Religion Archives

Would-be Revolutionaries

Today is Guy Fawkes Day – or night, as the case may be. The annual commemoration of the gun powder plot is a strange celebration of historic hatred. Guy Fawkes and his buddies had planned to blow up the House of Lord, King James I included, with a goal of ridding England of Catholicism. Fawkes was betrayed by an anonymous tip and arrested on November 5, 1605, while guarding the explosives that the plotters had stored beneath the building.

People celebrated King James’ I survival of this attempt with bonfires; across the years repeated celebrations took on an increasingly religious, anti-Catholic bend, with effigies burnt not only of Guy Fawkes but also the Pope and these days despised political figures, not necessarily only British ones.

Guy Fawkes was supposed to be hanged, drawn and quartered for treason, but managed to fall of the scaffold and painlessly die by breaking his neck. James I, a complex monarch often described as a drinking fool and rumored to be bi-sexual, died of disease in his mid-50s. Under his reign, with England and Scotland united, the people lived in a somewhat golden age – he was intent on avoiding wars, particularly with Spain. But he also imbued the monarchy with a sense of absolutism, a belief in the divine rights of kings, that his son Charles inherited. It did not end well for him – or the country that slid into civil war.

Why the Occupy movement took on a stylized Guy Fawkes mask is a mystery to me. Many see Fawkes’ role in history as that of a terrorist, killing anyone in a large radius to instill fear at the heart of a nation. But even if you see him as a freedom fighter, a symbol of revolt against those in power, think about what was at the root of his plans: religion. He wanted to strike in favor of Catholicism, and replace one elite with another, namely instate Jame’s I daughter Elizabeth on the throne and generate a new government overnight. In this sense it was like a failed military coup.

And in an ironic footnote: Occupy’s adoption of the mask had led to it becoming the top-selling mask on Amazon.com, selling hundreds of thousands a year. Time Warner, one of the largest media companies in the world, owns the rights to the image and is paid a fee with the sale of each official mask. So much for showing it to the man….. Then again, some funny protest songs tell it as it is.

Here is to overcoming dark times by educating ourselves (if necessary by the light of the moon) instead of dwelling in senseless symbolism, lighting bon fires to celebrate schisms….

When Words Fail: Retreating to Numbers

Politics, Religion
Oct 29, 2018
0 Comments

Recent statistics from the Anti-Defamation-League: (before Pittsburgh)

Number of anti-Semitic incidents was nearly 60 percent higher in 2017 than 2016, the largest single-year increase on record.

There were 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents reported across the United States in 2017, including physical assaults, vandalism, and attacks on Jewish institutions, with every single state included, the one with the largest Jewish populations having the largest share. Anti-Semitic incidents in K-12 schools and college campuses (both non-Jewish and Jewish institutions) in 2017 nearly doubled over 2016. Unclear how many more incidents there are that people did not report for a variety of reasons.

The dark numbers are feared to be large. Over the last decade a total of 71 percent of all hate crime fatalities have been linked to domestic right-wing extremists.

2017:

1,015 incidents of harassment, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish institutions
952 incidents of vandalism
19 physical assaults

And at the Tree of Life now 11 murdered in 2018.

https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-incidents-surged-nearly-60-in-2017-according-to-new-adl-report

Photographs from European Jewish Cemeteries this summer.

And Israeli politicians dare to politicize this as the “results of the left stoking anti-Semitism.” (שאַנד(ע – eine Schande.

And here some history:https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/brief-history-anti-semitic-violence-america/574228/

Luck

Perhaps it is no accident that we found ourselves discussing the issue of luck at a place that serves fortune cookies. Surrounded by large Chinese families, screaming babies, delicious food, a general hustle and bustle at this huge restaurant where we regularly meet friends, the talk turned to randomness and moral privilege.

I learned – since I grab my education even with my mouth full of fried rice – that the Babylonian Talmud’s Tractate Moed Katan quotes Rava, one of the rabbinic text’s greatest sages, saying that “length of life, children and sustenance depend not on merit but rather on Mazzal.” That debate started around the belief that people who die young had been punished for a reason, while those who lived long did so on merits. Rava countered those assumptions with an examples of two equally upright rabbis, Rabba and Rav Hisdah, who died young and aged respectively, and whose families experienced corresponding economic decline and ascent. Rava’s assumption that outcome is not divinely predetermined but due to chance factors predates the copernican revolution by about 15oo years!

So what does Mazzal refer to? Plain luck? Matters outside of your control? Elements of our lives over which we have no direct influence – our genes, the place where we were born or when, the socio-economic class we grew up in – or simply randomness?

