That mailing list I'm always bitching about

[austin_tycho]

...was starting a bashing session on the word 'religion'. Someone begged to differ, and I agreed with her. I'll get to my chores right after this, Maw!

"--- In That mailing list I'm always bitching about@yahoogroups.com, someone wrote:
> Without looking it up, which anyone on this list can do, I'll say religion means to bridge
> (the mundane and the sacred), to relink.
>
> Blessings,
> [someone]

That was my understanding too. I cheated and looked it up on dictionary.com and got this:

[Middle English religioun, from Old French religion, from Latin religi, religin-, perhaps from religre, to tie fast. See rely.]

'Tie fast' as in to attach something to something else, to connect it (and why not see rely, while you're at it). I can see how someone who is very protective of their freedom would find this idea a bit uncomfortable. It also reminds me of the Hierophant card; many interpretations focus on negative qualities such as inflexibility and a sense of being 'hide-bound' (Robin Wood, who I otherwise like, was pretty bad about this).

I found a new appreciation for this card when I studied with BOTA. The Hebrew letter they associated it with was Vav, or nail. The nail holds things together; connects, ties fast. The Hierophant, I learned, is a servant- both of his congregation, and of his god(s). He connects them together.

And while it's possible to see him as an outside person who wears a funny hat while he looks down at you (like I guess it's possible to see Strength as a lady prying open a lion's jaws- maybe she's a vet tech or something), I see him in the same way as I see the rest of the Major Arcana, as representing a force within myself, or an aspect of existence. He is that part of me that helps me to connect with the Divine, and chooses to help other people connect with the Divine (and learn how to forge their own connections too).

Comments

[woodowl.livejournal.com]

I've always thought of the difference between religion and spirituality being that with religion you're almost always following what someone else has said (unless your the one leading), whereas spirituality can be either a group or private belief.

Damien

[mielikki.livejournal.com]

I would disagree- see comments elsewhere in this thread. Even in the most hidebound forms of dogma, there is always the individual energy each worshipper brings to the thing. So while you may be following the actions of someone else (Gardner, Luther, that guy with the comet spaceship, whatever) you're still adding your own interpretation, your own spark. To me the actions, the particular window dressings will distinguish one religion from another, but each worshipper brings their own spirituality to bear regardless.

[the-weeb.livejournal.com]

What I want to know is why were the bitching about it in the first place? I have always understood origin of the word as 're-link' as stated. What the frig is wrong with that?

My understanding of the difference between 'religion' and 'spirituality' is that religion denotes a set of bliefs held in common by a group or groups of people where as spirituality is a description of one's personal connection to the divine - which could be encompassed by one's religion.

Sheena

[mielikki.livejournal.com]

Here are some examples...

"it first evolved as mans way to interact with the supernatural world and was later co-opted for political purposes as a means of control (from power-through to power-over)"

"so it's safe to say that religion was developed to 'control the masses'"

I never got why some people insist that their spirituality is better than my religion. Just because I base my framework on someone else's work doesn't mean it isn't wholly mine. Why re-invent the wheel? Okay, now I just sound lazy, but you know what I mean.