou shall not kill'". (To be fair, many "Gods" only showed concern over 
> the
> flock, killing the infidels, nonbelievers or pagans was quite acceptable).
>
> [David M]
> Of course, differentiating the good from bad is hard work.
>
> [Arlo]
> Backing up the metaphorical level is a good place to start. Separating out 
> these
> metaphors from the static power social structures that have literalized 
> them is
> another.
>
>
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