Blog Post #10

In the reading, Sacrifice: Its Nature and Function by Hubert and Mauss it starts off by defining the term sacrifice and they really want their audience to understand by its meaning. There is a difference between sacrifice and the idea of consecration and Hubert and Mauss want to clarify this idea right off the bat because these two ideas tend to cause a lot of confusion. In the first chapter, they write about how many readers hear about this and are confused by the idea thinking that the two notions are similar. With the idea of sacrifice, something is consecrated and it passes from the common domain to the religious. But where these two terms differ is that not all consecrations are the same kind. The example that is used if that of a king being consecrated. The king’s personality undergoes a religious transformation, but that it the only thing that happens. Everything else remains the same.

As the reading continues throughout the first chapter, Hubert and Mauss explain more terminology around sacrifice. They name a “sacrifier”, which is the identity who undergo the benefits of the sacrifice. This can typically be a specific person, a family, or even a tribe. It is also explained in the reading that a sacrifier does not always and is not always a person, or people. Sometimes a sacrifier is an item that is associated with that person or persons.

Blog Post #8

The story of scapegoat finally makes a little more sense after reading more about it. Throughout my learning, I can clearly remember my teacher's referring to the term of "scapegoat" in some teachings, but I never really understood the meaning exactly. The escapegoat video was a cool way of simplifying the definition of what a scape goat really is. And After watching the video, it's basically a way to get rid of two goats. It serves as a way to blame someone else other than oneself. In the video, one way is seen as being the "better" method of the two ways, but looking at it from the goat's perspective. how better is it really? One goat is sacrificed and the other is sent off to the middle of nowhere bound to die. This method was a way of cleansing/ clearing the entire town's people sins and sending them off to be ridded of. Being a scapegoat is never fair, one person or persons should not have to be blamed for at the expense of another person's freedom.
I think this topic is very important because of  how it serves as a "cover up" in the real world. If some light can be shed on this topic and people can understand the harm, things can get better. There are so many people who are considered scapegoats, But we do not really see them as such because of how blind we as people are, it happens all the time. Any group  of people who are marginalized are considered a scapegoat. If there is any one person who can be oppressed by another person or by another group of people, then it will continue to happen and society will continue to dismiss this oppression of others.

Blog Post #7

In the reading, Beyond God the Father, by Mary Daly, she starts off by explaining the biblical image of who God is. Daly writes the He is in fact a patriarchal image and that idea has led to the oppression of women in society. She goes on to explain that this exactly why things are the way they are. It is supposed to be the “natural” order of things, that God intended it to be this way. From all the teachings, we have learned about Daly in class and from the readings that talk about Daly’s point of view, this proves that Daly is not fond of this “natural” order and Daly is going to question is as much as she can, being the die-hard feminist that she is.

 Daly also points out something I found to be very interesting. She goes on to talk about how there are still some individuals who are persistent with the idea that the liberation of women will create new characters who have the same old roles leading women to remain stagnate in society; that their roles and expectations will not change. Daly’s reasoning behind this idea is based on the observation that there really is not a whole lot of women taking up “men” or “masculine” jobs. These jobs Daly mentions include judges, lawyers, doctors, etc. and if they do happen to break through these social stereotypes, the best training they should receive will come from a man Basically, any job that has women calling the shots, and any women in these fields were more than likely trained by male.

Blog Post #6

A practice I found odd for the Brahmin religion is to bathe before any meal. I love to take showers myself and to be clean but I don’t know if I would necessarily want to before every meal. This is more or a ritualistic practice and is more commonly performed by wealthier men who have quite a bit of leisure time on their hands. While this practice of the Havik men is evident, the reading mentions that during some seasons it can’t in fact happen often, depending on if that individual should return to work. Then, another bath would be a requirement before another meal.

Chapter 2, Secular Defilement from the book Purity and Danger, also mentions the concept of pollution existing in food. Making sure food is not contaminated or diseased before being consumed. This chapter goes on to list different practices of the religion and ways food can and cannot be kept sanitary and free of diseases or pollution. One of the examples used is, when talking about what type of food has more contamination between cooked or uncooked food. I was surprised to find out that cooked food does have a higher chance of being contaminated. The reading does not explain why this may be the case, but I thought it might have to do with that fact that cooked food is usually passed around and touched by many people for consumption, while uncooked food still can cook off anything thing that may not be sanitary. And food that can be tossed into the mouth for consumption has that greatest chance to avoid pollution then food that has to be bitten into because of the contamination saliva carries.

Blog Post #5

Cesar Ruiz

Religious Study 1

Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification

The first thing Weber writes about in chapter one, is about is his observation of religion he makes both empirical and theoretical claims. He points out that according to what people have as their occupation it can determine their religious standing. Initially, I thought this was really interesting because it more so seemed like was sectioning and stereotyping people based off very little information he knew about them. He then goes on to write about his observation, he stated that people such as high skilled labor workers and even business leader more typically Protestant and those who do not fall under these categories are more likely going to be Catholic. He does not really give an explanation as to why this may be the case, but the only evidence he has, is the fact that it may be due to historical evidence and any conversion that may have happened along the way. It is of significance because of the time people decided to convert. During the Protestant Reformation is when areas were most financially stable. The conversion of lots from one religion to the other was not necessarily caused entirely by the Reform, it was more so cause by the fact that one religion had more on an influence than the other, and this is what stuck with people the most and that is ultimately was ended up causing the switch.

            Another thing Weber mentions is how their children’s education changed as well as their religious up bring. Due to the fact that Protestants were more affluent, Protestant children inherited lots of money and allowed for more access and opportunity. This allowed for children of these Protestant families to go into the industry while Catholic children stayed in handicrafts. Weber writes, that this type of “access” then went on to influence what occupation the child would chose. He refers to Catholics as “otherworldly” and this is his explanation for why Catholics tend to do what they choose to do- they are indifferent to the material gain.