Intro to Myth & Ritual Presentation PDF

Intro to Myth & Ritual Dr. Amanda Lucia September 30, 2024 UCR William James (19th century psychologist and religious philosopher) defined religion as: “the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto.”  The...

Intro to Myth & Ritual Dr. Amanda Lucia September 30, 2024 UCR William James (19th century psychologist and religious philosopher) defined religion as: “the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto.”  The term “myth” DOES NOT mean untrue Myths are: “stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves” Why?  Myths - examples Exodus narrative (the story of Moses) (told in the Torah, the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, foundational to Judaism, Christianity, Islam) Passion narrative (Christ's crucifixion) told in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) in the New Testament of the Christian Bible The Rāmāyaṇa (Hindu epic story of Lord Ram, told in hundreds of different regional versions in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia) Birth narrative of the Buddha (retold in multiple versions Buddhist scriptures, such as the Buddhacharita) Telescope Microscope  Doniger, The Implied Spider Myth brings together both microscopic and telescopic views Microscopic: looks closely through the personal and individual Telescopic: looks at the big picture through the universe, cosmos, eternal, and infinite Holocaust Museum, shoes Wedding rings taken from camp inmates, Holocaust Or one girl’s story in diary Anne Frank  Girl with the red coat, “Schindler’s List” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1VL-y9JHuI  Krishna eats dirt Bhagavata Purana https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla yer_detailpage&v=ydEygkhqspI  The last supper =(Holy)communion/Lord’s supper/Passover Decorating with Christmas lights and nativity scenes=birth of Jesus  Lighting a menorah= oil that lasted for 8 days Holi=Radha and Krishna throwing colored powders in love play Divali=celebrating Ram and Sita’s return to Ayodhya after exile Fasting during Ramadan = the month Muhammad received his revelations 4th of July – was Honest Abe alive back then? Myths get added to and conglomerated with the long view of history -myths change over time – Myths (and the rituals that reinforce) them are inherently social and political Pilgrims feeding Natives at the first Thanksgiving…wait, no what? Myths can be shifted and twisted to suit particular aims (intentionally or unintentionally)  Ritual Definition: events that mark transitions from one state of being to another Calendrical Life-cycle Sacrifice (propitiation/expiation)  Ritual… Reenacts myths Reflects social structure Transmits cultural and social values to younger generations Effect the transition from the profane to the sacred Wedding Funerals Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Fraternity/Sorority Hazing  Arnold Van Gennep (Anthropologist)/ Victor Turner (Anthropologist) Preliminary Liminary Postliminary  Evans Pritchard (British Anthropologist) Rituals have a logic This logic makes sense to the people doing the ritual Goal: understand/learn the logic  Clifford Geertz (Anthropologist) Religion is… “symbolic systems” of cultural patterns that involve “models of” and “models for” reality  Frits Staal (South Asianist/Anthropologist) Kṛ - to do Karma – action Karman – the do-er Ritual is PURE activity – not motivated by intention or belief, rather motivated by duty