posted
Well yes, it is sad. I look at it from the from the perspective that I can't believe a father could do something like that. I know it probably stems from not growing up in the culture and environment that they did, it is just hard for me to understand.
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
That we should deny mysticism and supernatural mythology and encourage rational thinking and science.
Poor kid probably has a medical condition that can be treated with modern medicine, but he lives in a community where prayer and superstition "treat" him by chaining him up and praying over him.
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When you say deny mysticism and supernatural mythology, do you mean ban it or present science as an alternative way of thinking?
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
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Ah, yeah, my post was mostly in response to your happy smiley. I was quite confused.
I'm not in favor of denying "mysticism and supernatural theology", but I am very much in favor of denying actions such as chaining someone up for six years, regardless of the root cause.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I like this comment someone posted to the article:
"From experience, I know this is a demonic case. The spirit involved is called a 'familiar spirit' which runs in the family in various forms. It left the father to inhabit the son. Sometimes it takes the death of the host before it is transferred to the next generation but in this case, it left the father to get the son because of the persistent disturbance or appeals on the father's behalf from Moslem Clerics. So sad, trying to cure the exorcise the devil with evil. Medical science will only provide the kind of temporary relief those clerics provide. The solution will require stepping out of the Islamic mould and finding cure elsewhere. If the spirit leaves the 29 year old, it will jump on another member of the family. If the power of that demon is not destroyed, it will remain in that family for ever."
quote:Originally posted by Geraine: When you say deny mysticism and supernatural mythology, do you mean ban it or present science as an alternative way of thinking?
I mean that we shouldn't coddle this way of thinking and say, "Well, that's their belief, so we should respect it." Because it doesn't deserve any respect. It's a fantasy, and a damaging one.
More benign versions just give credibility to this kind of hurtful version. People think, "I don't want someone telling me that MY superstitions are wrong, so I guess it's OK for these other people to have their superstitions too."
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:I mean that we shouldn't coddle this way of thinking and say, "Well, that's their belief, so we should respect it." Because it doesn't deserve any respect. It's a fantasy, and a damaging one.
More benign versions just give credibility to this kind of hurtful version. People think, "I don't want someone telling me that MY superstitions are wrong, so I guess it's OK for these other people to have their superstitions too." [/QB]
Exactly. The constitution protects freedom of religion but that doesn't give you the right to perform human sacrifice.
Posts: 891 | Registered: Feb 2010
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I agree with you that actions such as these should not take place. I think it is the actions that people take in accordance to the mythology we should deny and ban however and not the mythology itself.
A groups beliefs and teachings can be interpreted in many different ways, some damaging, some helpful. The Bible is a perfect example.
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
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I'd think that locking someone in a basement for six years for being diagnosed with a scientific condition would be just as bad as locking someone in a basement for being possessed by an evil female genie. The problem here is not the mythical diagnosis... the problem is the cruel nature of the treatment and the fact that it didn't solve anything.
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quote:Originally posted by MightyCow: More benign versions just give credibility to this kind of hurtful version. People think, "I don't want someone telling me that MY superstitions are wrong, so I guess it's OK for these other people to have their superstitions too."
Oddly enough, many of us can still recognize demonstrable harm when we see it.
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