The Political Asylum

Michele · Guest

I'm starting a topic that should be free of the existence of God debate...

I read a book once called How Do You Spell God?, which was written by Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman. The book described different religions, and was done in a very nonjudgmental fashion.

Which religions do you find fascinating? What do you like about them?

For instance, I have read up a bit on the religious beliefs of the Congolese Pygmies and the Cheyenne people of the Western Plains. While the Pygmies were very spiritual, in the way they connected music to God, the Cheyenne were very sage, and oriented towards raising very wise children.

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:05 pm Post subject:

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but when I was younger I was quite interested in ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology. I guess what I liked were the stories and personalities of the gods. Kind of like fairy tales, in a way. I was particularly taken by a book I used to take out of the library again and again - D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths. When I was an adult, I came across a softcover (but still full-sized) edition, so I now have it in my collection.

wakeyboy · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:08 pm Post subject:

I find Viking and Germanic mythology interesting - does that make me a Nazi? Shocked

Celtic pagan beliefs are quite interesting too.

Within Christianity I find the Orthodox church the most interesting.
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Michele · Guest

I love Greek mythology. I don't know enough about Egyptian mythology to comment, except when it pertains to the Pharoahs. My favorite Greek myths would include -

Pgymalion and Galatea
Daedalus and Icarus
Arachne

My famous goddess would probably be Artemis.

Michele · Guest

adrien · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:

What I find interesting is the correspondences between different religions, how they influence each other. In the dates of celebrations, for example (Christmas / Winter solstice, for example; or the word "Eastern" coming for the name of an ancient goddess...) Or in the dogma (relations between ancient Zoroastrian religions and Christianity)...

And I wonder what people who used to believe in Greek mythology would have thought of us comparing it with fairy tales... Wink

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Sit on the banks of the river and wait for the corpse of your enemy. - Indian proverb.

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject:

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject:

Vintage Girl · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject:

On one of my visits to New Orleans I was astonished to discover that there is an enormous correllation between Roman Catholicism and Voodoo. Shocked

Michele · Guest

Oh, absolutely. I think that's due to the large number of French-speaking Haitians that were brought to New Orleans. Cajuns also tend to believe in Voodoo, or at least magic.

adrien · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject:

Examples? I thought voodoo was a west-African religion. Though in America it may have been influenced by other religions, originally I don't think it was. Do these common points with catholicism also appear in "traditional" voodoo?
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Sit on the banks of the river and wait for the corpse of your enemy. - Indian proverb.

Michele · Guest

Well, I was of course referring more to the Haitian slaves than the white plantation owners. I am not 100% sure but I thought Haitians were descended from West Africans brought over to Haiti.

wakeyboy · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject:

Its not right to say that there is a correlation between Voodoo and Roman Catholicism.

They are two seperate religions/beliefs.

However, it is right to say that elements of voodoo were retained after the Haitians became Catholic.

In South America, many native people who are catholic have retained some of their rituals and beliefs.

It shows that cultures cannot be completely replaced by a new one. Certain things will carry over.
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Michele · Guest

I think that's what I was saying, or at least trying to say. In New Orleans, the Voodoo Queens mix their Catholicism with their belief in voodoo.

Mpls Druid · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:17 pm Post subject:

wakeyboy · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:49 pm Post subject:

Vintage Girl · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:54 pm Post subject:

wakeyboy · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject:

Vintage Girl · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:05 am Post subject:

Still, it's never too late if you have something to add.
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Girls are like phones. We love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!

BlueEmperor · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:07 am Post subject:

It's amazing what can happen in a year... though evidently some things never change.

B.E.
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The doctor is in!

kitchenwitch · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject:

Mpls Druid · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject:

Thank you, KW!!!!! All Hallow's Eve was taken over and converted to All Saints Day, Easter is simply an adaptation of the Goddess Eostre's name and the timing for the holiday is based on full moons, Spring Equinox and such, utilising eggs and bunnies just as the pagan community does...

Oh brother, now I've started!

kitchenwitch · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject:

Mpls Druid · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:15 pm Post subject:

I know what you mean!

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject:

poppycock · Inmate of the Asylum Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 533

Vintage Girl · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject:

Mpls Druid · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject:

We might as well bring em all here to the asylum to really have wacky weeks!

kitchenwitch · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

ARGH! I can't stand it when people get al wigged out over the most foolish things. Especially in the name of religion. It's all about fear.

JC · Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 46 Location: New Jersey