ESSAY
Colin Chastain
14105127
Is anything sacred anymore? Some would say yes and some would say no. It all depends on the individual. The sacred is subjective and transcendent of all things. Something separate from the material world and beyond the control of humans. It aids human overall wellbeing and determines the aspects of human existence. With this being said what could be considered sacred in the world today? In reference to the study of religion it could be a lot of things. If one keeps an open mind, the sacred can be something a person relates too like Ground Zero where the World Trade Center once stood.
“After the bombing of the World Trade Center, there was and continues to be an intense discussion about how that location where the buildings once stood is to be remembered. For those who lost loved ones, the remains of the trade center were considered to be a ‘sacred place’.” (Cunningham and Kelsay, page 25)
This is a prime example of a place marked as “sacred ground” and correlates with the hermeneutics of suspicion. The hermeneutics of suspicion states that everything is an interpretation and that humans should be suspicious of everything by deciding whose interests are or are not being served. Ground Zero is considered sacred because it was a place of tragedy and death. The idea of death or losing loved ones is considered sacred because it is out of human control and definitely determines an important aspect of human existence: survival. When deciding how the location of where the buildings once stood should be remembered, it was established that it was sacred ground in order to support the interests of the people who lost loved ones there.
The Essay on World Systems System Trade Asia
WORLD SYSTEMS The world history does not always go in the same route. Change in the balance of power all around the world and existence of big events such as the foundation of press are effective in the conversion of the way it goes. With the effect of these rotations, systems are also changing. The world system between 600 and 1500 is not same with the system after 1500. This differentiation in ...
Death is not the only thing that is sacred anymore though, there is also the aspect of living that people take for granted. Life and time is probably the most sacred part of human existence.
“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away…. So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.” [Psalm 90 (10 – 12) Cunningham and Kelsay, page 46]
Life is what everyone must go through in order to achieve the best that is possible in this world. Common conceptions of “Father Time” suggest that time is a force beyond human control. Even with all of the murderers around today, life still exists to protect the balance of the sacred. The perfection of love is an ongoing struggle people strive to achieve in life as well. Even though people have affairs, divorces, and shortcomings in relationships, love continues to be regarded as a sacred thing that is very hard for humans to define. It is influenced by a subject to subject relationship in which the power of integrity and patience must strive to maintain its sacred bounds.
Another idea that is sacred in the world today is the idea of religion. The word “religion” clearly has an extraordinary ring to it. This is called explicit religion, or what comes to mind when hearing the word “religion”. Religion is sacred to people because it is a guide to the best that is possible. Whether people choose to believe in certain religions or not, they are using morals supported in religions in their everyday lives to make the best decisions for themselves.
Trust and faith are two very sacred beliefs among humans today. With all of the voices of different religions calling for people’s lives, the power of discern is the sacred way in deciding who and what to trust. The power of discern seems prevalent to religion and the sacred because it helps discern what, if anything, is being proposed about the way it is. The four meanings of faith: Trust, commitment, belief, and vision are all sacred things that people submit to in order to reach the best that is possible in this world. That is what really envelops the sacred since faith is a power.
The Essay on Sacred Place Life Religion Religious
... "heaven" or "enlightenment" or any other after life. there is doubt; Other humans prompt people to become religious. Society today, for example Discrimination ... English citizen, turned to a religion because, "he wanted someone to thank for the good things in life and to blame for the ... the difference having a figure to follow can change a life. Sacred places can help a person to have an ambition in ...
One important thing to consider when defining the sacred is Dualism, or the distinction between good and evil. There will always be a problem with evil in the world which sometimes takes the sacred definitions out of certain things. As mentioned before, murders, affairs, theft, and many other evils occur every day and upset the balance of the sacred. When defining something as sacred, such as life, people can find many evils in it that corrupt the value of it. This is why some people find things like life, love, faith, trust, time, and death to not be sacred because it is merely the sins of humans that negate the possibility of them being subjective, but objective and under human control.
Things are still sacred in the world, one just has to dig deep to find the true meaning behind them. We all have questions and are constantly searching for answers. Though we may not find the answers, all we have is the belief that some things are still sacred to keep us going. If not for that, what would we have?