Chanting with Christ
On Tuesday, we discussed how different religions have rituals that require those who practice it to go into a "trance" or other state of consciousness (Chapter 4). In the discussion, we compared the methods for "curing" (like we talked about for an "illness" defined by Crossan) a person who was believed to be possessed by a demon. If you are a person that does not believe in practices, such as an exorcism, it is still advised to be understanding of the practices of a religion that would require a ritual for casting out demons. So, a doctor who is called on to cure a patient of a possession by an evil spirit may conduct a traditional exorcism (if that is what the culture calls for) in addition to using medical or scientific practices that they find appropriate.The play that my high school performed in the 2012 Massachusetts Drama Festival, Alchemy of Desire: Dead Man's Blues, included an exorcism scene. The play takes place in the Bayou, where Simone, a newlywed bride, has lost her husband. After the burial services, Simone has still not "cleaned" her house of the spirits lingering there. Her four superstitious neighbors eventually take it upon themselves to "sweep" out the evil spirits to prevent her house from becoming a "spook house." The exorcism uses the following chant :
"Chili pepper, Cornbread, Ice Water, Alligator, Spirit fly away!
Oh, Lord!
Father, can you hear me?
Oh, Lord! Hey ya!
Oh, Lord! Save this house from falling!
Spirit, don't you come 'round this house no more!"Because of this play and the research that I did as Dramaturge, I better understand the psychological and social repercussions that can occur if traditional exorcism rituals are not followed by someone immersed in a culture that strongly believes in them.
I think it's interesting that you bring up not the cleanliness of the physical body, as Crossan has stressed, but rather the spiritual cleanliness of individuals. I think your anecdote lends insight to the gravity of spiritual cleanliness in that the Jewish and Christian religions both take very seriously the spirit; both of them go so far as to claim that there are certain acts that are "abominations." Not to take away from the importance of the body, but the weight of spiritual purity is possibly one of the few things that might be more important that physical purity.
ReplyDeleteI would qualify this by saying that ritual purity is not the same thing as bodily cleanliness in any culture. Traditional Judaism is, as you say, much concerned with the spiritual, but this is conceived in very concrete, feet-on-the-ground ways.
DeleteI also find the concept of exorcism fascinating. I think it's especially interesting that Jesus was in a trance-like state when he performed his exorcisms. I wonder what other religions have incorporated exorcism rituals into their belief systems.
ReplyDeleteJust about all of them, I think.
DeleteI really like that you related this chapter back to your own life and personal experiences.I think your anecdote and post emphasize that sickness is often a cultural concept rather than simply a medical ailment. It wasn't Simone who thought an exorcism necessary, it was her neighbors. Though Jesus may not have physically cured anyone, he did perform miracles in his own right by changing a large cultural belief and reinstating the "sick" back into society. Exorcism is similar because it operates solely off of cultural beliefs. In this case Jesus's miracle was curing mental illness of sorts. When he was dealing with sick he changed a large populations belief towards a single individual, here Jesus changes an individual's perspective by helping them to find peace within themselves.
ReplyDelete