Where *can* we put a mosque? 28 Aug 2010 So, if the critics of the mosque in NY are correct, that we should not put a religious institution near a place where anyone even remotely connected with that religion may have committed an act that leads to a place being thought “sacred”, where can we put one? I did some extensive research and decided that there is a function: location on planet × degree of sacredness. This determines where some person thinks that a religious institution-free zone must be. After much research (about ten seconds’ worth, which is much more than this debate seems to warrant or get), I came up with the following map: The unshaded areas are where religious institutions may be built without upsetting someone’s sensibilities as to what counts as sacred ground. I therefore propose that all religious institutions immediately be moved to the following regions: North America – somewhere in Idaho, or around Baffen Bay South America – central Amazon, high in the Andes, or Tierra Del Fuego Mesoamerica – nowhere. You’re screwed. You have to worship in Canada. Europe – Northern Finland. Africa – central Sahara, maybe. The information is spotty here, so the entire continent may be Verboten. The Kalahari may also be out. Australia – either the Nullabor Plain, or southern New Zealand. New Zealand – southern tip of the south Island. Asia – northern parts of Siberia, or the center of the Caspian Sea, midway between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Most of the Pacific is okay. Antarctica is fine; anywhere there except Mawson Hut, which is sacred to Australians, and the Wilkins Ice Shelf, which is sacred to me. So, I propose that we immediately move all religious institutions to one of these regions immediately, so as to not offend anybody’s sense of what is sacred. Humor Religion
Administrative Newsgroup worries 28 Jul 2008 Those who are getting very agitated, missing out on their Usenet fix of the group talk.origins, which has been dormant for the past few days, should know that Steps Are Being Taken. Stop emailing me. I don’t know any more than this… go take some other stimulant. Alcohol, chocolate, anything!… Read More
Administrative My present work 10 Oct 2010 Life can be … interesting, for Chinese values thereof. No, I don’t mean the Nobel Prize, although good choice. I mean that I’m presently undergoing some kind of curse. I think it’s called “work” . Work!? So what I’m doing doesn’t translate to meaningful blog posts. Not always (but eventually,… Read More
Are the red areas spheres? Maybe we could build mosques on the moon or put them in low orbit? Or maybe just on really, really tall stilts.
North America – somewhere in Idaho, or around Baffen Bay Your map has Idaho totally red. The area closest to Idaho which is not red is in either south eastern BC or south western Alberta.
Can you imagine the panic that would result in the United States at the prospect ICBMs (Intercontinetal Ballistic Mosques) passing overhead several times a day? Surely the US government will feel it necessary to launch churches, chapels, and even synagogues, in an effort to counter the threat.
Well you just offended all the tribes in Siberia, all the eskimos in Canada and the Sami in Northern Scandinavia. Oh, that bit in the Sahara/Sahel is occupied by, mostly, tribes with their own animist beliefs so probably sacred as well. Why 1000km?
I thought Jon Stewart said that was the distance required… Also I didn’t want to draw lots of small circles, so I assumed that ony those groups that Americans care about should be included.
Sahara: your white spot there has the great mosques of Djenne, Tombouctou, and other cities there. Pacific: Most of the islands already have temples on them, so, no other places of worship there. New Zealand: I thought the Maori settled all of the two islands. Central Amazon: what about the terra-preta cultures? High Andes: Machu Picchu? Northern Siberia: shamanism derives its notion of the sacred from the land, no? Northern Finland: won’t anyone think of Santa Claus? (/whine) So, yeah, about the only place left for new religious buildings is Ellesmere Island. … Wait, didn’t they find Tiktaalik there? So, sacred ground of paleontology. Ah well …
Northern Siberia: shamanism derives its notion of the sacred from the land, no? You are correct, the answer is no. Shamanism is diverse, however it is the spirit of living things and the dead from whom help is sought. Physical locations may be held sacred, but this is most often due to their fertility or because they are or where a source of water in an arid land (i.e. Ayers rock) or their role in the tribe’s mythos.
Yeah’rrrrr, I kind of knew this and was loose in my application. I guess locations serve as indices to the tales of the “living things” and as icons of survival (sources, etc.). Part was my remembering kami (sensu Japanese shinto, casually read) that are tied to regions/locations (genius loci and mythological connection seem to go together there, sometimes).
You all seem to be missing the obvious. The world’s oceans are unshaded and I understand the Mariana Trench is particularly deep and inaccessible spot, for example. Well, there was nothing about it being easy to move or build them there.
Wasn’t there another religion laying claim to that place? I seem to remember some account … dunno … “Roar of Ctholic” or something?
Well Mexico might object, and unless there is about to be another impact, it won’t do any good (and Mexico might object to that, too).