Week 5

BLOG PROMPT FOR WEEK 5
This week we looked at the way religious beliefs and actions can be seen to make a legitimate claim upon life in law, martyrdom and war. Compare the ways different religious traditions/communities do that EITHER in law (making references to Cover and/or Girard) OR in war (referencing Juergensmeyer's piece). How are lives put on the line? What is 'religious' about it? What does it tell us about identity and community? About free will and the need for voluntary action? Why is it perceived as necessary? (While no set number of traditions need to be discussed, you should address similarities and differences in at least 2.)

In his book Terror in The Mind of God, UCSB Professor Mark Juergensmeyer discusses the concept of "cosmic wars." Cosmic wars are the portrayal of mythical battles onto current ones. For example, Juergensmeyer mentions the "catastrophic attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon" on September 11, 2001. Some may call what happened on that Tuesday morning an act of terrorism. To be fair, what does terrorism mean? Terrorism are acts in a war, a performance violence, if you will. It is a reenactment of selected symbolic traditions, making the mythical 'real.'

Moreover, Juergensmeyer says that there are three characteristics of cosmic war: (1) the struggle is perceived as defense of basic identity and dignity, (2) losing the struggle would be unthinkable, and (3) the struggle is blocked and cannot be won in real terms. When Juergensmeyer claims that the struggle is a defense, he suggests that the struggle itself has great significance. Next, when Juergensmeyer points out that losing the struggle is unthinkable, he suggests that losing the struggle is as if losing all meaning, and thus, no chance for compromise. Lastly, when Juergensmeyer says that the struggle is blocked and cannot be won in real terms, it means that humans have become hopeless.

Even the presumably 'mellow' Buddhism justifies violence if such actions were to preserve and protect the religion. When even one of the most peaceful religions have had its believers engage in violent acts, we then question ourselves: is religion really a separate part of life? If so, why are there connections -- similarities and differences -- between the basic daily functions of life and what 'religious' people do at Church? If not, how much influence does (or should) religion have on non-spiritual people?

Week 4

BLOG PROMPT FOR WEEK 4
Discuss the mourning practices of either Judaism or ancient China in terms of the 3 dimensions of religion we have worked with to this point (Mythical, Ritual, Social). What is ritualistic in mourning, and what purpose does the ritual serve? How are the narratives of the tradition employed in mourning practices or in the shape given to mourning? What social effects does/can mourning have? How do these dimensions work together/against each other? Focus on one tradition from Tuesday's readings, but feel free to make references to others as need be.

The mourning practices of ancient China covers the three dimensions of religion that we have covered in class – mythical, ritual, social. Although I am Chinese, I did not know the extent of mourning practices in ancient China.

For instance, Brown pointed out that “accounts of officials mourning for mothers outnumber those for father by more than two to one” (1). This suggests that in ancient China, children venerated their mothers more than their fathers, not to say that they respected their fathers any less. Perhaps this is because in ancient times, not just in China, childbirth was extremely painful and quite dangerous. Often times, mothers passed away shortly after giving birth to their children; thus, this may explain why mothers outnumbered fathers.

The ancient Chinese observed mourning by “wearing various mourning garments, and the ancient elite usually marked the end of mourning by removing these garments” (10). From personal experience, mourning garments, in Chinese tradition, are typically white. Mourners usually wear a white robe-like garment, and accessorized with a white headband, worn by both males and females. White represented purity and respect for the deceased. This is contrary to modern-day practices, where mourners wear black articles of clothing.

The mourners would call the name of the deceased “as soon as breathing stopped” (11). This was called “soul-calling” (11). At the end of the soul-calling rite, the mourning process officially began. During the “initial three-day waiting period,” the chief mourner would whimper, and eventually wail (11-12). Next, the deceased’s male relatives would wail, and finally, women would follow the men (12). The first three days were important because it provided enough time for the family of the deceased to calculate their budget for the funeral and organize their mourning garments (12). Also, the initial three days permitted relatives and condolence-payers to arrive to pay their respects to the deceased (12).

After three days, members of the household would finally dress the corpse in burial garments and place it in the coffin (13). The chief mourner or mourners were the sons of the deceased, but this role could be fulfilled by a daughter, grandchild, or adopted heir, if necessary. The chief mourner was supposed to observe the "three years mourning" practice, where he wore mourning garments for up to three years (13). In some cases, the chief mourner practiced "three years mourning of the heart," where he mourned the three-year period without wearing mourning garments (13).

Overall, the mourning traditions of ancient China are different from many of the traditions we have studied in class. However, there are similarities, such as rites that must be performed to show respect to the deceased, like the initial three-day waiting period. Ancient Chinese mourning traditions were quite elaborate because these traditions illustrate the extent to which the Chinese respected the deceased.

Week 3

BLOG PROMPT FOR WEEK 3

For your blogs this week I'd like you to compare and contrast 2 different traditions (1 'Abrahamic' and 1 'Eastern') on the question of postmortem judgment. Do they both have a concept of judgment after death? How does it operate? How are they similar/different? How do the myths of the religion support their view? Is there a role for ritual in the judgment? Defend your analysis with material from readings and/or lectures.

Islam and Buddhism have similarities and differences on the question of postmortem judgment. In Islam, judgment after death is a central concept. For instance, the last couple of chapters of the Qur'an indicate that life after death exists. Although the specific timeline for what happens after death is unclear, it is known that on the last day, resurrection of the dead and final judgment occur. It is at this time that the deceased is deemed either good or bad.

