Re: holy smoke
helena kim (helena@netsoc.tcd.ie)
Thu, 15 Oct 1998 14:25:16 +0100
>
> The discussion of the centrality of religion in Salinger's
> work crystallizes what I've suspected for some time: that there
> is a real difference between Europe & America in this area.
> Viewed from this part of the world, it never ceases to surprise
> what a powerful role religion appears to exercise in everyday -
> & perhaps especially public- life in America. Even in Holy Ireland,
> & infinitelessy less so in Godless Britain or France, the levels
> of church attendance, the depth of belief & the earnestness
> of religious discussion cannot seem to compare with their
> equivalents in America.
>
> I honestly doubt there would be anything like the same interest
> in Zen or Jesus or such if this list were European-centred rather
> than American. In this neck of the woods, mysticism & the God
> immanent & transcendent are embarassingly old hat.
>
> Or so I believe. (Although, no, I don't think agnostics feel
> impelled always to believe in *something*....)
>
> Perhaps Kim will correct me as she staggers across the cobblestones
> of Front Square, Trinity - where many years ago, with my
> ever-mounting, furious resentment wrapped in a white surplice,
> I used to be obliged, each Sunday morning, to attend chapel.
i think that perhaps the difference in 'religiousness' between europe and
america stems from the fact that here (okay, well, in ireland anyway) one's
religion is applied by default. one doesn't have to go to any particular
effort to be christian, you just *are*.
whereas in the us, your catholicism is aqcuired from attending sunday
schools, and making an effort, and religion is a thing which people wear
as a badge of honour. one's jewishness or hinduism (is that a word?) is an
exception to the generally a-religious masses, and so, is something, which,
because you have made a concious *descison* to be religion X, you're more
liable to care about.
or, of course, i could be completely wrong. (i managed to confuse tim's
post substantially, so i'm probably well off the mark here as well... :))
maybe, the fact that the united states is a large nation without any
particular kind of ethnicity, so it leads to people seeking a 'niche'
through spirituality.
maybe, people in europe are concerned with sprituality but the general
contempt reserved for touchy-feely types lends to their silence.
for the rcord it's not the cobblestones that are giving me trouble - it's
the wasteland of UNIX and the lost tourists asking for 'kelly's book'