It seems to me that even the most scientific origin explanation we might adhere to will have a tinge of literalism depending on our will to cling to it as truth (and preach it to others). Only a time machine will be able to deliver us a specter of truth (we'd ruin it all, or make it even more amazing, in coming back to tell the story, don't you think? :). Thanks for putting your thoughts out here. I love the way you write! I teach in Brazil (and am Brazilian) and all my students claim to find your short story, Green World, the most touching of all to ponder the human impact on nature! We have the best classes with your writings. Thank you!
Good point. Yes, I think folks can get fundamental about science as well. But good scientists know that every theory and fact is subject to amendment. I'd think there are many spiritual scientists, as well. I'm working on a short story about an astronomer who is searching for meaning. And thanks for teaching Green World. That's the first time I've heard of it being taught!
There is a literalism, or fundamentalism, of this sort in the TV drama Yellowstone, which I plan to critique in Tuesday's post. A certain fetishizing of Montana that is more a California fantasy about Montana than anything real. But it's hard to go down that road without lapsing into the same rigidity (I was born in Montana, THIS is what Montana really is, you frauds!). Which of course is self-defeating.
I was raised in the Pentecostal Church among people like the woman you describe. I'll never forget the time when we marched through the streets of my hometown carrying banners and blowing trumpets to simulate the Battle of Jericho. Never mind that in the biblical version, my namesake ordered his army to slaughter everyone, even infants, after the walls fell. I don't think the people in my church really intended any harm to their neighbors, but that kind of literalism leads to absurdity.
I'm still undecided when it comes to Yellowstone: whether being born and raised in Montana gives me any real footing to critique Taylor Sheridan's and Kevin Costner's false nostalgia. Maybe it's cardboard cutouts all the way down?
I have not watched Yellowstone but have seen some scenes on YouTube and flinch. I think Montana might be the most romanticized of states. Yeah, there was a record/book burning on rez when I was a child. My mother participated but would later deny that she did.
The older I get, even though “a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” my primary literalistically-embraced text comes from Ram Dass: “We’re all just walking each other home”.
Fundamentalism and literalism threaten so much--are at the root of so much violence. You will probably find it ironic, but I found a little compassion for Christian literalists when my Indian friend insisted that "we didn't come across a land bridge, we were created here" and I could not argue with them at all.
Christian literalists make me crazy. People that I see living christian values are not literalists. They believe the Old Testament is allegory not fact. Then on the other hand I've heard several different creation stories from all over the world. I prefer your direction, humor and relationships.
"Them Christians always smell like Sunday’s last urn of burned coffee.” I laughed out loud. If there's one thing my church always smells of, it's coffee. This is a great line!
Sherman, this, like the deep and fiercely beating heart of all of your work, brings me to greater wholeness. Thank you for giving us love and care like this. Bless you and your family.
Thank you for honoring your father through your poems and memories. I feel that you and your father are most certainly a great deal alike. Grounded, real.
Well I feel a bit let down by the way you ended your initial statement. Because I want to know what result you truly come up with when wondering how much you and your father (raised Catholic but never mentioning God) are alike. Or different.
I was raised by a thoroughly lapsed Catholic, my adorable mother, an atheist. Her mother, my dear grandmother, was a great storyteller and went in and out of Catholicism in entertaining ways--at least to us kids (and to my mother). Ultimately Grandma's "deathbed scene" lasted more than two months, since she requested extreme unction on a weekly basis. Every Sunday evening, a nun would bring the priest to my Grandma's trailer park, and he would go up to her bed in the back of her "double decker" trailer to administer his ministrations. Meanwhile, the nun would hand out plastic rosaries to any member of the visiting family she hadn't yet met. After I received my plastic rosary and the nun and priest had left, my mother said in disgust, "Plastic rosaries. It's like McDonald's."
I had no religious experiences with my Dad. That was why I ended the essay as I did. I certainly didn't have an amazing and intense experience like yours!
Funny and true! I used to be a militant atheist and now just an ordinary one. Have come to see the value of religious practice and why/how it keeps most people centered. And while religion has wreaked plenty of harms, many (not all) who stray from religion seem to simply find other rages to be fanatical about, some of them much worse than religion e.g., communism, wokeness, extreme political partisanship etc.
