Tomb Raider and Japanese Religion

Our discussion about how civil religion operates in Japan, or even if it does in the first place, reminded me of the new Tomb Raider game... Well, to be honest, the last new Tomb Raider game, not the newest new one called Rise of the Tomb Raider. 

This one!.... From Wikipedia

Anyway:

In the game, Lara Croft is a young PhD student on a research trip to the Japanese island chain around the Dragon's Triangle. She is looking for the lost civilization of Yamatai and its ruler, Himiko, and being the ignoramus I am, I totally thought that both of those things were completely made up purely for the video game.

Hahahahahaha. Nope.

But like, in my defense, the game IS the second link on a google search for Himiko....

I find it interesting that Japan so often either creates or ignores large sections of their own history. Understandably, such a thing is common in many, if not every, country, but our discussion of the emergence of Shinto as a long-standing tradition of Japan is eerily similar to the fact that almost none of the ancient Japanese histories mention Himiko at all. On the other hand, three ancient Chinese manuscripts do mention her and her kingdom. Finally, to further add to the mystery, one Japanese source does mention her as the Queen of Wa, so what's the deal?

Also, in some of those sources mentioned above, Himiko is said to be a magician and a practicer of sorcery. Tomb Raider really runs with this idea, and they straight out say that Himiko is alive, is the Sun Goddess, and she has survived all of these years by transferring her body into a new host whenever she grows old. There is also some sort of cargo cult that might be related to the cult of Himiko on the island, and then there are some Russian mercenaries of the island, because of course there are... At least I think so... It's been a couple of years. But, the game is beautiful and the attention to detail it puts into the islands' histories are commendable, especially with Lara's discoveries of items from ancient Japan, World War II and the present day and how they all relate to this enigmatic person of Himiko.

I find it interesting that Himiko and Yamatai, some person and a place that I totally thought was made up, has this interesting historical controversy around them, and that in the modern day, although it's a little sensationalized, she still is known for her "magical" reputation.

Syrian Refugees

Seriously, what the Hell?

Honestly, what is the American House of Representatives doing with this whole "We're blocking people coming from Syria" thing?

Here's the article I read: http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-congress-refugees-20151119-story.html

I'm sorry, but I thought this was America? I know that this isn't exactly related to our topic of the week in class, but seriously, I'm mad about this. And, like I said before, this is AMERICA: I can write about whatever I want. Plus, it's also kind of about religion.

from weheartit.com

In fact, it's the treatment of Islam that is the boiling point for me in this whole debacle. Check out this quote from PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Ted Cruz.

"Cruz had suggested permitting only Christian refugees from Syria into the country, but such a condition is not part of the House bill."

What the fuck? How is being Muslim a crime? Why am I in a country that allows people who "represent" me to so openly and so publicly show their biases on their sleeve? Regardless of whether or not it's in the bill, this anti-Muslim sentiment is palpable in the air in many places throughout the world right now. But, Ted Cruz... I mean, to paraphrase the comedian Doug Stanhope about religion, the Catholic Church has a much longer and storied history of abuse, mistreatment and violence than any other institution in the world: I'd be much more terrified to hear that that NAZI used to be a Pope than the other way around. I mean, "just" Christians, Ted Cruz? Really? What the fuck? 

I understand this is a ramble-y and borderline incoherent post, but I thought the best thing I could do was honestly and accurately free-write my thoughts about this matter. 

But, back to the bill. Let's be honest and let's call this Syrian Refugee Bill what it really is: It's the "I'm a-scared that someone is going to come and do something bad" bill. We already have security checks. The article states that those checks can sometimes take months. Regardless, people come to America every single day and nothing bad has happened. 

But what about all of the Terrorists doing Terrorism and Terrorists and Terror? Bro, listen to yourself. Do you know, since 9/11,  how many foreign terrorist attacks there have been on American soil? 

Zero. 

At least zero that I'm aware of, and I'd like to think that I'd hear about something like that.

Do you know how many domestic acts of terror (school shootings) we've had by good Christian (sometimes) American boys? 

Estimates range from 45 (MSNBC) to 52 (RT News) in 2015 alone. ALONE. And the sad part? That number is probably outdated now. Let's be real, school shootings are terrorist activities, and they are done almost weekly on American soil. Where are our security checks there? Where are the biometrics, restrictions and information for that group of people? Why is it okay for American boys and girls to commit terrorism in America but as soon as someone starts speaking a foreign language and practicing a different religion it becomes unthinkable and frightening? Where is the logic there?

Why do Syrian refugees, who have gone through hell, who have taken great risk to leave their country, their homes, their families, their traditions and their hopes in order to have a chance of survival in the world, have to be forced to jump through bureaucratic hoops, navigate arbitrary guidelines and have a finger shoved up in their private places in order to learn that they're not "a security risk"? 

Listen, I get it that you think you're scared right now. I lived through 9/11. I remember what it was like. But dude, bad guys are part of the problem and they can be anywhere at anytime, and if they wanted to do something do you really think that something as small as a TSA or a border/Ellis-island-style check is going to stop them? Things will happen. Things have happened. And we've survived. Scapegoating, racism and a bias against a peaceful religion are nothing more than fear-mongering, and we're in 2015. That shit needs to stop. 

What's a cult?

What's a cult?

This is a question I've asked before - numerous times in this blog, most likely - but it's a question I find very interesting.

Cult is a weird word because people attach so much to it. We use "cult" like a swear word typically, and things like Waco and movies like Red State do a good job keeping the media focused on the "dangerous" and "subversive" elements of a cult... But what truly is a cult? Many religions can be called cults in their early forms, so is it just numbers and historical distance that separate "cults" from "full" religions? I don't think so. But let's explore.

