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    What makes an item sacred?

    Just my mind wandering around today but what makes an item sacred?

    Consider a cross for instance, is it a sacred item to God or is it a sacredness only to a believer and not to that which is believed? Consider the Triton of Poseidon, is it a sacred item to him or only a sacred representation of a weapon to his follower? The bone of a saint, is it sacred because its from the believer or because of the depths of their belief? If the belief then does the belief permeate the item connecting the item making it, ie the belief, the sacredness vice the item itself?

    Just what is it that makes a thing sacred?
    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

    #2
    Re: What makes an item sacred?

    Something is sacred to someone if it is of the utmost importance to the individual, so sacredness (?) is trickle down, not up. If you hold an entity or person as holy, then by extension anything they consider holy is likely to be holy to you, but not the other way round if they don't hold you up as being holy. They may think the same things as you are sacred, but not BECAUSE you do. Rather, because of a shared view of another entity. So, in a way, an item may be holy to both gods and people, and to people because of gods, but unlikely to gods because of people.
    Last edited by Briton; 13 Aug 2016, 11:04.
    I'm not one to ever pray for mercy
    Or to wish on pennies in the fountain or the shrine
    But that day you know I left my money
    And I thought of you only
    All that copper glowing fine

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      #3
      Re: What makes an item sacred?

      Depends on your theory - sacred artifacts were supposed to have magical powers... To heal, to bring luck, to cure disease...

      That means the item itself is "special" in a way that other similar items not associated with sacred events is not.

      However, it you consider these miraculous powers to be based on belief (or non-existant), then it is not the item itself, but the belief of the people/person involved.
      Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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        #4
        Re: What makes an item sacred?

        Nothing.

        Everything.



        ...or this: "“...it’s not that the sacred is here and the profane is over there. Everything is profane if you live on the surface of it, and everything is sacred if you go into the depths of it...”
        — Richard Rohr
        Last edited by thalassa; 13 Aug 2016, 15:13.
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          #5
          Re: What makes an item sacred?

          What makes an item sacred?
          The interpretation of the events surrounding its finding or discovery by the individual involved.
          The blue berry could have been determined to be sacred if a cedar tree had been seen struck by lightning and the following spring a blue berry bush was growing on the stump of that tree. It would be a simple thing to connect the growth of the bush with the destruction of the tree by lightning.

          If the tree had not been seen blown apart by lightning and the bush grew on the stump, it might not be considered sacred in any way.
          The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
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            #6
            Re: What makes an item sacred?

            The intention and importance given to it. I have a little Halloween raven on one of my shrines. To the average person, it's an oddly out of place decoration. To me, it's sacred, because it's a physical representation that I use for Apollo. The cross necklace my mom wears isn't scared to me, because I'm not Christian, but I understand that it's scared to her and many others because it represents her own god.
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              #7
              Re: What makes an item sacred?

              Originally posted by Briton View Post
              Something is sacred to someone if it is of the utmost importance to the individual, so sacredness (?) is trickle down, not up. If you hold an entity or person as holy, then by extension anything they consider holy is likely to be holy to you, but not the other way round if they don't hold you up as being holy. They may think the same things as you are sacred, but not BECAUSE you do. Rather, because of a shared view of another entity. So, in a way, an item may be holy to both gods and people, and to people because of gods, but unlikely to gods because of people.
              Sacred items are basically reduced to being an entirely subjective item that has a history that may or may not be confirmed of aiding living people with miracles.

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                #8
                Re: What makes an item sacred?

                Originally posted by Fenrir View Post
                Sacred items are basically reduced to being an entirely subjective item that has a history that may or may not be confirmed of aiding living people with miracles.
                That's what I said boiled down, yes.
                I'm not one to ever pray for mercy
                Or to wish on pennies in the fountain or the shrine
                But that day you know I left my money
                And I thought of you only
                All that copper glowing fine

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: What makes an item sacred?

                  Originally posted by Briton View Post
                  That's what I said boiled down, yes.
                  Nods. Just clarifying/simplifying

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                    #10
                    Re: What makes an item sacred?

                    If you are in power and you say it is, then it is. Or heads roll.
                    something like that.
                    Satan is my spirit animal

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                      #11
                      Re: What makes an item sacred?

                      Originally posted by Medusa View Post
                      If you are in power and you say it is, then it is. Or heads roll.
                      something like that.
                      Heads only roll in a society where the religion is the forefront of societal interests, such as Dark Ages Europe or 700s Islamic Empire. Threatening gestures to questioning it can only come about through an overwhelmingly in charge religious majority.

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                        #12
                        Re: What makes an item sacred?

                        Originally posted by Fenrir View Post
                        Heads only roll in a society where the religion is the forefront of societal interests, such as Dark Ages Europe or 700s Islamic Empire. Threatening gestures to questioning it can only come about through an overwhelmingly in charge religious majority.
                        Who said anything about religion?
                        Sacred stuff can be non religious in nature.

                        *sets my flag on fire
                        Satan is my spirit animal

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                          #13
                          Re: What makes an item sacred?

                          Is that a "Real" Medusa brand flag???...or a cheap knock off from China...look for the union label


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                          Believe it or don't,there is a Medusa flag,it is the flag of Sicily.


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                            #14
                            Re: What makes an item sacred?

                            The State is sacred to the Chinese government. Oppose it and die. No worship of or reverence for a deity there.

                            Same went for Stalinist Russia, and North Korea.
                            I'm not one to ever pray for mercy
                            Or to wish on pennies in the fountain or the shrine
                            But that day you know I left my money
                            And I thought of you only
                            All that copper glowing fine

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: What makes an item sacred?

                              Surprisingly Medusa was used as a form of protection. Even landing on Alexander the Great's shield. They used to put her face on pots of food to keep little chicldren's hands from digging in where they weren't supposed to!

                              On topic. Things that are considered 'sacred' but aren't religious in nature:
                              Money
                              The spot of the world trade center memorial.
                              My old high school mascot.
                              Rams.
                              Raiders.
                              Walk of fame stars on Hollywood blvd
                              iphones
                              macs
                              that blender in your house that only has one button working but no one better touch it except you.
                              every woman's purse (my male co-workers won't even hand me something inside in front of me. They think it's Pandora's box in there. They hand it to me arms outstretched).
                              vibrators

                              shall I go on
                              Satan is my spirit animal

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