Voodoo & Dionysus

[stevekenson]

"Voodooism and the Dionysian cult foster a different notion of family. Incest is not uncommon, and the notion of 'family' itself is very loose. [The] atomization of the nuclear family is really the development of a changing and shifting extended family that is so broad as to include dead ancestors. The global village is taking the place of the tract home and, as the culture prepares for the coming Apocalypse of St. John, we should expect more hysteria concerning the end of this era."

"Where is the ecstatic in the modern world? ... The Christian sees the orgasmic release achieved in Voodooism and Dionysus worship as cruel, evil, inhuman and mad. Our modern psychologist would no doubt agree, although he would hold that insanity was the basis of the behavior observed rather than demonic possession. If our religion was Voodoo, we might believe a person to be insane if he didn't become possessed..."

— from Urban Voodoo, Chapter 8: Christianity, Voodoo & Dionysus (by S. Jason Black & Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt)

Interesting stuff for me in light of my experiences at Between the Worlds.

Comments

[wisepiscean.livejournal.com]

Whoa. I need to read this book I think.

[garan-du.livejournal.com]

"Where is the ecstatic in the modern world? ... The Christian sees the orgasmic release achieved in Voodooism and Dionysus worship as cruel, evil, inhuman and mad..."

In this they are no different than the Classical Romans.

[xomec.livejournal.com]

In this they are no different than the Classical Romans.

Hmmm true enough, but then the Romans were a rather stoic lot. I wonder if it was the madness and possession to which they objected? They certainly didn't seem to have issue with the orgasmic and orgiastic, at least not if it was their own. Perhaps some of the Christian attitude descends from the Romans?