[MD] The End of Faith - Spirituality

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Ian]
I have no problem also accepting that the intellect of western 
culture owes something to it's christian culture...

[Arlo]
Well, of course the totality of our intellect derives from the social 
culture from which it emerges. To think otherwise is to buy into the 
"myth of independence" Pirsig talks about in LILA. And, of course, 
part of this culture involves the various religions and belief 
systems of its history. Indeed, I guess you could argue that if S/O 
metaphysics started in ancient Greece, and the European Church 
absorbed Christianity through this Hellenic lens, that one of the 
problems with Western Christianity has been its unspoken S/O firmament.

I am curious, though, what do you think western culture owes to 
christian culture? I'd say some of our most inspired art (paintings, 
music, architecture, etc.). What would you add?

[Ian]
Whilst I cannot imagine the word "all" being used, I can imagine 
"some" and later "much" and so on ...

[Arlo]
I don't think "Some of this is just an analogy" carries the same 
metaphysical weight. Indeed, the trouble with this is that the "some" 
will of course be "the quaint myths of others".

[Ian]
... there will be a significant "mystical" and "mythical" component 
wherever this leads - which I'm guessing is your "Campbellian" 
reference maybe ?

[Arlo]
Yes, this is where the next step should take us. As I said in my 
exchange with Khaled, I am of two minds (a cynical one and an 
optimistic one) about the possibility of this ever occurring. Where 
are those hippies when you need them?