Quantcast
Channel: Vita Contemplativa » Note
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 26

Demonic Gloom

$
0
0

There is a wonderful word in the Russian language that describes an especially outrageous sort of religious practices, targeted specifically at anything secular, usually in a violent manner: ‘mrakobesiye’. The word is a composite of two: gloom (or darkness) and demon. It is as if darkness turns into a demon and acts accordingly.

The acts of such nature drew some attention recently in the US as a few wonderful merchants started refusing service to gays (bake or deliver flowers for weddings) citing their religious beliefs. In Russia, strengthening the law of “Hurting believers’ feelings” by criminalizing such “hurtful” acts was adopted in 2013 on the heels of the Pussy Riot scandal. A somewhat milder, positive (not persecuting hurtful acts, but promoting religious expression)  version of the same exists in the US under the name of Religious Freedom Restoration Act (unclear why freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution needed to be “restored”, implying some tradition of “suppression”).

Despite Freud’s assurances to the contrary, religion is still strong, and will probably remain very strong for a foreseeable future. Actions of the aforementioned business owners shed some light on the reason why. These are classical examples of Lacan’s reversal of Dostoyevsky’s famous claim in the Karamazov Brothers: “If there is no God, everything is permitted!” According to Lacan, it is just the opposite: “If there is no God, nothing is permitted”. It is easy to see why: if a person agrees to become part of a symbolic order, such as a church for instance, then s/he can deposit a substantial share of personal ethics with that order. Let some Big Other (God) be responsible. In exchange, this person gets a carte blanche to enjoy. In effect the symbolic order says: “Join us, and you will be able to enjoy hating and even harming people with impunity. Not only that, this enjoyment may even become a virtue. The alternative (being on your own), means submitting to the terrifying super-ego agency that will plague you for your ethical choices without mercy or redemption forever, effectively banning you from doing what you like.”

Perhaps we need more acts of this nature in our society. Perhaps seeing these grotesque displays of “faith” more people would think twice before joining a church of any kind.



Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 26

Trending Articles