Hubris from Revelation: the Social Engineering of Ultimate Truths [Monday, Period 2]

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima was sitting idly on her desk again as people filed in, completely absorbed in her book. But the moment that everyone was seated, she snapped to attention.

"Like the definition of religion, the construction of religious history is a task fraught with ideological implications," Ghanima said crisply, setting her text aside and getting up to wander between the desks. "Early studies of religions were often written to imply that the author's own religion was the most accurate. Even in a secular history, to imply that religion "progresses" towards better understanding of reality makes a value judgment about past religions; likewise, to consider religion an essentially social construction with no transcendent meaning denies the claims of every religious authority."

"It is important to note that here is no time or place in human history where religious movements are not being founded, and religious practice is not merely a matter of founding prophets but also of local traditions and reforms. There is not even a single era when the Abrahamic religions were developed; the Jewish prophets lived some centuries before Jesus, Muhammad came six centuries after him, and Bahá'u'lláh founded the Bahá'í Faith over a millennium later."

"Religion was the dominant ideology behind many conflicts of the Middle Ages. Muslims were in conflict with Zoroastrians during the Islamic conquest of Persia; Christians were in conflict with Muslims during the Byzantine-Arab Wars, Crusades, Spanish Reconquista and Ottoman wars in Europe; Christians were in conflict with Jews during the Crusades, Reconquista and Inquisition; Shamans were in conflict with Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims and Christians during the Mongol invasions; and Muslims were in conflict with Hindus during Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent."

"European colonisation during the 15th to 19th centuries resulted in the spread of Christianity to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, Australia and the Philippines. The 18th century saw the beginning of secularisation in Europe, rising to notability in the wake of the French Revolution. By the 20th century, religion was no longer the dominant ideological force behind international wars, but had generally been unseated by political ideals such as democracy and communism. However, it is still a driving factor in regional conflicts, especially in areas where a minority religion has a natural resource that the majority desires."

"You may be asking, 'why is this important?' After all, isn't this a class about religions? What does the politics matter?" Ghanima continued wander the rows, gesturing as she spoke. "To understand a religion, you cannot simply accept the theological and mythical history of it. You must understand how it was shaped, what shaped it, and how it influenced the world around it. A religion is not a thing set in stone, but a living, breathing, creation. One which must be carefully tended and raised, least it all prey to those around it."

"To you, this may sound misanthropic at best. After all, isn't religion about divine revelation? To the lay-person, yes, of course, it may well be. But it is also a method of validation, of control, of imposing something upon the surroundings, and attempting to force the world to fit the mold created for it."

"And believe me when I say that the use of religion as a weapon and a tool for control is not an obscure idea. I possess the training of the Bene Gesserit; a key social, religious and political force in my universe. The Bene Gesserit have chosen to use indirect methodologies to further their goals, rather than wield overt power themselves. They have noted the Taoist principle that whatever rises must fall; and so rather than taking direct control of the human race, instead manipulate the social and political order with subtlety and insinuation, often using extraordinarily long-term stratagems spanning generations."

"One method that the Sisterhood practices "religious engineering" through a faction called the Missionaria Protectiva, which spreads contrived myths, prophecies and superstition among the populations of the Empire. A Bene Gesserit may then later take advantage of the prophecies, casting herself as a guide, protector, or some other figure in fulfillment of the prophecy, in order to manipulate the religious subjects for protection or other purposes. These myths also exploit religion as a powerful force in human society; by controlling the particulars of religion, the Bene Gesserit have a manipulative lever on society in general," she said calmly. "It is not something done lightly, but it is done often and efficiently. Entire planets have had their philosophies re-engineered to suit the desires of the Sisterhood, with no one the wiser. This can take years, decades, even centuries, but the Sisterhood can afford to be patient, so long as it serves their purpose."

"Your activity for today is to take a religion that you are familiar with, and look at it with a critical eye. Who benefits from its laws? Who does not? How could you leverage it to your own advantage if you were stuck somewhere with no money and no allies? If you would like to pair up with a friend or two, please feel free, or you may work on your own."

"And the God of the TAs has struck. Mr. Bass, Miss Levine, congratulations."

[OCD up!]

Comments

Sign-In #2

[atreideslioness]

Like today should be a holiday.

Re: Sign-In #2

[endsthegame]

Andrew Wiggin

Re: Sign-In #2

[furnaceface]

Jonothon Starsmore

During the Lecture

[atreideslioness]

Take notes, pass notes, wonder if Ghanima needs to breathe when she gets going like this.

