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July 25, 2010
Genevieve is still vigilant. And what or who is your Attila?
I know it, I see it. The Huns will not come.
And speaking of the old girl. In 451, Sainte Genevieve (422-512) saved Parisians from the Huns, the legend goes. People had started to flee Paris in anticipation of the invasion led by Attila--but stopped when she told them she had a vision that the Huns would not enter Paris. She became the city's patron saint.
In 1928, a still-grateful Paris erected a statue to her on the Pont de la Tournelle, a bridge now about 400 years old. Genevieve is facing east, the direction from which the Huns approached.
She is also said to have converted Clovis, king of the pagan Franks, to Christianity. She hasn't worked that magic on me. I do admire the whole crowd control thing of religion; it's still working to keep life-long modern peasants, fear addicts and other "little brains" out of the way.
But my own personal hypocrisies--oh, they do churn. I visit St. Genevieve in Paris anyway. Walk in a southwesterly direction--from, say, the Place des Vosges on the Right Bank--to get to the Left Bank, and use that bridge: Pont de la Tournelle. If you do, you walk right under Genevieve, with Notre Dame and Ile Saint Louis on your right.
Posted by JD Hull at July 25, 2010 12:59 AM
Comments
Sounds like you may be confusing religion with faith and spirituality. I remember a Jesus rocker in the late 1970s, trying to tell the audience the difference between faith and religion: “You can be religious about brushing your teeth.”
Me, I’m a Roman Catholic. One time, I tried not to be, but discovered the roots had grown too deeply into my soul to be pulled out without causing major damage. So I am what I am.
Posted by: Ray Ward at July 24, 2010 08:17 PM
Oh, I am spiritual. That is the point. I think religion hurts most of us and keeps us way way way down.
Anyone worth a shit can come up with their own spirituality. I really believe that peasant religions are for peasants. Existing religions are broken. They are simply "bad cookie cutters" for most of us. I have always thought that. Most people can work harder and do better.
Generally I just think: "Dude, make up your own religion and then talk to me about it. But don't tell me about someone else's you borrowed."
If I were Catholic or brought up that way, it's a harder leap, I admit.
Posted by: Hull at July 24, 2010 08:48 PM
I think its helpful to remember that the representation/promotion of religion in the media, or indeed even via your local vicar/rabbi/imman/priest is precisely that: someone else's interpretation. I found that you can undertake your own spiritual journey - even in relation to the major world religions - by conducting a personal study of the religious text and forming your own view. Religion is often misrepresented, exploited and abused by those seeking power, however the flip side is that a lot of people either like to be controlled, or can't be bothered to make the effort to enquire beyond the obviously corrupt.
If you are interested in an intelligent analysis of the Christian faith I recommend the writings of C.S. Lewis. He's very much a product of his time and class, so you have to bear that in mind and grit your teeth through some views he expresses. He was a convert in mid-life and his discussion of his own spiritual journey "Surprised by Joy" is well worth a read, whether you have any particular faith or none.
Posted by: Ruthie at July 26, 2010 05:54 PM
No particular faith but I do read and have a very good education in both old and new testaments. Have read CS Lewis. But I wish to be truly educated. So think I am quite done for now with reading anything about goofy peasant-and-loser laden Christianity--unless it's to manipulate Ruthie Barber, and maybe get you do the Antler Dance.
Posted by: Hull at July 26, 2010 07:56 PM