Topic: Anthropology paper (Read 4531 times)

Scheherazade · « **on:** June 02, 2010, 09:57:36 PM »

I just found out that I actually have to write a paper for an anthropology class I'm taking in the fall, my acceptance into which depends upon the grade my paper earns. The subject of the paper is up to me, but as it's a religion class I think I'll go that route with the paper. One of the requirements is at least five personal opinions from individuals I "interview." Who better to ask and get well-thought-out answers than you lot?

I'd greatly appreciate if anyone could just give me a few sentences in response, and as some may find it a personal subject I wouldn't mind at all if you PM them to me.

The question:

What religion do you follow and how do you feel about magic - does it relate at all to your religion? It would also help me to know what country you reside in.

Wunderkind · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2010, 06:24:15 AM »

I do not relate myself to a religion. I believe in a God. I also believe in the exchange and flow of energy. Some of my more detailed beliefs people find very odd, and since I live in the Bible Belt, it's not often wise to be odd, thus I have a difficult time discussing my beliefs in detail.
I'm not sure what you mean by "how do you feel about magic". If anything my feeling toward it would fall somewhere towards cautionary apathy, although I am not inexperienced in it. I'm also unsure of "how does it relate to your religion". It doesn't directly relate in that it is not necessary for the practice of my faith, however it is not completely ruled out as an antiquated craft either.
I live in the US.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2010, 08:29:48 AM »

No religion, no belief in God or gods. Hard atheist.

Magic == technology sufficiently advanced to put the understanding of which beyond the grasp of individuals.

xolik · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2010, 09:41:29 AM »

Quote from: Scheherazade on June 02, 2010, 09:57:36 PM

What religion do you follow and how do you feel about magic - does it relate at all to your religion? It would also help me to know what country you reside in.

1. Informal offshoot branch of Christianity
2. We're told we're not supposed to do it, I've never seriously tried it, doubt it would actually work. Unless you're talking about stage magic like "Wild Wanda and Her Amazing Disappearing Squash"
3. USA USA USA!

Novice · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2010, 10:04:52 AM »

I'm pretty sure that if I don't believe in God, I can no longer be a Christian. In that case, then, I am an Atheist. I stopped going to church before I stopped believing in God for other reasons, but at this point they don't really matter. Although, my mother still believes I just need to go to the right church.

Magic is perspective and context. Those without the proper perspective or context to view an event or idea might consider it magic.

Amurrica.

ivan · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2010, 11:24:39 AM »

Oh, my. After hundreds of thousands of words on this in various forums, I have to distill this into a couple sentences?

The short and precise answer is:

Quote from: Demosthenes on June 03, 2010, 08:29:48 AM

No religion, no belief in God or gods. Hard atheist.

Magic == technology sufficiently advanced to put the understanding of which beyond the grasp of individuals.

However, there is a little more to it. A religion delves into the mystical side of things, but also serves secular purposes: it defines world-view, ethics, moral codes, social organization. Atheism is a rejection of the supernatural, but an atheist still has to have all the other things in place in order to navigate through life. From that standpoint, I am a Humanist, especially by this definition from the International Humanist and Ethical Union:

Quote

Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.

I am not a member of IHEU or any other Humanist organization, but you don't have to go to church to be a Christian, either.

And still... there is that mystical side of things, the part that religion deals with so easily. It is still there, even for hard atheists. We just don't call it God. We have at our disposal one marvelous tool for grappling with the Unknown: Science. For me, small-particle physics, modern cosmology, Relativity, String Theory, and whatever it is they've come up with next, is every bit as awesome and scary and mystical and unknowable as any deity. I have read some modern metaphysical philosophies (Robert Pirsig, Alan Watts) and have almost grasped the outer hem of the Unknown through their prisms. My own metaphysics boils down to a notion of us being physically bound to time in a 3-dimensional physical universe, with minds that are not. In that space between the physical and the unimaginable is where we find magic.

So more and more, the difference between me and many religious people diminishes to points of politics, semantics, and daily habits.

ivan · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2010, 11:28:33 AM »

Oh, USA.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2010, 11:31:45 AM »

Well said, ivan.

I'm not even close to being a Humanist, though I do follow some of the ethical concepts of Humanism.

With regard to morals, I'm amoral pretty much by definition; (the closest thing to my own moral code or lack thereof is probably the Thelemic credo of "Do as thou wilt", but without all the mystical/magical crap).

But I do have a code of ethics which I rigidly follow and with which I work very hard at being internally consistent. I find that's a lot more important to me than just about anything else.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2010, 12:14:43 PM »

I'm kind of a Demo/Ivan hybrid. In my younger years I was an atheist humanist. As I get older I become more amoral and personal ethics only. But lately I'm becoming convinced that I'm really a (relatively) socially successful aspie. So that explains the later but makes me question the former. But then looking back through the decades I realize that I really don't have the capacity for empathy so I don't really care what you put in your paper.

TheJudge · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2010, 02:20:29 PM »

I don't follow religion because I'm a leader! The super short version of my views on religion: it is a man made system that has one purpose only - control and influence of others.

Magic: Did you know numbers are mathemagical? As a practitioner of magic, I have to say that magic is exactly like religion: It is a man made tool that preys on the brain of the innocents. Unlike religion however, magic has been used to entertain (for the most part anyway). The audience knows there's a trick, yet they want to be tricked and get something positive out of it. Having said that, magic has also been used as a way to intimitade and influence, as a tool that empowers the wielder over others. I just think it hasn't been as effective as religion simply because it's easier to challenge a magician then a God.

So yeah, Chris Angel is a fraud. But he's a rich fraud. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Canadia

Scheherazade · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2010, 09:13:30 PM »

Thank you guys so much! Now I can tell you the actual thesis of my paper, which is:

"Those who follow Christianity, along with residents of nations in which Christianity is a dominant religion, are less likely to believe in or practice magic(k) than people of other religions and nationalities."

While the statements you provided don't prove my point at all, they'll definitely make some good points and reinforcements for my paper. Again, I really appreciate it!

ivan · « **Reply #11 on:** June 16, 2010, 02:35:43 AM »

Quote from: Scheherazade on June 15, 2010, 09:13:30 PM

While the statements you provided don't prove my point at all...

You know, if you'd have disclosed your thesis, I would've totally written something that proves your point.

Scheherazade · « **Reply #12 on:** June 16, 2010, 03:43:10 AM »

I didn't want to influence your responses. Anyway, it would have been impossible for any one person's statement to prove my point standing alone. I need to link together different sets of information, and these responses will allow me to do so.

12AX7 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2010, 04:54:34 AM »

Quote from: Scheherazade on June 16, 2010, 03:43:10 AM

I need to link together different sets of information, and these responses will allow me to do so.

heh. Pretty slick. I see what you're doing there, Agent.

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Author Topic: Anthropology paper (Read 4531 times)

Scheherazade

Anthropology paper

Wunderkind

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Demosthenes

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xolik

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Novice

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ivan

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ivan

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Demosthenes

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pbsaurus

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TheJudge

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Scheherazade

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ivan

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Scheherazade

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12AX7

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