From: utzoo!utcsrgv!peterr
Newsgroups: net.religion
Title: Ritual and Polytheism
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.1285
Posted: Fri Apr 15 00:48:40 1983
Received: Fri Apr 15 09:15:20 1983

Walking home this evening, I saw a fellow in rather ragged clothes appearing to
be making incantations at the sidewalk and this sight seemed to strike a chord.
I felt that there was not enough "decorative" ritual in my environment. I
don't personally want ritual that interferes with a questioning view of the
universe, but I do feel a need for ritual in terms of a loose, grass roots,
art form, that can be appreciated as a celebration of the human will to be
arbitrary, to NOT take the path of least resistance or use the least energy in
a utilitarian sense.  Apart from distinguishing humans from machines (which ARE
usually designed to use the least energy, though the Rube Goldberg machines are
a notable exception to this), because of their arbitrary nature, these rituals
may be altered on an individual basis, reflecting the individuality of the
performer, or of the event.
  I won't try to argue in any absolute terms for the value of a demonstration
of the human will to be arbitrary; it may be possible to do this, but I don't
think it's particularly important to do so.  I see the value as providing a
opposing force to forces of uniformity necessary in an industrial society
for reasons of efficiency.  I believe a balance between such forces is good
in principle (though I admit this is probably indefensible; still, I'm
basically commenting on an art form, thus proof is not that important).  On
a less metaphysical level, this opposing force may remind the law-makers
and policy-setters that people are quite different, much as we pretend they
aren't (e.g. in the school system), and individual differences should be
taken into account when possible.
  What's this got to do with religion?  After seeing the sidewalk magician,
I thought of the rites of various groups and find that many are strongly
associated with a religion.  Desirous of a richness of expression of the
ability of man to be arbitary, I found myself looking toward the
polytheistic religions of old such as the Norse, Roman, and Greek beliefs.
Lacking a single god to enforce uniformity, though often having a leader
of some sort (albeit usually involved in some sort of power struggle!),
these belief systems, like the basis for a good serial, allowed a
multitude of possibilities, with many contrary characters interacting.
Admittedly, the Bible is filled with many characters, but having a single
god in the background of every story, ready to declare something right
or wrong, does limit the possibilities somewhat.
  I envy architects, who receive instruction in the various means of
expression a society uses to express its individuality, and who could
better state what I'm trying to say which, as you may have guessed, is
"Isn't it a bit of a shame that the dominant religions are monotheistic?".
I offer this feeling as it stands; I'm not concerned if others share my
view, though I am interested.  Please do not send mail to me on this,
but items on this topic of interest to all group readers would be nice
to see on the net.