From: Steele, Kirk A (SteeleKA@nafm.misawa.af.mil)
Date: Sun Mar 24 2002 - 22:53:42 MST
Violet,
Hello again, dear. With regards to your request for a "possible comeback",
well, what could you have said. Lot's of things! But for us to write YOUR
repertoire is sort of defeating the purpose of you having a free will.
That said, what I can point you to is social psychology, the formal body of
knowledge that "describes, understands, predicts and allows for control of"
(the text book definition for any branch of psychology) the behavior of
societies and cultures.
The Central theme of how Xtianity came to be the Institution De Rigurre
(sic) is really quite simple. Let's all put on our basic sociology thinking
tooks (rhymes with kooks. canadian humor. ask mcFadzean) Basic institutions
of western civilization around the time of, say, 400 AD were: (fill in the
blank) Anything other than "family". Think of the ones that provide the
power for change in a society, the really big three, as they are called.
1._______
2._______
3._______
Ok, while you are thinking about that, let's go into some basic summaries on
what's going on in western civilization around this time. The Roman Empire,
IS western civilization. It has covered ALL of Europe, half of Africa, and
accounted for, by some estimates, the governing institution of one third of
the population on the planet. Then, tie to this the Byzantium shuffle. Greek
Helenism and it's Pantheon are on the way out all because the emperor has a
"vision". Something he and other schizotypal/phrenic leaders are not merely
prone to share but see fit to use as a tool for social engineering. The
zealots of Philistine become ideological martyrs and now Jaweh worship is
the state sanctioned norm, about the same time the markets collapse because
of rampant governmental ineffectiveness. Ok. I just gave you the answers to
the three questions above. Market, State, and Religion. the Big Three.
Education had yet to become socially institutionalized at this point in
history, that wouldn't happen till the renaissance.
So let's look at the path analysis. But first let's shed a little more light
on why this is salient. These three institutions define the collective
identity of a society. In them are contained the core of the "collective
self identity". These are called the "collective behavioral and emotional
script" of a culture. And from this collective script, individuals form
their personal scripts when they are enculturated by the family.
Ok, here's the problem. Part of the self identity of a culture just
committed suicide, the government. Every one that has placed an emotional
investment in this institution as being a predicate of their individual
identity is going to be suffering an identity crisis. The Market takes it on
the chin, because the government is not their to do what governments do,
keep things flowing smoothly. So, by default, when the government slits it's
wrists, the market dies by association, of depression. (the metaphor is
literal, by the way) There is only one institution left to hold society
together. Religion.
Ok, one more time. People can't earn a living. There is chaos in the
streets. And there is some bearded freak on the street corner saying "I can
show you the way!"
To what? He doesn't know that. He doesn't have to. He is selling a feeling.
A feeling that there is some OTHER thing in life that provides solace, and
the reason that you hurt so bad is because YOU DON'T HAVE IT. I'm not
talking about a Ginsu knife or certain model of used chariot. I'm talking
about the answer to life, the universe, and everything. There is this being,
that is everywhere, and in everything, who created all and has ultimate
power over every thing you do, for nothing is outside his AGENCY (L.S.
Vygotsky). You only have to put on the "I believe took" (there's that pesky
great white north term again) and nothing will ever bother you again, EVER.
You only have to behave in ONLY the exact way that this male dominated
closed hierarchical bureaucracy says to. And if your the lesser sex, then
you have to be subservient to the greater sex, BECAUSE HE WHOM YOU HAVE
SOUGHT SOLACE IN SAYS IT IS RIGHTEOUS AND PROPER AND TO NOT DO SO YOU WILL
RECEIVE A SOCIAL SANCTION IN THE FORM OF BEING LABELED A SINNER'
Anyway......... blah blah blah ......So the rant goes.
Christianity, the interminable scourge, came to power because, and this will
save you lots of headache in your western civ and history of gov't classes
in the future, IT WAS THE ONLY THING LEFT STANDING when the barbarians
managed to get through the gate.
Now, there is a metric butt tonne of other things that happened in the
course of three thousand or so years. Just keep in mind this, societies
change as a response to pressures. Pressures come from power. Power is in
the form of institutions. The three institutions which drove societal change
during the time of when the noble lions were eating the tasty tax base,
known as christendom, were Market, State, and Religion. What these three
did, or failed to do, drove humanity to it's collective padded room that we
still find ourselves in today.
[toothy sardonic grin, with the tilted head of a confused dog]
So, before you venture back into the arena to poke the lions with the pointy
stick of logic as it munches Leg of Lamb (giggle), spend some time in class.
Get a BIG handle on history. "Those who do not learn form history are doomed
commit it's mistakes"
Kirkasaurus Wrecks
Providing Social Polaroid's for thirty plus years.
(Don't eeeeeven think about it: Seb, Walt, Herm, and the rest of you
peanuts)
-----Original Message-----
From: Violet Beck [mailto:seizansha@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2002 9:18 AM
To: virus@lucifer.com
Subject: virus: Another Sunday comes and goes.
Sunday School was naturally this morning, so I tried out my new arguments
against the teacher. She proceeded to get all red and puffy and sputtery,
but THEN she countered my argument with "That is the Catholic Mystery of
Faith." And then she kicked me out of class.
Now, normally getting kicked out of class is the aim of this entire
operation, but: if I had gotten to stay, what could I have possibly said? My
first though was that this woman is obviously dug far too deep to even be
able to accomplish rational thought on the matter, but i REALLY hope I'm
wrong for the sake of humanity. Anyone have any possible comebacks? Or is
all lost?
--Violet
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