The Gift of DeathThe Gift of Death

Bryan DreilingBryan Dreiling

Law and Society SeminarLaw and Society Seminar

December 5, 2002December 5, 2002

Asking the Ontological QuestionAsking the Ontological Question

The attempt of this presentation is to The attempt of this presentation is to step back and look at religion in the step back and look at religion in the context of being … we will be looking context of being … we will be looking at religion as a genealogyat religion as a genealogy

By examining religion this way, we By examining religion this way, we will be able to better understand the will be able to better understand the intersections of law and religion.intersections of law and religion.

Background InformationBackground Information

Jacques Derrida is post-modern Jacques Derrida is post-modern philosopher from France.philosopher from France.

Most of his texts deal with linguistic Most of his texts deal with linguistic deconstructiondeconstruction

French JewFrench Jew This book he is critiquing Jan This book he is critiquing Jan

Patocka’s Patocka’s Heretical EssaysHeretical Essays..

Religion as ResponsibilityReligion as Responsibility

““Religion is responsibility or it is Religion is responsibility or it is nothing at all … In the authentic nothing at all … In the authentic sense of the word, religion comes sense of the word, religion comes into being the moment that the into being the moment that the experience of responsibility extracts experience of responsibility extracts itself from that form of secrecy called itself from that form of secrecy called demonic mystery “demonic mystery “

Beginning the genealogyBeginning the genealogy

The starting point of this discussion The starting point of this discussion is the time when uncontrollable is the time when uncontrollable violence and chaos ruled the earth.violence and chaos ruled the earth.

The orgiastic mysteryThe orgiastic mystery Can equate the orgiastic to the Can equate the orgiastic to the

demonicdemonic

The Orgiastic … The DemonicThe Orgiastic … The Demonic

DESIREDESIRE The urge everyone has to “sin” to do The urge everyone has to “sin” to do

wrongwrong Internal Urge … External sourcesInternal Urge … External sources

EVILNESSEVILNESS THE SEX OF THE DEMONICTHE SEX OF THE DEMONIC

That pleasure of violence, chaos, That pleasure of violence, chaos, destructiondestruction

To our savior … PlatoTo our savior … Plato

The Form of the “Good”The Form of the “Good” The noble plight to lead ones-self away The noble plight to lead ones-self away

from the orgiastic to something betterfrom the orgiastic to something better External in natureExternal in nature

Good became privileged over the Good became privileged over the orgiastic.orgiastic. Good existence was to control and master Good existence was to control and master

the orgiastic.the orgiastic. In short, the orgiastic was repressed by In short, the orgiastic was repressed by

Platonism.Platonism.

Next in Line … ChristianityNext in Line … Christianity

Christianity was an evolution of Christianity was an evolution of Platonic thought and incorporated it Platonic thought and incorporated it in a number of waysin a number of ways Changed from exterior to interior gaze.Changed from exterior to interior gaze. Continued the idea of “good” but not as Continued the idea of “good” but not as

something that was inaccessible … not a something that was inaccessible … not a form … but rather a way of life to liveform … but rather a way of life to live

Hence, religion is responsibilityHence, religion is responsibility

To sum up …To sum up …

““Platonic mystery thus represses Platonic mystery thus represses orgiastic mystery and Christian orgiastic mystery and Christian mystery incorporates Platonic mystery incorporates Platonic mystery”mystery”

The “Orgiastic Floodwaters”The “Orgiastic Floodwaters” One must never forget, and precisely for One must never forget, and precisely for

political reasons, that the mystery that is political reasons, that the mystery that is incorporated, then repressed, is never incorporated, then repressed, is never destroyed …Orgiastic mystery recurs destroyed …Orgiastic mystery recurs indefinitely, it is always at work, not only in indefinitely, it is always at work, not only in Platonism, as we have seen, but also in Platonism, as we have seen, but also in Christianity ... Patocka encourages us to Christianity ... Patocka encourages us to learn a political lesson from this, one for learn a political lesson from this, one for today and tomorrow, by reminding us that today and tomorrow, by reminding us that every revolution, whether atheistic or every revolution, whether atheistic or religious, bears witness to a return of the religious, bears witness to a return of the sacred in the form of an enthusiasm or sacred in the form of an enthusiasm or fever, otherwise known as the presence of fever, otherwise known as the presence of gods within us gods within us

Law and SocietyLaw and Society

The orgiastic is with us … it works against The orgiastic is with us … it works against us as desire as the demonicus as desire as the demonic

But at the same time it is repressed … But at the same time it is repressed … mastered by Platonism and that repression mastered by Platonism and that repression is incorporated by Christianityis incorporated by Christianity

George Carlin says satirically that “Thou George Carlin says satirically that “Thou Shall not kill” should be “thou shall not kill Shall not kill” should be “thou shall not kill unless your god is different than mine”unless your god is different than mine”

I will contend that is religion using the I will contend that is religion using the orgiastic mystery that it has mastered.orgiastic mystery that it has mastered.

Law and Society ContinuedLaw and Society Continued

Fred PhelpsFred Phelps CrusadesCrusades War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan WWIIWWII Republicans Republicans

Back to ResponsibilityBack to Responsibility

The Gift of DeathThe Gift of Death Maintain the History of ResponsibilityMaintain the History of Responsibility A Gift that you “give yourself”A Gift that you “give yourself”

You give yourself this gift by not allowing You give yourself this gift by not allowing the orgiastic to gain a foothold in your lifethe orgiastic to gain a foothold in your life

Since Christianity is internal with the Since Christianity is internal with the external looking down upon you, it is up to external looking down upon you, it is up to you to maintain this responsibilityyou to maintain this responsibility

You are held accountable for itYou are held accountable for it This is how you give yourself the giftThis is how you give yourself the gift

Full Circle … Stephen CarterFull Circle … Stephen Carter

Carter wants the public square to be Carter wants the public square to be opened up to more religious opened up to more religious thoughts. I now think I know how thoughts. I now think I know how this could become a universal realitythis could become a universal reality

Follow me into this hypothetical Follow me into this hypothetical world:world:

Carters RealityCarters Reality

A world where the orgiastic is repressed A world where the orgiastic is repressed and not used as a tool.and not used as a tool.

A world where there is no middle ground A world where there is no middle ground of “benevolent evil”of “benevolent evil”

You would not have to worry about the You would not have to worry about the genuine nature of Pat Robertson anymore, genuine nature of Pat Robertson anymore, or worry about Oral Roberts getting struck or worry about Oral Roberts getting struck down, or the hate and intolerance of Fred down, or the hate and intolerance of Fred Phelps.Phelps.

TURN RELIGION IN RESPONSIBILITY and TURN RELIGION IN RESPONSIBILITY and open up the public forum to all thoughts.open up the public forum to all thoughts.