I am not sure if that was ever clarified by Jewish sages, but I know that the issue is not exactly resolved today either. So many people cling to the notion (phrased by psychologist Barry Schwartz) that People get what they deserve and they deserve what they get. In this case you assign credit for outcomes, good or bad by assuming it all or mostly lies within the realm of your own responsibility. Correspondingly, you have no moral obligation to help those who suffer bad outcomes, since it’s their own fault.

Alternatively, you acknowledge that outside chance factors play a huge role in outcome; if they systematically disenfranchise some we might be morally obliged to help them overcome harsh factors that led to their disadvantaged lives if we have been the more fortunate ones.

What we know from psychology is that you bring with you a genetic makeup that sets the path; you also encounter environmental influences that shape you and which play a role in your ability to escape a given path, should it be a bad one. The interaction of these factors try to explain the range of control you have over your fate.

Note that both, genetic make-up and the context you find yourself in, happen to you – if you happen to be born with a certain genetic predisposition towards a disease and you are born in a country where that disease can be fought with easily accessible drugs you are in the clear. If you are born in a country without access to those meds you are sunk. Same for having a specific intelligence level and lucking out on having a rich daddy or not, access to a good school or not, neighborhoods without lead in the water etc…. in other words, both what you bring and what you encounter are pretty much outside of your control when you are young.

What about when you are an adult? Does the merit assumption kick in when you are old enough to take your fate into your own hands? Can you take on responsibility over your life’s circumstances? Make god decisions based on deliberate, rational reasoning rather than following spontaneous base impulses? Maybe that is where you deserve moral credit and the whole idea of meritocracy resides: you keep your impulses in check and choose the high road? Miraculously your hard work gets you access to education, riches follow? You don’t smoke so don’t get cancer? Life improvement is all about personal choice?

Won’t work. Both the capacity for deliberate, rational thinking as well as the need to apply it are unevenly – and unjustly – distributed.

Using rational, deliberate, slow and measured thinking thinking is difficult; additional strain on your system leaves few resources that you can use to accomplish this difficult task. In other words, the capacity that leads to better behavior is dependent on having more basic needs already fulfilled: enough food, physical shelter, educational training and habituation. Your ability to use it depends on external factors, in other words. And even if you were able to use it, say, to decide that hard works gets you into situations that improve your state – access to education which in the end is what it’s about in societies like ours, is not guaranteed. Exclusion on the basis of race and class and set early in life cannot be overcome by good decision making alone.

The need to apply self control is differentially distributed as well – again an external factor. If you have enough external resources – money, lawyers, social and political connections – you don’t need to curb your baser impulses. You just need to have someone clean up their horrid consequence. (Note, I didn’t need to mention any names.) In contrast if you are a female black tennis player and loose it with the umpire, you are held to the highest degree of demanded self-control, needed to not be censured and punished.

Of course if you acknowledge all this, the lucky feel threatened, since they cling to their belief that it is all about their own actions. That opportunistic assumption has moral consequences – how we all engage in projects to assure a more just distribution of resources. Luck,then, has pretty harsh effects beyond the positive ones of singling out the lucky ones.

Below is a link to a good summary article.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/21/17687402/kylie-jenner-luck-human-life-moral-privilege

Photographs today are of swallows – long thought to bring luck to the farms where they nest.

L’Shanah Tovah

Tomorrow begins the New Year so I’ll be posting my wishes today. As a variation on the sweetness of

and

I’ll offer this wish for 5779 (electronically, since I no longer send cards in order to save paper.)

Front:

Back:

Spellbound

“Trying to understand superstition rationally is like trying to pick up something made of wood by using a magnet.”

This sentence by Philip Pullman, author of the epic trilogy His Dark Materials (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) which held sway in our household for years of childhood, caught my eye. In fact it made me read the rest of his review of a new exhibit, Spellbound, currently up at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, until January 6. https://ashmolean.org

Pullman pulls off (sorry, couldn’t resist) once again his effortless way of embedding serious and difficult ideas in flowing and lyrical writing that winds its way into your brain as if it was a song. All the more impressive given that he writes a review here and not a science fiction novel. Then again, the topics of the exhibit which he reviews, magic, witchcraft, superstition, fall squarely into his novelistic domain: to delineate the realms of science and rationality against those other kingdoms seated deep in our imagination.

Where his novels stress the dangers of the latter undermining the former, the review extends an invitation to do the opposite. He points to the fact that “witchcraft and magic existed in a shared mental framework of hidden influences and meanings, of significances and correspondences, whether angelic, diabolic, or natural. Everything in the exhibition testifies to a near-universal belief in the existence of an invisible, imaginary world that could affect human life and be affected in turn by those who knew how to do it.”

