http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungian_interpretation_of_religion
Western religious tradition [ edit ]
Jung's assessment of Western religion arose both from his own experiences as well as from the psychotherapeutic work with his European clients. As a young man he had visions and dreams that were powerful and rich with meaning, yet he clung to Christianity. While he believed that God could "do stupendous things to me, things of fire and unearthly light", he was profoundly disappointed by his first communion—in his words, "nothing happened". [2] He saw the same symptoms in his clients, namely, a fascination with the power of the unconscious, coupled with the inadequacy of Western religious symbols and rituals to represent this power. Summing up his analysis of the modern European situation he said: "Our age wants to experience the psyche for itself ... knowledge, instead of faith." [3]
According to Murray Stein, Jungian training analyst and author, Jung related theological concepts and psychological concepts using three tenets: [4]
- That words about theological constructs (such as "God") can be interpreted as referring to structures within the psyche.
- That psychologists can evaluate the adequacy of theological constructs against the normative structure and dynamics of the psyche.
- That words about the psyche are also words about God, due to the correspondence between the structures of subjectivity and objectivity.
Thus, proceeding by tenet #1 in Answer to Job, Jung interprets Yahweh as an archaic form of the self, Job as the ego, and Satanas the principle of individuation. Jung interprets the evolution of the god-image portrayed in the Old and New Testaments as a process of psychological development: In the Book of Job, the archaic self is prompted to develop toward consciousness by the more conscious ego, a process attended by dreams and prophesies (e.g. the Old Testament prophets). The self enters ego-consciousness (the incarnation of God in Jesus of Nazareth), followed by the emergence of the transcendent function (when the Holy Ghost comes to the disciples at Pentecost). [5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain_and_Abel
Psychoanalytic theory [ edit ]
Freud’s theory of fratricide is explained by the Oedipus or Electra complex through Jung’s supplementation. [46] Indeed in the Old Testament, in particular in the Judaic, Midrash Rabba, and Islamicversions, wherein Cain and Abel are not the only offspring of Adam and Eve, but born as twins with one sister each. In that regard, Abel and Cain were the first two sons, each of whom was born with a twin sister, and Adam decided that to avoid incest, Abel would marry Cain’s sister and Cain, Abel’s sister. Cain, however, refused because he wanted to keep his own sister, but Abel respected the paternal law. Adam suggested sacrificial offerings and in his absence, God accepted Abel’s lamb rather than Cain’s offering of grass. As a result of this preference, Cain killed Abel. This interpretation, however, does not relate to the preference of the sacrifices by God, but rather to the acceptance or rejection of God’s law. Abel obeyed this law while Cain didn’t, and as a result, Cain killed Abel. [47]
Legacy and symbolism [ edit ]
Cain and Abel, 15th-century German depiction from Speculum Humanae Salvationis
A medieval legend has Cain arriving at the Moon, where he eternally settled with a bundle of twigs. This was originated by the popular fantasy of interpreting theshadows on the Moon as a face. An example of this belief can be found in Dante Alighieri's Inferno (XX, 126 [48] ) where the expression "Cain and the twigs" is used as a kenning for "moon".
In medieval Christian art, particularly in 16th century Germany, Cain is depicted as a stereotypical ringleted, bearded Jew, who killed Abel the blonde, Europeangentile symbolizing Christ. [49] This traditional depiction has continued for centuries in some form, such as James Tissot's 19th century Cain leads Abel to Death.
In the treatise on Christian Hermeticism, Meditations on the Tarot: A journey into Christian Hermeticism, describes the Biblical account of Cain and Abel as a myth, i.e. it expresses, in a form narrated for a particular case, an "eternal" idea. It shows us how brothers can become mortal enemies through the very fact that they worship the same God in the same way. According to the author, the source of religious wars is revealed. It is not the difference in dogma or ritual which is the cause, but the "pretention to equality" or "the negation of hierarchy". [50]
In Latter-day Saint theology, Cain is considered to be the quintessential Son of Perdition, the father of secret combinations (i.e. secret societies and organized crime), as well as the first to hold the title Master Mahan meaning master of [the] great secret, that [he] may murder and get gain. [51]
In Mormon folklore — a second-hand account relates that an early Mormon leader, David W. Patten, encountered a very tall, hairy, dark-skinned man inTennessee who said that he was Cain. The account states that Cain had earnestly sought death but was denied it, and that his mission was to destroy the souls of men. [52] [53] The recollection of Patten's story is quoted in Spencer W. Kimball's The Miracle of Forgiveness, a popular book within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [54] This widespread Mormon belief is further emphasized by an account from Salt Lake City in 1963 which stated that "One superstition is based on the old Mormon belief that Cain is a black man who wanders the earth begging people to kill him and take his curse upon themselves (M, 24, SLC, 1963)." [55]