4. Jokes are as important to me as gravity and oxygen.
5. You're welcome.
6. Tommy was one of my students at The Institute of American Indian Arts MFA program. We haven't been in much contact since his graduation. I won't write about his work because I was one of his teachers. I do have my own nepotism guidelines!
I know a whole bunch of people, dozens really, who live by their good religious principles. They're as fragile and flawed as everybody else, of course. And make terrible decisions, as do all of us. But they are good people following good theology.
The takeover of women’s bodies in the name of God has fueled a meltdown in me. Feel free to use your strong rational tools to separate me from my rage but the most recent executions in Iran, also in the name of God, have me blind to reasonable discourse on the matter.
Religion is just another way to rule over others free of criminal consequences.
I'm always fascinated about how the vast majority of people think the bible is real (maybe it is but not to me) and I have to remind my grandchildren that it is just a book, maybe even a good book, but it's a book that was introduced to us by white people --
A high school girlfriend used to tell me that I smelled like burning. Don't know if it was the lightning-on-log kind of burning or your coffee-on-urn variety, but I always took it as a compliment. I mean, imagine exuding that kind of holy spirit as a natural essence, particularly in the headier days of youth.
Too bad you weren't billed last in Boise, innit? Grateful for this essay though.
Thank you, Eli. There are burning scents that are good! I had a friend who smelled like Campbell's vegetable soup and it was a wonderful, comfortable scent.
It seems to me that even the most scientific origin explanation we might adhere to will have a tinge of literalism depending on our will to cling to it as truth (and preach it to others). Only a time machine will be able to deliver us a specter of truth (we'd ruin it all, or make it even more amazing, in coming back to tell the story, don't you think? :). Thanks for putting your thoughts out here. I love the way you write! I teach in Brazil (and am Brazilian) and all my students claim to find your short story, Green World, the most touching of all to ponder the human impact on nature! We have the best classes with your writings. Thank you!
Good point. Yes, I think folks can get fundamental about science as well. But good scientists know that every theory and fact is subject to amendment. I'd think there are many spiritual scientists, as well. I'm working on a short story about an astronomer who is searching for meaning. And thanks for teaching Green World. That's the first time I've heard of it being taught!
There is a literalism, or fundamentalism, of this sort in the TV drama Yellowstone, which I plan to critique in Tuesday's post. A certain fetishizing of Montana that is more a California fantasy about Montana than anything real. But it's hard to go down that road without lapsing into the same rigidity (I was born in Montana, THIS is what Montana really is, you frauds!). Which of course is self-defeating.
I was raised in the Pentecostal Church among people like the woman you describe. I'll never forget the time when we marched through the streets of my hometown carrying banners and blowing trumpets to simulate the Battle of Jericho. Never mind that in the biblical version, my namesake ordered his army to slaughter everyone, even infants, after the walls fell. I don't think the people in my church really intended any harm to their neighbors, but that kind of literalism leads to absurdity.
I'm still undecided when it comes to Yellowstone: whether being born and raised in Montana gives me any real footing to critique Taylor Sheridan's and Kevin Costner's false nostalgia. Maybe it's cardboard cutouts all the way down?
I have not watched Yellowstone but have seen some scenes on YouTube and flinch. I think Montana might be the most romanticized of states. Yeah, there was a record/book burning on rez when I was a child. My mother participated but would later deny that she did.
The older I get, even though “a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” my primary literalistically-embraced text comes from Ram Dass: “We’re all just walking each other home”.
Fundamentalism and literalism threaten so much--are at the root of so much violence. You will probably find it ironic, but I found a little compassion for Christian literalists when my Indian friend insisted that "we didn't come across a land bridge, we were created here" and I could not argue with them at all.
It's difficult for many people worldwide to accept that who we are began in what we now call Africa.
Christian literalists make me crazy. People that I see living christian values are not literalists. They believe the Old Testament is allegory not fact. Then on the other hand I've heard several different creation stories from all over the world. I prefer your direction, humor and relationships.
"Them Christians always smell like Sunday’s last urn of burned coffee.” I laughed out loud. If there's one thing my church always smells of, it's coffee. This is a great line!
Thank you!
😳🤣🔥
Sherman, this, like the deep and fiercely beating heart of all of your work, brings me to greater wholeness. Thank you for giving us love and care like this. Bless you and your family.
