thread: 2005-08-09 : The New Open House 2: Religion
On 2005-09-20, Green wrote:
I've tried talking about religion before, and most of the time I feel drowned out by evangelicals and atheists because my beliefs diverge from both. Recently (as in, less than five years ago) I have discovered that I am an Animist. To many who do not share my understanding of things, that is translated as "superstitious," "primitive," and "regressive," but as time goes on I'm less and less concerned about that. I suppose it would seem more respectable to label myself as Shinto or Yoruba or something similar, but my personal belief is that the core of animism transcends our understanding of time and geography. It is about recognizing and honoring the eternal through the transient, the divine through the profane, the transcendant through the immanent.
Unfortunately, I cannot provide a precise point in my life where I realized I was Animist. I can only say that the word revealed itself to me after a long period of contemplation and exploration. I believe that I have always been Animist and always will be, and the more I learn about it, the more I reject contemporary Western demands to make it look and sound and feel like other religions. There is a constant pressure to make idols despite my being a natural iconoclast, to elaborate with words what is best expressed through action or observation, to make static what is by nature dynamic, to make claims about truth and goodness, wholeness and happiness.
On the other hand, I believe I am being called to walk between worlds both within and without. Maybe this makes me crazy. Maybe this makes me inspired. I don't know yet, and somehow I doubt I ever will. As you can see, confusion is a perpetual state for me with regards to my nature and my purpose. Yet some part of me believes it is the nature of the process of transformation.
This makes NInJ go "I'd like to hear more about this."
Can you write a second, more in-depth post?
This makes Green go "In-depth about which part?"
This makes NInJ go "Explain what you mean."
I really don't think you have to worry about being drowned out here by atheists and evangelicals. Particularly since no one will respond here, save in the margins.
So talk about your belief, your cosmology. Tell a story. I'm super curious.
This makes Green go "OK"
Alright. I'll explain a bit more about what I mean by Animism in another post.
