Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id BAA19670 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 17 Nov 2000 01:26:19 GMT Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20001116194315.0085ab70@mailhost.rongenet.sk.ca> X-Sender: hawkeye@mailhost.rongenet.sk.ca (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 19:43:15 -0600 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk, memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Lloyd Robertson <hawkeye@rongenet.sk.ca> Subject: Re: religion/spirituality Cc: mcomm@total.net, melanie.typaldos@amd.com, michaelthorpe@bc.sympatico.ca, cecilia_hasse@swipnet.se In-Reply-To: <de.c31afe0.27404d8e@aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
At 02:46 PM 12/11/00 EST, LJayson@aol.com wrote:
>On Sat, Nov 11, 2000 at 04:47:40PM -0800, mike coletta wrote:
>> concerning that many of the postings on this mailing
>> list deal with meaning and symbols, i was wondering
>> how people view god/life force etc. do you see god as
>> a just a symbol, a belief, or an idea, or do you
>> believe there is a legitimate force out there that
>> created all we see, including belief itself?
>
>I don't think any of the regular contributors here would
> In fact, some of them
> Of course,
>I can't speak for the lurkers.
>
>
>
>
>Hi Robin and Mike,
>
>As a lurker, my problem with god has always been,
>who created god?
>
>While on the subject, I have another problem:
>Back in college, History 101, many decades ago, we were
>taught that monotheism was a great step forward in religious
> I still don't know the
>answer.
>
Years ago while completing a teaching internship, the high school
department head asked that I teach "creation theory" along side the
provincial curricula on evolution. Drawing on my Salishan roots I taught
the story of Raven and Fog Woman. The Department head, who was, of course,
a fundamentalist Christian, could not object without appearing racist. Why
shouldn't Raven and Fog Woman have equal billing with Adam and Eve? The
students enjoyed the lesson but I don't think any were convinced that the
West Coast Salishan myth was science.
What we have is a great many stories and myths competing for mindspace. If
one such myth mutates and evolves to a point where it can pass itself off
as equivalent to science then its chances for reproduction are enhanced
with respect to all other myths, indeed, with respect to science itself (we
see examples of the suppression of the teaching of evolution in science
classes in the United States coupled with a growing anti-science sentiment
that is spilling over into my native Canada).
Monotheism represented a great step forward in terms of replicating power.
Once one god was given the title "God" that god gained a tremendous
advantage over all others. Hence the Greek, Roman, Norse and Salishan gods
are now considered myths while Jehovah, nee Yaweh is now just "God". Show
me a person who believes in this "God" and I will show you a religious bigot.
Cheers,
Lloyd
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