Religion: Nutty, crazy, sad stuff

[Jeff_Ricks]

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims rushing to complete a symbolic stoning ritual during the hajj tripped over luggage Thursday, causing a crush in which at least 345 people were killed, the Interior Ministry said.

The stampede occurred as tens of thousands of pilgrims headed toward al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060112/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_hajj

--Jeff

[Born Free]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060112/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_hajj

--Jeff

I wonder, these days, how news items like this looks from a Christian/Mormon perspective.

People got crushed in a rush to get to throw pebbles at three rocks that symbolise Satan, before the sun sets. This process, apparently, is some aid in cleansing them of their sins.

From my Post-Mo, Post-Christian perspective, I look at this process of attempting to externalise 'sin' or some inherent or acquired sense of inadequacy, and I just stand with my mouth agape. I know teh theory of how it is supposed to work, but I now regard that as so infantile as to be near incomprehensible.

The whole notion seems so ridiculous, so mindless, so ........ ok, religious.

But I really wonder what internal processes go on in 'good' faithful religious people. What do they see? How do they explain its significance?

If we have any lurkers out there, or people so recently out of that space that they still recall how they formerly thought, I am really interested to hear from you.

Daryl

[peter_mary]

I wonder, these days, how news items like this looks from a Christian/Mormon perspective.

People got crushed in a rush to get to throw pebbles at three rocks that symbolise Satan, before the sun sets. This process, apparently, is some aid in cleansing them of their sins.

Daryl
Right. Think about Christians/Mormons.

Stand in water, get dunked, suddenly cleansed of all wrongdoings.

Nibble on bread/wafer/wine/water/juice and pretend/believe it is the flesh and blood of your God, which you eat/drink to take his name upon you.

For Mormons: Wear odd hats, strange robes, and green aprons while watching movie and learning secret handshakes which you'll need to know as you pass by angels on the pathway to the entrance of heaven.

Yeah, it's all weird, but apparently people like it.

Unless you get killed, of course...that pretty much sucks, unless it means you get those 40 virgins now, which pretty much rocks, so it's cool if you get killed...

[helemon]

Unless you get killed, of course...that pretty much sucks, unless it means you get those 40 virgins now, which pretty much rocks, so it's cool if you get killed...

If only the Jews and Muslims could build more holy sites like the mormons they would never have this problem! Come to think of it if they could do that it would end the conflict in the Middle East. :duh

[wescape]

Right. Think about Christians/Mormons.

Stand in water, get dunked, suddenly cleansed of all wrongdoings.

Nibble on bread/wafer/wine/water/juice and pretend/believe it is the flesh and blood of your God, which you eat/drink to take his name upon you.

Hey PM,

I noticed that you lumped Mormonism and Christianity together with regard to both baptism and communion. Just to clarify, baptism from a Christian perspective is much different from Mormon baptism. Within Mormonism, it is something that MUST be done on earth as a good work in order to get into the highest Mormon heaven. Christian baptism is not required for salvation and is not the thing that "suddenly cleanes one from all wrongdoing." It is a symbolic act that publicly aligns one with Jesus and is also a sign of repentance. Communion, unlike Mormon sacrament, is about remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross. The wine (not water) represents his shed blood, and the bread represents his broken body. As everyone here knows, Mormonism has quite an aversion to the cross and prefers to think about it as little as possible.

Anyway, just wanted to make the distinction. Hope you're doing well. :)

Wes