A cult, according to a Google search of "What is a cult", has four definitions:
1) A system of religions veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.
2) A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.
3) A misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.
4) A person or thing that is that is popular or fashionable, especially among a particular section of society.

Working backwards, 4 seems to be too narrow in its definition; 3 seems to be on the right track, but the inclusion of the word "misplaced" creates a rather negative connotation; 2 seems to be a bit more inclusive with its definition, but it still has a bit of negativity about it in regards to other people; 1 seems to be a good definition, but perhaps it is too broad? If cults are truly what is listed in this first definition, is there any separation between "religion" and "cult"?

Personally, it seems as if a more workable and specific definition of a cult could be a mixture between 2 & 3: A relatively small group of people with an excessive admiration for a particular person or thing that borders on the religious or mystical. 

With this definition in mind, there is a difference between "full" religions and things which may be considered "cults." It's more of a neutral definition, and it addresses something I think is necessary for a "cult" to have: A relatively small number of people, and an object of devotion. If a cult grows in numbers, then perhaps we have a religion, but I think a cult is a more localized phenomenon that centers on a specific person, place or thing as opposed to a religion that is a little bit more diffused and "universal."

From this definition, I think a more complex thing could then be created upon it: Rituals, moves to other countries, restrictive practices, etc... But I think it's necessary to define a cult differently than a religion. I don't know why. Maybe there's some weird thing in me that forces me to define them separately.

But, I bring it up because I've mentioned that I believe Acting Schools in America are cults, or at least exhibit some cult-like behavior, but I don't think that cults are necessarily a bad thing. Yes, Jonestown was bad. Heaven's Gate was a tragedy, but to think for a moment outside the norm: Could their death have actually been what those people truly wanted? Brainwashing is always a thing to consider, yes, but at what point and at what level do personal leaders affect their "congregation"?

I would argue, quite a lot, actually. Personal leaders are taste-makers, trend-setters, and they often have isolated a member so much that their fellow cult members are their only form of support and family. I sincerely doubt most people in Jonestown, based on the evidence, wanted to kill themselves, but I'm sure that many of them were afraid that if they didn't, they would have no family, no support, no help and nowhere else to go. To use a cliche, their eggs were all in one basket, and while the leader of a cult may have just placed the basket on the ground and supplied the eggs, they almost force the hand of the member to do such a thing. One can always say "no," but it would depend on the level of involvement one has within a cult. I have seen people be violently abused and verbally wasted in a "cult-like" atmosphere, only to have them turn to me afterwards and say while bawling their eyes out, "I deserved it."

People do things in groups that they would never do by themselves, and new philosophies often find their most ardent believers in times of trouble. A cult can be good, yes, and so can a religion, but it is important to see how both of those things can be twisted and manipulated. A strong and workable definition of a cult is a good first step for understanding how and when these manipulations take place, and how once can guard against it.

Eventually, I'll probably let you know what happened in my experience.... It was pretty wild, yo.

Pretty wild.

The Screwtape Blogs

Over the weekend, out of a diabolical curiosity, I read C.S. Lewis's book, The Screwtape Letters. I loved it. In fact, I bought it on Halloween (Yeah... that wasn't intentional, by the way), and I devoured it over the course of a few hours. However, the most interesting part about the book wasn't really what C.S. Lewis wrote about, but it was in the dedication that was written on the inside cover.

I get most of my books from used bookstores, and typically I get them from Green Apple Books in San Francisco, mainly because I live pretty close to it. When you buy used books, some old stuff is left inside it, and this particular copy of The Screwtape Letters had a note written by a sister to a brother that went along the lines of:

Dear Brother, (I'm paraphrasing here)

Remember when we went to that conference and you said that the Devil is waging an unseen war on our souls? Well, this book talks about that. It's not too long and it's an easy read, and there's not TOO many big words, even for you! 

- Jennie

Finally, there were some Chinese or Japanese-looking characters above the name Jennie.

I have no way of knowing how old this inscription is, or if this conference was in San Francisco or even if these people were Asian-American. But I have a lot of questions. What type of "conference" is this that she mentions? Who is Jennie? I know that often, Asian-Americans convert to an evangelical type of Christianity, and being in San Francisco, was this the case with the sister and brother? And finally, how the Hell (pun completely intended) did this book end up in the used religion section of Green Apple Books?

I bring this up because I think it addresses two common points in modern religion in America:

1) The allure of fundamentalism, and
2) The role of religion in a person's life now.

I think both questions are tied together. What is the role of religion in a person's life now? In an age that seems to be fairly set on the voluntary practice of religion, does the role of religion change from being actual life rules to merely a set of philosophical rules? If so, what is it that seems to draw people to religion, especially fundamentalist/evangelical religion? What is the appeal of being "born again" within a religion? Perhaps it is the idea of starting over, of starting with a clean slate, and the fervor or "newness" of a religion pumps people up and makes them go to conferences where they talk about the invisible war with the Devil. Eventually, this fire fades and then what? What role does religion play then?

Interestingly, Lewis talks about this loss of fervor in The Screwtape Letters pretty extensively. His observation is that often a conversion is a very public and very superficial thing, but when it gets down to the nitty-gritty, religion (and all things for that matter) scare people away. With that being said, is the allure of fundamentalism that it offers a simple, passionate and (to some) meaningful way to fulfill a role that religion so easily fills?

But if so, why did this dude donate this book?

Maybe he was just trolling his sister.

I could see that; sisters can be annoying.