posted on January 4, 2006 11:05:26 AM new
OK folks, school has started up again. As previously mentioned, I'm a Comparative Religion major. The classes I'm taking this time are:
Islam
Hinduism
Gnosticism
Graeco-Roman Magic (Curses & Spells & stuff)
As opposed to generalized Eastern or Western religion overview courses, these are all full independant courses, so I should be able to get into a lot more detail than before.
Since religion is a subject that appears VERY frequently here, and always manages to elicit lots of posts, I thought I'd mention my classes and see if you all have any questions about any of these subjects.
I may or may not be able to answer your questions immediately, but I can be on the lookout for your answers as the quarter progresses. Islam at least should bring up a few choice questions
The Magic class should be fun. Today (the first class) we discussed "The Evil Eye."
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on January 4, 2006 11:12:40 AM new
Any courses on the 'Shinto' belief system?
My Japanese DIL follows that doctorine. I've read some about it on the internet but was just wondering if they either 'touch' on that sub-religion or not. As I understand it, from my reading, it's not really a 'regligion' but a belief system for guiding ones life/actions.
Just wondered if it was some 'part' of Buduism or not.
What interesting courses! I've often thought about taking some courses on the different religions. My BF thinks that there should be a course taught in high school on the different types of religions in order to promote tolerance and understanding. Not a bad idea, but one that will never happen unless maybe they can make it an elective.
I'm most interested in Buddhism.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on January 4, 2006 11:27:06 AM new
Ok replay, I'll bite.
There's been quite a lot of speculation on the relationship between Babylonian astrology and Gnostic beliefs, particularly their ideas about the Hebdomad and Ogdoad.
I'd be interested in hearing what you're academic proctors' opinions are.
Something else I've not had the time to look into: The deification of Pythagoras by the thaumaturgists of Rome as a model for the later deification of Jesus by the early Christians.
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Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on January 4, 2006 12:11:39 PM new
I just want some dirt on the Evil Eye. I have a couple of pendants and a bracelet that I got in Turkey with evil eyes. I just remember being told that they were worn as protection.
(Shut Up Classic - I can already hear those little wheels turning!)
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Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
posted on January 4, 2006 12:56:20 PM new
Tom-I think you misread that-he was actually smoking the magic mushroom.........or am I thinking of some 70's Jesus freak?
posted on January 4, 2006 01:00:47 PM new
""There's been quite a lot of speculation on the relationship between Babylonian astrology and Gnostic beliefs, particularly their ideas about the Hebdomad and Ogdoad.
I'd be interested in hearing what you're academic proctors' opinions are.
Something else I've not had the time to look into: The deification of Pythagoras by the thaumaturgists of Rome as a model for the later deification of Jesus by the early Christians""
GOSH! We were just discussing that on break last night!!!What a coincidence!!!!!
posted on January 4, 2006 01:07:00 PM new
Yes, keep me abreast of your Graeco-Roman Magic. I'm very interested in the practice of magic, voodoo, hoodoo and the likes.
Amen,
Reverend Colin http://www.reverendcolin.com
posted on January 4, 2006 01:25:27 PM new
Prof, Plato describes admirably in Phaedrus the state in which man once was, and what he will become again: before, and after the "loss of his wings"; when "he lived among the gods, a god himself in the airy world." From the remotest periods religious philosophies taught that the whole universe was filled with divine and spiritual beings of divers races. From one of these evolved, in the course of time, ADAM, the primitive man.
Sorry, I meant to add: is this what you're talking about?
posted on January 4, 2006 01:26:08 PM new
lol Colin....lol
I'd like to be kept abreast of the final consensus from your class on whether or not Islam is a 'peaceful' religion....one who preaches peace in the here-and-now. Or one that calls for the eradication of all other religions and for their's to be the only one, worldwide.
Are those of us who seen what they're teaching in their countries to their children, seen by most of the students as being the way they'd like things to continue being done? Or would they prefer that non-secular schools be encouraged so that this continued spread of hatred will eventually be stopped....[hopefullness on my part]
posted on January 4, 2006 03:40:20 PM newSorry, I meant to add: is this what you're talking about?
Sorta, yeah....at least as far as the Hebdomad and Ogdoad are concerned.
On the other one, I'm talking about how the Greek Mathematician Pythagorus, who admittedly had some pretty out-there ideas, became gradually thought of by the Roman thaumaturgists as a Man-God. I've always thought this was maybe a prototype for the way Jesus was gradually deified by the early Christians, in my thinking to make him less Jewish, and more acceptable to the general Roman population, who didn't much cotton to Jews exactly.
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Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on January 4, 2006 06:24:25 PM new
Sorry for not posting for so long... That darn math class is in the evenings!
Replies down the list:
Linda... SHINTO: Not that I have run across. I had about a three hour lecture in my Eastern Religion class last year. I don't know why the gloss-over, but I'd guess lack of interest in the States.
