"Religion: here a mystical, ritualistic pantheism, with Her the symbol and embodiment of all that was divine; among the enemy, only a harsh materialistic theory of history."
-Poul Anderson, The Corridors Of Time, CHAPTER FOURTEEN, p. 125.
Some assumptions here: materialism need not be either "only" or "harsh." Let's define some terms. I suggest -
mysticism: intuition of oneness;
materialism: the philosophical theory that being preceded consciousness;
mystification: obscuration.
Mysticism is not mystification and is compatible with materialism. Engels wrote that man is that animal in which nature becomes conscious of itself.
Dialectical materialism is not reductionist but recognizes that new qualities, especially consciousness, emerge from interactions between opposites and from quantitative changes becoming qualitative transformations. The Rangers' philosophy could be liberating instead of harsh. It might even be expressed through pantheistic rituals, yogic exercises and Zen meditation.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
But I don't believe in materialism and mysticism only makes sense when directed OUTWARDS to God or the First Cause. Also, I wonder how truly "materialistic" the Rangers were. I recall how Malcolm noticed a Byzantine style icon of a Christian saint in Brann's office. Are at least some Rangers Christians? That would mean they were not all "harshly materialistic."
Sean
Sean,
I took it that the Rangers displayed symbols of whichever movements they had backed in the course of history. People in various movements did not know that it was really the Rangers behind them.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That too is a possibility. But, we see enough of Brann that I can't help but wonder if there were deeper and more serious motivations as well. At least with some Rangers.
Sean
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