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)
fandomhigh2009-09-13 11:46 pm
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2009-09-13 11:46 pm
Entry tags:
Hubris from Revelation: the Social Engineering of Ultimate Truths [Monday, Period 2]
"Today we are looking at one of the more dominant faiths on this planet," Ghanima said crisply. "Or rather, four faiths that share one founder. Our focus today is on the Abrahamic religions."
"Abrahamic religions, "Abrahamic faiths" or "religions of Abraham" has become a popular and oft-used designation for the monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, emphasizing their common origin and values. For some 1,300 years their histories and thought have been intertwined. The three are all considered inextricably linked to one another because of a ‘family likeness’ and a certain commonality in theology. They are faiths that recognize a spiritual tradition identified with Abraham. However, relationships among them have varied from time and place and have often been characterized by mistrust and even hatred," she continued. "Which, really, is not that shocking. Sometimes 'family' is the most vicious opponent of all; simply look at the tale of Cain and Abel."
"Even as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all acknowledge Abraham as an ancestor, members of the three traditions have also tried to claim him as exclusively theirs. Definition of the term "Abrahamic" is far from being universal and has been found to be problematic to some. Certain smaller religions, while not included in the main three Abrahamic faiths, claim to have Abrahamic tradition. An example is the Baha'i Faith which was born in the Middle East, founded within Islam, and recognizes the same prophets plus Bahá'u'llá'h. Today, there are an estimated 3.8 billion followers of the three largest Abrahamic religions, accounting for more than half of the world's population."
Ghanima scooped up handouts on the common aspects and basic overview of the three largest sects, and handed them to Savannahif she was there to pass out.
"Now, some of you may already be familiar of the concept of the divine right to rule," Ghanima stated. "This is a concept that has been largely abandoned in the Western countries, particularly the democratic ones, but still holds strong sway elsewhere. It has been extremely popular with Abrahamic rulers for hundreds of years, because it is a political and religious doctrine of royal absolutism. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God. The king is thus not subject to the will of his people, the aristocracy, or any other estate of the realm, including the church. The doctrine implies that any attempt to depose the king or to restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God and may constitute heresy. Especially since revolution is never legitimate under the concept of the divine right of kings. While this is not a concept limited to the Abrahamic faiths -- at all -- it is notable that its counterpart in Eastern theology, the Mandate of Heaven, does allow for rebellion against an unjust ruler. This inflexibility in the divine right of kings may be attributed in-part to the fact that their God is often viewed as omniscient and omnipresent, and thus would not have put an unworthy ruler -- or someone who would become unworthy -- on the throne in the first place. Of course, usurpers can always claim they were the one with divine right, and the former king an impostor, but you'll always have loyalists holding out, and they'd have to woo the clergy to their side before any sort of legitimacy could be established."
[OCD up, beware the teal deer!]
"Abrahamic religions, "Abrahamic faiths" or "religions of Abraham" has become a popular and oft-used designation for the monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, emphasizing their common origin and values. For some 1,300 years their histories and thought have been intertwined. The three are all considered inextricably linked to one another because of a ‘family likeness’ and a certain commonality in theology. They are faiths that recognize a spiritual tradition identified with Abraham. However, relationships among them have varied from time and place and have often been characterized by mistrust and even hatred," she continued. "Which, really, is not that shocking. Sometimes 'family' is the most vicious opponent of all; simply look at the tale of Cain and Abel."
"Even as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all acknowledge Abraham as an ancestor, members of the three traditions have also tried to claim him as exclusively theirs. Definition of the term "Abrahamic" is far from being universal and has been found to be problematic to some. Certain smaller religions, while not included in the main three Abrahamic faiths, claim to have Abrahamic tradition. An example is the Baha'i Faith which was born in the Middle East, founded within Islam, and recognizes the same prophets plus Bahá'u'llá'h. Today, there are an estimated 3.8 billion followers of the three largest Abrahamic religions, accounting for more than half of the world's population."
Ghanima scooped up handouts on the common aspects and basic overview of the three largest sects, and handed them to Savannah
"Now, some of you may already be familiar of the concept of the divine right to rule," Ghanima stated. "This is a concept that has been largely abandoned in the Western countries, particularly the democratic ones, but still holds strong sway elsewhere. It has been extremely popular with Abrahamic rulers for hundreds of years, because it is a political and religious doctrine of royal absolutism. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God. The king is thus not subject to the will of his people, the aristocracy, or any other estate of the realm, including the church. The doctrine implies that any attempt to depose the king or to restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God and may constitute heresy. Especially since revolution is never legitimate under the concept of the divine right of kings. While this is not a concept limited to the Abrahamic faiths -- at all -- it is notable that its counterpart in Eastern theology, the Mandate of Heaven, does allow for rebellion against an unjust ruler. This inflexibility in the divine right of kings may be attributed in-part to the fact that their God is often viewed as omniscient and omnipresent, and thus would not have put an unworthy ruler -- or someone who would become unworthy -- on the throne in the first place. Of course, usurpers can always claim they were the one with divine right, and the former king an impostor, but you'll always have loyalists holding out, and they'd have to woo the clergy to their side before any sort of legitimacy could be established."
[OCD up, beware the teal deer!]
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Page 1 of 4