Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
atreideslioness) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2009-09-07 08:19 am
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2009-09-07 08:19 am
Entry tags:
Hubris from Revelation: the Social Engineering of Ultimate Truths [Monday, Period 2]
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!]
"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!]
Re: Activity!
Re: Activity!
Re: Activity!
He was Ender. In some way, every war was his.
Re: Activity!
Re: Activity!
He drummed his fingers against the table. "The Irish aren't the British," he noted, "That's enough to make them a 'we' against the 'them', if those who aren't fond of them are looking for a way to put themselves apart - a tribe to huddle up in."
Re: Activity!
Re: Activity!
Re: Activity!