Re: During the Lecture

[bitten_notshy]

Jack knew most of this, which was one reason why he tended to be less than enthused about religions in general. Still, he jotted the odd note. The term baha'i was new to him.

Re: During the Lecture

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

There was so much information there that Jonas was afraid he'd run out of ink. Due to the lesson last week, there were some words that were more familiar now but the bulk of the lecture was filled with words that meant nothing to him.

He scrawled them down quickly though, probably spelling them wrong but uncaring of that fact. He'd fix that later. He kept the confusion mostly off his face though, only scrubbing a hand through his hair on occasion.

Jonas found himself wondering how Sameness, the closest thing he knew to a religion, had been so contained and so uninfluenced for the longest time in the Community. He couldn't stop himself from bitterly believing that Release had something to do with it.

Re: During the Lecture

[trigons_child]

Raven was listening with interest, particularly about the Bene Gesserit.

Re: During the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was still largely being quiet and keeping to herself, but she wasn't wondering about Ghanima's need to breathe; people wondered that about her all the time, too.

She was focused on the lecture, enough so that as it progressed a slight frown formed and then deepened on her face. She had Opinions on the matter.

. . . two contrasting sets of them. Sigh.

Re: During the Lecture

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was studying as she took notes on the lecture.

Re: During the Lecture

[momslilassassin]

Ben was taking a lot of notes.

He didn't like politics, but he was learning that being a Jedi meant learning to navigate them, so he paying close attention. After all, Jacen had been a master manipulator with the tools he'd had at his disposal.

Re: During the Lecture

[iamnotallgirl]

Jill struggled to keep up in her notetaking. Wow, Ghanima could really talk.

Activity!

[atreideslioness]

Alone or in groups, look at a religion you are familiar with. Who benefits from its laws? Who does it repress? How could you turn any of it to your advantage?

Re: Activity!

[endsthegame]

There was no theology in particular that Ender was so familiar with as to know its laws exactly; but not only was religion hard to repress, even in his day, there were arguments to be put towards any strict philosophy being the same.

It was a thought experiment, at best - if ever Ender had any doubts about how to shape religions, he'd merely have to ask Val, and he didn't - but he did his best to look inviting anyway, curious to see what someone else would bring to the table.

Re: Activity!

[bitten_notshy]

"Do you need someone to work with?" Jack asked, leaning toward Ender. He already knew what he knew; it would be interesting to see what someone from a less religious world might bring to this.

Re: Activity!

[rocksthescarf.livejournal.com]

Chuck didn't mind thinking of religion this way because, before he actually got into it, he had thought about things like this. Besides, with Christianity it was easy enough to see who benefited and who didn't.

Re: Activity!

[noteviltwin.livejournal.com]

"Some heavy subjects for a Monday morning, huh?" Andy observed.

Re: Activity!

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen thought about her world. The priests back home were the secular as well as the religious leaders of her world. And they were the army that enforced the rules they made. It was easy enough to see how the rules could - and had at many points during the Wider Times - be used to benefit or oppress whomever they wished.

Re: Activity!

[weetuskenraider]

Yes, Tahiri could tell you a good bit about the Yuuzhan Vong religion; the question is, would you want her to?

She wasn't sure how much she cared to share, granted, and really hoped Riina would stay the hell out of it today.

Re: Activity!

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

Jonas wasn't familiar with any religion, really. He'd looked up a few of the larger religions after class last week but that didn't make him knowledgeable by any stretch of the imagination.

The only thing he could think of to look at was Sameness even if he didn't think that was a religion. Once he started trying to apply the questions to that practice, he found that it both benefited and repressed everyone in the Community. Everyone who didn't know any better thought it was fine but those who did (the two who did) could see the repression occurring in each person.

There seemed to be no advantage to Sameness if you knew the truth. And Jonas did. He frowned at his paper, feeling idiotically sorry for himself for being blind for so many years.

Re: Activity!

[likethegun]

Sam started going through the questions for Christianity, well aware that the "repressed" section was far longer than the others.

Talk to the TAs

[atreideslioness]

Once they ping in.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[rocksthescarf.livejournal.com]

Chuck was not laughing evilly about being your new lord and master.

But he could if he wanted to.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was indeed here and taking notes.

Talk to Ghanima

[atreideslioness]

She's around; before, during, and after class.

OOC

[atreideslioness]

If the world ended today, I might not mind.