CBlev: "there should be a course taught in high school on the different types of religions"
That would be useful, but if they were going to hold election for which subject should be added to high school, I'd vote for Economics
As far it being an elective, I don't know that they would HAVE to make it optional... It's not like these classes try to convert you. They are strictly analytical and explanatory. No one in any of the Christian oriented classes ever tried to convert me
Profe: I can't answer those now, but I am sure that will come up eventually. The Gnosticism course is my senior capstone course, so that one in particular is going to go into EXTREME detail. I hadn't heard about a connection before, but the Ogdoad does have some similarities to the Marduk/Tiamat story from Mespotania/Babylon... I'll look for moer connections. Actually, I'm surprised I actually know what you're talking about
Fenix: Today was just a quickie intro and the Evil Eye was an example. We'll get into it much more on Monday, as I have a few readings on the subject to get into over the weekend. One way to protect against the evil eye (Which the professor's husband believes in very strongly, so don't laugh TOO loudly. People still believe in that) is amulets or talismans with an eye in it.
Mingo: Actually LOL!
Colin: It's too early to say much, but apparently there was something like voodoo in ancient Greece. Apparently they even had vampire & werewolf myths, which I thought were medieval. More to come.
Maggie: "Who made God?"
Which one?
Kraft: Yes, that's at least related to what profe's talking about.
Linda QII... I suspect Islam will be all happy faces and smiling puppies. Especially since the professor is a Muslim Arab, but he could surprise me.
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
[ edited by replaymedia on Jan 4, 2006 06:25 PM ]
posted on January 4, 2006 06:29:28 PM new
And CBlev asked about Buddhism... I think there will be a full course on that next quarter, but I do know a good deal about that already if you have questions. Actually, there was a thread here just a week or two ago about the Dalai Lama which had a lot of good info in it.
I'm starting to think I should have set up a blog over the xmas break...
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on January 4, 2006 06:46:56 PM new
Thank you, replay. I'll look forward to your future posts sharing what you've learned with all of us.
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Maybe it's helen's old juan cole
And no surprise it would be an Muslim Arab teacher...that's, imo, how so many of our college people come out convinced they have nothing but peace in mind - even though they're teaching their children MUCH differently. To keep it less biased TOWARDS their religion. But hey..it's only Christians and the Bible they don't want discussed/taught in the class rooms. And they label it 'diversity'....learning about other Nations and their belief systems. LOL While they continue to chastice and try to remove anything Christian or about God from all schools.
I remember that thread, but I quickly lost interest in it as it kept going in a wacky direction. Actually, a couple of years ago I went to a summer solstice celebration and did meditation with a Buddhist monk. It was quite interesting. The whole celebration was interesting. There were members of WICCA there and my daughter was too afraid to go near their booth. LOL! I had to go into a long explanation why she shouldn't be afraid of them. There were also members of the Navajo nation. With your interest in religion, you probably would have enjoyed it all. I learned a lot.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on January 4, 2006 06:50:48 PM newlack of interest in the states.
Agreed in most. But in Hawaii there are many many Asians which include many Japanese who have built small 'temple like structures' there where they go to practice their beliefs...baptize etc.
posted on January 4, 2006 07:00:54 PM new
My family, all the way down to this generation, has accepted the evil-eye as a fact of life. I have cousins who wear "milagros", or charms against it, or who cross themselves in a particular way to ward it off. Personally, I think someone with "el ojo" is just another description of an a$$hole.
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Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on January 4, 2006 07:28:10 PM new
The amulets ward off the effects of the Eye,they are not the Eye themselves.
If someone looks at you with lust in their heart, that is the "Evil Eye." Old women are known for giving babies and attractive young people the eye, which causes sickness, headaches and death. It's not actually an intentional thing. If Grandma goes on and on about "that beautiful baby"... Watch out!
One thing I had not heard before is that if you meet a person and tell them how good they look, you are supposed to pretend to spit on them to counteract the effect of the praise.
All this was in a 10 minute explanation. I'm sure there is much more to it that this. I'd probably better read the chapter...
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on January 4, 2006 07:36:19 PM new
So giving someone the 'evil eye' is like voodoo is to others....putting a negative 'hex' on them?
and as far as: If someone looks at you with lust in their heart, that is the "Evil Eye."
I'll start hoping someone gives me that 'evil eye' then. Isn't that what President Carter did with some women? Lusted after them. I wonder if he knew what he was doing then. [just kidding] I don't think he see's that in the same way...being a Christian and all....not because we've discussed it personally or anything. LOL
posted on January 4, 2006 08:05:16 PM new
Talking about spells, curses and Stuff, I know a very disgusting Cajun Voodoo cooking love spell, women have used for a long long time. It's said once you do this your mate will never wander.. but I can't tell you about it, because it is very disgusting.
posted on January 4, 2006 08:07:46 PM new
In our tradition the evil eye is very much intentional. Sorry replay, look beyond the textbook. A person who possesses the eye knows it and uses it when it suits their purpose. It can coerce behavior, love, lust or other passions.They are brujas or brujos, witches.
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Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on January 4, 2006 08:20:01 PM new
You say tomato
I say tomata
You say hoodoo
I say voodoo.. tomato, tomata, hoodoo, voodoo
Let's call the whole thing off. la la la
To keep it less biased TOWARDS their religion. But hey..it's only Christians and the Bible they don't want discussed/taught in the class rooms. And they label it 'diversity'....learning about other Nations and their belief systems. LOL While they continue to chastice and try to remove anything Christian or about God from all schools.