Hi all, First Post & since the last was "I have not the foggiest" seems a safe place to start.
Perhaps I should introduce myself; Joe's work "The Power of Myth" influenced me to add philosophy to my economics major in 1978. Combine this with my father’s oxymoronic response to my question "Why don’t you go to church?" On the day of my Catholic confirmation, "I am Aristotelian Catholic" has led me down a path of exploring comparative theology ever since. I would like to turn from the obtuse to the morbid.
As an objectivist whose daily reality is tinged with Norse mythology due to Joe’s influence, I am very sensitive to the effect and misuse of religious symbols as they relate to political movements. Whether GEBU (+) on the tail of a Stuka, a cross at the head of a crusade or a phrase from the Koran shouted during an act of supposed martyrdom; the effect of symbols on individuals staggers this student. Since this thread was populated by some of he keenest minds I have ever been exposed to I would like to pose a question.
Is there any way (besides spending more money on schools and technical education, in the third world then we spend on bombs and food aid) to dilute the power of symbols on the individual? Or are the problems the world faces as intractable as they seem and should we simply resign ourselves to a long conflict with enemies from a time long, long ago, and wait until they catch up, while we toil in our corp.-a-nations/universities?
Odinist
“A thing does not have to be true for you to believe in it.
Like people are basically good,
Virtue, honor and courage matter
And love, true love will, given time will always conquer evil.
These things you can believe in whether or not they are true.”
Robert Duvall in “Second Hand Lions”
Lecture I.1.3 - Symbolism and the Individual
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A television news show pointed out that most Americans (57%) regard the wedding ring as a symbol -- signal -- message so important that it should not be removed, except for temporary safety. Some symbols affect our lives very directly and profoundly.
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene