On 18 Jun 2005, at 6:05 pm, Warren Ockrassa wrote:
On Jun 18, 2005, at 9:48 AM, William T Goodall wrote:
One of these identifying features is a prophetic figure whose
revelations form the basis of the religion. Such figures include
Jesus, Hitler, Buddha, Marx. No corresponding individual exists
for capitalism or democracy.
George Washington is a local one. Thomas Jefferson. That drooling
damned-fool ex-cowboy Reagan. And the other George W. These have
achieved something like legendary status among certain circles,
deserved or not.
Rush Limbaugh used to be thought of as a great evangelizer of
certain flavors of "democracy", as well as a particular mode of
capitalism. He might still be among the tragically inbred.
Money is worshipped in the US, to be certain. Apparently you
*haven't* seen a Wal-Mart management conference if you really
believe that money-grubbing isn't an event closely tied to
religious zeal.
Another feature is the holy text: Bible, Mein Kampf, Das Kapital,
Koran. Again, no such text exists for capitalism or democracy.
Apparently you've never heard some Americans go on about the
Constitution. And of course there's the American crucifix -- the flag.
<snip>
You're stretching an actual definition into a metaphor. The features
I listed (plus several others) are the ways anthropologists and
theologians identify religions as opposed to other kinds of
organisations like zaibatsu or bowling leagues.
It might be an apt and amusing metaphor but it is not actually the
case that capitalism is a religion or quasi-religion. It is the case
for Nazism and Stalinism however.
--
William T Goodall
Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk
Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/
'The true sausage buff will sooner or later want his own meat
grinder.' -- Jack Schmidling
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