As suggested by Fisher (2003) in Living Religions, consider the interrelatedness of everything in the cosmos as it is expressed in many indigenous religions. How do you think the importance of these relationships developed? What spiritual purpose do you think they serve for indigenous peoples?
2007-03-06 12:17:57 · 5 answers · asked by shonnette e 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The importance of those relationships develped through the spiritual elders of the planet, who lived among each generation of people. Shamanism is the current generic term for those "spiritual leaders," and understanding humanity's place in the cosmos is a large part of what shamanism is about.
If you want to understand the "spiritual purpose," of knowing humanity's interrelatedness with the cosmos, consider the repurcussions of a religion gone wild because of the lack of that understanding.........Christianity and the way the Christian World has ravaged our planet with wars and greed.
The indigenous people of our planet have always believed in living in harmony with it, as opposed to the Christian mentality in which people can't wait to destroy it one way or another.
Regards,
Chris
2007-03-06 12:28:57 · answer #1 · answered by ChrisJ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Intellect is endowed with reasoning & anything that is rendered unknown is something our minds as humans tend to fear. Indigenous people sought a Sovereign to look up to or what they call Deities. Hence, nature n the universe are majestic in scale & order & since they were all unknown to them they were worshiped. For instance, saying that they were one with the cosmos made them feel powerful coz they are a part of a great power -perfection. Still the desire to perceive the concepts of order & reason & pass them down to posterity made nature & the cosmos a doctrine for leading a life.
2007-03-06 12:32:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've never read that book but I can tell you this much that might help you. Every person is created with a God sized hole in their heart and throughout the millenia people have looked up at the sky and at this amazing planet that we live on and have known in their souls that somewhere there is a Creator God and through whatever means seemed best to them or were revealed or taught to them they have sought to fill that hole by seeking to know God.
" O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Psalms 8:1-9
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psalms 19:1-3
2007-03-06 12:56:44 · answer #3 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a homework assignment.
2007-03-06 12:25:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darling, since we don't have that textbook, we really don't know what Fisher said. Try reading it yourself!
2007-03-06 12:26:03 · answer #5 · answered by Haiku Hanna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