How Ritual leads to belief in the unbelievable

by jgnat 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  quietlyleaving

  jgnat

  You are on to something, juni

  It's the basic animal need in all of us to survive

  We are communal animals. Our ancestors survived in groups. An isolated human, without the trappings of modern civilization, is vulnerable indeed. So perhaps once a community is established, it's rituals and traditions take on an identity of it's own that the group is loath to give up. After all, if they reject the practices, they risk losing the group.

  I agree - we lived and live through forming networks. But when identity with a particular ritual or tradition gets in the way of forming other networks then I guess the group must remind themselves of why they came together in the first place - was it to allow life and life enhancing experiences or to restrict it/them? The good thing is that we can leave such groups and seek out more life affirming ones (or be on our own till something comes up I guess).

  But yes jgnat it is this business of making identity the be all and end all of life that gets in the way imo and JWs have that in spades - lol.
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  jgnat

  this business of making identity the be all and end all of life that gets in the way

  Yes, quietlyleaving. I first studied this inherent struggle between indivduality and belonging in Jean Vanier's book, "Becoming Human". Vanier suggests that these two needs oppose each other. Hurt comes when one sublimates the other. He suggests the best groups have soft boundaries that are quick to include and allow for individual expression.

  http://www.unb.ca/bruns/9900/issue11/entertainment/book2.html
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  quietlyleaving

  Jgnat what a lovely book - putting it on my christmas list

  this business of making identity the be all and end all of life that gets in the way

  Yes, quietlyleaving. I first studied this inherent struggle between indivduality and belonging in Jean Vanier's book, "Becoming Human". Vanier suggests that these two needs oppose each other. Hurt comes when one sublimates the other. He suggests the best groups have soft boundaries that are quick to include and allow for individual expression.

  It seems to me that "the struggle between individuality and belonging" also has to do with feeling grounded. I think if we can keep aware of what's going on and that the grounds on which we base our beliefs are our own inventions but that they do have a useful fulfilling purpose then we needn't become dogmatic and can be open to change and to new ways of thinking. I guess in a sense I'm repeating and agreeing with a lot of what the author of the book is suggesting in the write-up.
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  Dogpatch

  Bebu says,

  I would like to have your blog feed to my igoogle page, but I don't know how this can be done. Do you know if that's something you can help enable? I am subscribed to Coco's blog and receive it; I don't quite remember how I succeeded, though. Nothing seems to make it work for yours. So, would you grant a small Christmas gift to me--and perhaps others here who enjoy mulling your thoughts with you?

  Soon jgnat will have a blog on freeminds.org, and it might be easier to hook up. She is a popular gal!

  Randy
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  mary stewart

  nice info jgnat! :D and i see yer hair's lonbger n blode now!
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  mary stewart

  hey bubble, i remember then! i remember the letter. but i knew even then it was a load of bs. but i stayed cos i hated the thought of dying. but dying is natural. WE ALL DIE!!!