On 9/3/02 PBS Channel 21 broadcast from Springfield, MO a "Frontline" documentary about the effects on American faith of the 9/11 attack on the towers a year before. Interviews with people affected revealed the depth of American confusion about the loaded words "God" and "evil."
Fortunately a way out was demonstrated in Joseph Campbell's PBS conversations with Bill Moyers: "The Power of Myth" (1988 ). Campbell's thinking had grown beyond the outworn notion of a "personal" God; which was one hang-up disclosed by "Frontline" interviewees. How could "He" let such things happen? (As though a Father-child relationship had been breached.)
Campbell's mature approach entails return for guidance to nature. The latter word rather magically incorporates a continually replenishing reference to concrete experience (understandable through common rationality).
Guidance from nature can be enriched by consulting global mythology. It's a repository of human experience over the ages (like the common law and ordinary colloquial language). It is vital to remember, however, that mythology reports lessons learned in "symbolic" form.
When approached with that proviso, mythology "indexes" an archetypal code of life which can be discerned instructively -- beyond words -- with symbolic thinking (in terms of constantly streaming imagery apparent -- if neglected -- to the dreamy minds-eye).
Fuzzy thinking results though from mistaking mythological fantasies for "factual" history; especially when religion demands blind belief in their accuracy -- regardless of direct evidence from experience -- because we've been taught that way for centuries. (with words)*
*Campbell showed how this (rather expectable) "abuse" of mythology obscures ways by which the real Divinity is manifested throughout nature. The "personal" God contrived by western religions exemplifies this contortion of language. Symbolic thinking is needed to sort out the confusion; starting with the Bible's advice to set aside "childish ways." This species has grown so far upon the same kind of fairy tales we teach our young'uns. (Again, in words. Now it's time to learn additionally how to think in pictures.)
Religious folks have spun out of mythology some usages of "God" and "evil" that function rather like loose cannons -- in whatever ways might get prompted by "wishful" thinking. The usages float freely from any context of concrete experience. (That's how they become frankly incoherent: untestable.)
A common example rises from temptation for the softest-minded characters among us -- "true believers", "pharisees" and "black robes," notably -- to strive for power over others in the name of "God." The ploy is used, of course, to attack "evil" sinners and infidels. (Perchance sheep scapin' goats.)
The rest of us are vulnerable to such weak-minded windbaggage for lack of education to think for ourselves. (The obvious way to disarm demagogues is to grow up and laugh at their fussy bossiness.)
Indeed the individuation (self-actualization) of common citizenry is the remedy available for nonsensical attacks on towers. That means growin' beyond the crutch of assumptions about a benign Father who supposedly thinks for us. It's a safe bet that we're really expected to figure things out for ourselves (in this hard school of knocks).
It should then become self-evident that unbalanced "evil" is a function of whiney immaturity and confusion about words. (A matter of "incompletion," as once opined by Spinoza.) There is need for stoic acceptance of reality as dealt.
This drift of understanding is confirmable by some encouraging revelations about human nature in the "Frontline" program: the heroism of doomed firemen and cops, for example; and the way grimy rescue workers honored the remains of dead dug out of the ruins.
Humans are necessarily growin'up. Treatment of one another can improve apace with an enlightened self-interest to enjoy life in a world of fairness and justice.
The Golden Rule may well be the best single remnant from the old world of dogma – which trained us for a brave new world...
Stone County
September 5, 2002