Now, just the fact that belief in a shadow world and imaginary powers is universal does not make them a reality. Pullman would probably agree. But he is specifically after something else: he refers to Keat’s concept of Negative Capability: that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason” – is where the imagination is at home, and so are ghosts and dreams and gods and devils and witches. There, possibilities are unlimited, and nothing is forbidden. Pullman speculates that it is this very state that is at the bottom of much scientific discovery, and certainly the source for the creation of every piece of art in existence.

The review ends with an appeal to heading both: imagination and reason.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/01/the-limits-of-reason-philip-pullman-on-why-we-believe-in-magic&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjmyaHjw5zdAhWhCTQIHd90DZQQFggFMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=007466294097402385199:m2ealvuxh1i&usg=AOvVaw1jA8jz5PRqTfa_I_wzol_G

Let’s use reason to approach the issue of witch hunts – the real thing, the one that staged over 10.000 trials (and subsequent executions) in continental Europe, the British Isles and North American colonies. Let’s use science to understand the explosion of these persecutions at a time when churches competed for conversions:

https://qz.com/1183992/why-europe-was-overrun-by-witch-hunts-in-early-modern-history/

Two economists have dug beyond the usual explanations of bad weather, hunger crises and need for scapegoating and come up with a theory that comes down to market competition – between churches. “Similar to how contemporary Republican and Democrat candidates focus campaign activity in political battlegrounds during elections to attract the loyalty of undecided voters, historical Catholic and Protestant officials focused witch-trial activity in confessional battlegrounds during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation to attract the loyalty of undecided Christians,” write the study’s authors, Peter T. Leeson, an economist at George Mason University, and Jacob W. Russ, an economist at Bloom Intelligence, a big-data analysis firm. When it comes to winning people to your side, after all, there’s no better method than stoking fears about an outside threat—and then assuring them that you, and you alone, offer the best protection.”

Let that sink in.

Photographs today of architectural details that gave me the irrational sense of being watched…. and why should I be immune to superstition?

Large Numbers of Crumbs

Religion
Mar 30, 2018
1 Comments

Large numbers? Untold numbers of crumbs are on their way out – Passover starts tonight and the house undergoes some serious cleaning – well the kitchen does, and the shelf next to my bed that harbors my stash of cookies, candies, almonds and chocolate bars – all the things necessary to make it as a consistent blogger….

Pesach requires a house free of Hametz, leavening that makes things rise, yeast for bread etc. Many complicated rules for both food and utensils that come in contact with food are part and parcel of the Passover holiday. We don’t take it as seriously as more conservative Jews would do, but make an effort toward some mindful choices. We eat Matzoh instead of bread for the 7 day duration, flour-based cookies and cakes are out, as are soft drinks and sweets that are made with corn syrup (don’t ask.) And I clean the kitchen. Which probably is essential to our continued survival anyhow, if you know my kitchen.

Some rabbis suggest that the leaven transcends the physical world. Hametz, then, symbolizes a “puffiness of self, an inflated personality, an egocentricity that threatens to eclipse the essential personality of the individual. Ironically, it is what prevents the individual from rising spiritually and moving closer to holiness.” Well I don’t intend to rise, spiritually or otherwise, much less aspire to holiness. But it would be nice to get a grip on an inflated sense of self, occasionally, put a check on narcissistic impulses. Passover makes that possible in many ways- including the fact that it is a holiday where the history of the exodus is taught in great detail so that subsequent generations understand, cherish and practice continuity of a way to interact with the world.

And since the holiday takes place during spring and is for me associated with renewal I chose photographs of harbingers of spring for today’s comments.

Chag Sameach – (which means happy holiday and thus could just as well apply to Easter. Save some of those chocolate eggs for me…)

From the Ground up.

Music, Religion
Mar 9, 2018
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The last installment of this week’s theme is dedicated to the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement. Their marches in the early 60s were the catalysts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. They participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday and the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, at great risk to their physical well being, and ultimately lives.

In 2016 they received collectively a Congressional Gold Medal — the nation’s highest civilian award, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – accepted on behalf of the 3000 or so young people by Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and the Rev. F.D. Reese — two giants of the civil rights movement. These were children marching, led by men who believed that G-d would grant them justice.

Congressional Gold Medal presented to 1965 ‘foot soldiers,’ including four representatives of Ripon College

This came to mind because these weeks we see another group of children, young people, pouring their energy, courage and grief into a movement to curb the gun industry, undermine the nefarious goals of the NRA, and, most importantly, make our society safe against shooters with automatic weapons. Schools, clubs, concerts, and, yes, churches, are all places that should be sacrosanct against violence. I hope they will be as successful as the kids in Alabama, although that success has of course seen non-stop direct and indirect attacks since the signing of the law. Yet it was a beginning, a momentous victory. Let’s make sure March 24, 2018 mirrors that, with all of our feet on the ground.

Here is the last song of the week, from 1965, a hopeful note.

