Quote:
Originally Posted by Low C Sharp
I don't find visiting other churches to be boring in the slightest! I am fascinated by the opportunity to observe religious rituals of many faiths, especially in foreign countries. There is a great deal to be learned there, even if you don't believe the spiritual aspects of the ritual.
For example, I've attended many Catholic masses, and of course I do not take communion. I'm sure that the experience of Mass is very different for someone who believes in transsubstantiation. But I get a great deal out of it nonetheless. It is literature, it is history, it is sociology, and it helps me to understand the people who ARE believers.
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I think the comparison of ritual to Catholic mass (or any other religious ritual) is very fitting. Simply reading it would not provide you the full effect, nor would being an observer at it (or listening through the door
) because you are not truly a part of it. You are not experiencing that ritual as a member who lives it out each day, so it does not have that aspect of meaning to it. That being said, you would still gain
something from it. I like that Low C Sharp pointed out that it can help you understand the people who are believers...I think this is true for most rituals. Personally, I know that my ritual has shaped much of who I am today. I believe it is my duty as a member of my organization to embody the ideals set out in our ritual. Knowing that ritual might help you understand a bit more about me, and you might find some meaning/application of parts of it to your own life, but you would not get the full effect of it.
The true, indescribable meaning behind all ritual events is the
real secret. That secret will remain safe, no matter who tries to divulge it, because it is so deeply personal. It's like trying to define love...you can tell someone what it is, even try to describe what it's like. But until they've truly been in love, they're not really going to understand it!