❤️❤️🔥
Oh, thank you, Shann. I love you a million times over.
You're welcome, and I love you a million too, Sherman.
Thank you for honoring your father through your poems and memories. I feel that you and your father are most certainly a great deal alike. Grounded, real.
Thank you, Melinda.
Well I feel a bit let down by the way you ended your initial statement. Because I want to know what result you truly come up with when wondering how much you and your father (raised Catholic but never mentioning God) are alike. Or different.
I was raised by a thoroughly lapsed Catholic, my adorable mother, an atheist. Her mother, my dear grandmother, was a great storyteller and went in and out of Catholicism in entertaining ways--at least to us kids (and to my mother). Ultimately Grandma's "deathbed scene" lasted more than two months, since she requested extreme unction on a weekly basis. Every Sunday evening, a nun would bring the priest to my Grandma's trailer park, and he would go up to her bed in the back of her "double decker" trailer to administer his ministrations. Meanwhile, the nun would hand out plastic rosaries to any member of the visiting family she hadn't yet met. After I received my plastic rosary and the nun and priest had left, my mother said in disgust, "Plastic rosaries. It's like McDonald's."
I had no religious experiences with my Dad. That was why I ended the essay as I did. I certainly didn't have an amazing and intense experience like yours!
More please, master guru Shaman Perplexity.
Hahahahahaha.
Funny and true! I used to be a militant atheist and now just an ordinary one. Have come to see the value of religious practice and why/how it keeps most people centered. And while religion has wreaked plenty of harms, many (not all) who stray from religion seem to simply find other rages to be fanatical about, some of them much worse than religion e.g., communism, wokeness, extreme political partisanship etc.
I think atheism can become a religion of its own.
🔥🔥 True
Yes that’s true. I was there and was wrong.
Well said. Same page here. 🙌🙌🙌
1. Why on EARTH 🌍 is your Stack not called Shaman Perplexie???
2. Your voice is very calming and I needed that today.
3. Christians have a certain smell? Oh boy there are so many places I could go with that 😳😂
4. Excellent choice to deflect with a joke.
5. Thank you so much for subscribing to my Stack. (The recent upgrade.) You’re amazing.
6. Random question: Have you written about Tommy Orange? I saw him talk in NYC and remember wondering this.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
1. Hahahahahah
2. I rarely feel calm.
3. So could I!
4. Jokes are as important to me as gravity and oxygen.
5. You're welcome.
6. Tommy was one of my students at The Institute of American Indian Arts MFA program. We haven't been in much contact since his graduation. I won't write about his work because I was one of his teachers. I do have my own nepotism guidelines!
Fair nuff!!!
Have to agree with the other Indian, religion stinks.
Your solution to talking about God or not as your father did sounds so sane.
I am recovering still from my old relatives and their stinky religion.
I know a whole bunch of people, dozens really, who live by their good religious principles. They're as fragile and flawed as everybody else, of course. And make terrible decisions, as do all of us. But they are good people following good theology.
❤️❤️❤️
The takeover of women’s bodies in the name of God has fueled a meltdown in me. Feel free to use your strong rational tools to separate me from my rage but the most recent executions in Iran, also in the name of God, have me blind to reasonable discourse on the matter.
Religion is just another way to rule over others free of criminal consequences.
Those extremes also enrage me. I can offer no comfort other than to call the extreme by its name: the extreme.
Beautifully expressed.
Thank you!
Love Love it -- made me laugh -- wish I was there
I'm always fascinated about how the vast majority of people think the bible is real (maybe it is but not to me) and I have to remind my grandchildren that it is just a book, maybe even a good book, but it's a book that was introduced to us by white people --
Every creation story by everybody is a metaphor.
true
A high school girlfriend used to tell me that I smelled like burning. Don't know if it was the lightning-on-log kind of burning or your coffee-on-urn variety, but I always took it as a compliment. I mean, imagine exuding that kind of holy spirit as a natural essence, particularly in the headier days of youth.
Too bad you weren't billed last in Boise, innit? Grateful for this essay though.
Thank you, Eli. There are burning scents that are good! I had a friend who smelled like Campbell's vegetable soup and it was a wonderful, comfortable scent.
Yes, soup can take you all the way home.