Shedding Light

Music, Religion
Mar 8, 2018
0 Comments

Yesterday I had the chance, finally, to see the Marvel movie Black Panther. I cannot recommend it highly enough, for both the way its crafted, and more importantly, for the messages it contains. Super heroes fight for the best way to preserve their African heritage – coincidentally having escaped colonialism – and share their advanced technological knowledge for peaceful purposes – or not.

The best analysis of the film was written here by Jelani Cobb : https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/black-panther-and-the-invention-of-africa

And there is some in-depth discussion of the religious background as well as the historic struggle for black liberation here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/03/07/the-surprising-religious-backstory-of-black-panthers-wakanda/?utm_term=.c6ce4bff0688

Marvel made me marvel, as simple as that, since its film spoke to the strength of women ( today is International Women’s day) just as much as the issues of division in the black community and the potential of hope for a more peaceful desegregated future. It was also a visual feast from landscapes to costumes to theatrical make-up, my eyes were hooked. Go see it, if you have not already.

The music was written and partially performed by Kendrick Lamar, our current most brilliant (and successful) rap artist whose music I have featured before. He is a deeply spiritual as well as religious contemporary artist, who does not shy away from expressing his thoughts on, doubts about and consolation through religion, most notably on his album Damn.

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/jpzppp/kendrick-lamar-damn-spiritual-reawakening-religion

Film as well as music together provided a window to glimpse into possible worlds and towards a better understanding of culture(s) that have been artificially separated from us white folks in the pursuit of retaining the spoils of slavery.

Here are some of the tracks that speak to these issues https://www.vibe.com/2017/04/kendrick-lamar-damn-biblical-elements/ – I chose this one:

Released from the Pews

Music, Religion
Mar 7, 2018
2 Comments

One of the challenges and one of the joys of writing blogs about things that you find interesting but know really very little about, is finding sources that inform you and on a good day, teach you.

This week, while looking into the connectedness between contemporary music and religion, I lucked out. I located numerous articles, among them the smart writing of a young woman, Lauren Jackson, who is a phD candidate at the University of Chicago interested in language and the roots of pop culture.

From her I learned that “Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Lou Rawls, Diana Ross, Jessica Simpson, Usher, Avril Lavigne, Faith Evans, Kristin Chenoweth, Beyoncé, Ethel Merman, Tina Turner, Britney Spears, all started out in church, in choir, on keyboard, as a soloist, each in their own way.”

She also argues in a review of contemporary singers that “Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is a Christian and a black Christian at that, which, all due respect to all other Christians, is an important distinction. Black folks with a love for God—or a fear of God—just aren’t the same.”

https://thepointmag.com/2017/criticism/touched-by-the-sacred

That sentence vividly reminded me of my first encounter with black worship – namely sitting in a movie theater in Germany watching the Blues Brothers movie, startled at what unfolded on the screen, certain it was an insane parody. Not entirely so, I was told by my American friends, who enlightened me about tent revivalism, voice-filled services, gospel choirs and the like. All quite outside my experience.

Fast forward to the last couple of years which saw videos like this:

One of the biggest stars of our time with a fan community that worships her like a goddess, presents a song about loss of a friend, mourning and salvation in church and in a cemetery. Not exactly sticking to the pews, but in keeping with her strong belief in God and adherence to Christian faith (as can be seen in this documentary about her life.) Christian media call her album Lemonade a modern book of psalms, no less.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/may-web-only/bey-and-beys-god.html

And let’s add something for levity: a nice little conspiracy clip about how Beyonce really is on the side of the forces of darkness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEerVHe8DRc&t=201s

Here is something less funny, that analyzes the general hatred for black music, Christian or not, by certain parts of our population.

http://www.complex.com/music/2016/10/hip-hop-and-beyonce-trump-supporter-betsy-mccaughey

Enough reading and viewing material to sit in those pews for hours – bring a pillow.

Loud and Clear.

Music, Religion
Mar 6, 2018
4 Comments

Contrary to what I used to be taught, namely that nuns were tucked away in nunneries, never to be seen or heard from again, they played an enormous, often progressive, role in the catholic landscape of the Middle Ages. They were active land owners, managers, litigators and teachers. Urban environments, like Florence in the 15th century, saw increased numbers of them (1 in 26 citizens!) due to many factors, including the plague and its consequence for the marriage market, the rise of the Medici and papal intervention. Nuns were integral to neighborhoods as well as the market economy – in fact they were in large scale responsible for the production and weaving of metallic threads. The book linked below argues that they affected broad social change, being political in relevant ways.

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/nuns-and-nunneries-renaissance-florence

Progressive nuns these days (starting with the Vietnam War) follow in that proud tradition, even if it has punitive consequences. Here are some of the causes they fight for (or against): immigrants, pipelines, war and missile silos.