Likewise, Buddhism also focuses on the concept of judgment after death. For Buddhism, karma is synonymous to the final judgment in Islam. Karma is defined as "doing good and avoiding harm." Good karma is sometimes referred to as merit; when a person has merit, he or she is assumed to have good karma. Karma is said to help prepare a person for death.

However, Islam and Buddhism differ in what happens after a person dies. In Islam, great care is taken in funerary customs. This is because the dead reside forever in the grave, and the bodies buried in the ground are aware of the world above. Upon death, the deceased is in an intermediate state of dreamless sleep called "barzakh" until he or she is resurrected. The deceased is separated from the body and brought before Allah (the Islamic term for God), and watches his or her own burial.

In Buddhism, death represents the final moment of consciousness, and often times, the spirit of the deceased lingers around its body. Therefore, prayers are to be said for 49 days, to help calm the spirit and to pay respects to the deceased. Then, the deceased is reborn -- either into good or bad realms, determined by his or her karma, as aforementioned. There are 3 levels each for the good and the bad realms. Again, to reiterate, rebirth is determined by a person's karma. The more good karma a person has built up during the first life will be reborn into a higher level of good in the afterlife. The good realms are as follows: humans, Asuras (lower gods), and Devas (higher gods). In contrast, the more bad karma a person has built up during the first life will be reborn into a higher level of bad in the afterlife. The bad realms are as follows: animals, Pretas (hungry ghosts), and Naraka (hell beings).

Overall, both Islam and Buddhism have a concept of judgment after death, where both religions emphasize the importance of death. However, the religions differ as to what follows after a person dies. Though both Islam and Buddhism face judgment, the process by which it happens varies between the two religions. In Islam, the Qur'an specifically discusses death in the last chapters; and in Buddhism, karma is a fundamental concept. Thus, Islam and Buddhism are quite similar, despite Islam being an Abrahamic religion and Buddhism being an Eastern religion.

Week 2

BLOG PROMPT FOR WEEK 2
The religious traditions we're looking at this week all have a special place for their narrative stories. Using your understanding of the mythic dimension, describe some of the ways myth operates in one of the three Abrahamic religions. What does myth do for the religion? What connections can you make to the other religions we've examined thus far? What connections can you make to the use of myth outside those we've discussed?

Myths are stories of sacred significance that help to explain origins or phenomena. Greek myths and Roman myths are essential to its respective culture; likewise, myths are important to the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Mythical elements and mythical traditions are prominent in Islam, one of the fastest growing religions. For instance, the Qur'an has mythical elements. It mentions that God created humans, angels, and jinn, smokeless and fiery spirits that could be good, bad, or neutral. However, jinn were often perceived negatively because Satan was a jinn.

Moreover, death and the apocalypse are central to Islamic theology. The last suras (chapters) of the Qur'an indicate that life after death exists. Although the specific timeline for what happens after death is unclear, mythical traditions assert that on the last day, resurrection of the dead and final judgment occur. Perhaps simultaneously, perhaps in a specified order. It is during this time that the deceased is deemed either good or bad. If God revealed the left side, then the deceased would go to hell; whereas, if God revealed the right side, then the deceased would go to heaven.

Myths are a core part of Islam, where evidence can be found in the Qur'an. Both mythical elements and mythical traditions are evident in Islam. Furthermore, these same mythical elements and traditions are present in other religions, like Judaism and Christianity. The idea of jinn blending lines with spirits of the dead resonates with Jewish and Christian ideas of death. As mentioned earlier, myths are crucial to religions and cultures like the Greeks and Romans, as well as the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Additionally, myths are important to religions and cultures like East Asians, Africans, Latin Americans, and numerous others.

Overall, myths are evident in countless religions and cultures beyond the Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Week 1

BLOG PROMPT FOR WEEK 1

After setting up and personalizing your blogs, for your first blog, I want you to focus on something specific to you. What piece of art, music, literature or other art form helps you understand death? How does it help your conception? Do you see any connections with the ways the ancient people we talked about this week approached death? Why or why not?

In general, art helps me understand death. Since I was 5 years old, I started taking art classes where I learned how to use various art mediums to convey specific concepts, whether it be an inanimate object or an animate object. Usually, things that are alive tend to be more beautiful and fun to draw. For instance, I like sketching animals like dogs, or sketching varying human body parts like eyes. Life makes art more real. I prefer drawing things that are alive.

On the other hand, things that are not alive - dead - are more difficult to portray. At first, I thought that it would be easier to draw, since under most circumstances, it was dead and inanimate. However, because it was dead, it was harder to draw because there were much more wrinkles and creases, folds and shadows. Death is harder to illustrate than life.

Overall, art has helped me to not just simply accept life, but to be grateful and thankful for being alive. My conception is that when something is alive, it gives life to those around it.

As for the connections with the ways of the ancient people, as discussed in lecture, there are some, to an extent. Art is a form of expression, as is music, literature, and many more. Regardless of whether or not art was specifically mentioned in lecture is not essential. The ancient people we discussed in lecture included the Greeks and (a little bit of) the Romans. I view the portrayal and descriptions of the Greek gods and goddesses as art. The depictions of how these divine and immortal beings physically appeared is a form of art. When I read the literature, for instance, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, I can imagine Demeter's depression and how her pain must have been expressed. I can draw what I believe Demeter looked when she was desperately searching for Persephone. My perception is art.

In conclusion, art in general, has helped me to understand death. Death is simultaneously complex and simple.