Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Chicken Girl · 08-14-2003, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mark9950
I will be cooking leg of lamb tomorrow.

I don't think you're supposed to eat the offering.

lpetrich · 08-14-2003, 10:23 PM

Why just prayers? Why not rain dances?

If doing rain dances causes rain, then so much the better. But if it doesn't, then you are no worse off then if you had never done them.

So let's organize some rain dances.

Mageth · 08-14-2003, 10:51 PM

Why limit it to rain dances? Read Chapter 5 of Fraser's Golden Bough for all sorts of interesting and inventive ways to magically bring rain. Some of my favorites:

Quote:

To put an end to drought and bring down rain, women and girls of the village of Ploska are wont to go naked by night to the boundaries of the village and there pour water on the ground.
...
When the rains do not come in due season the people of Central Angoniland repair to what is called the rain-temple. Here they clear away the grass, and the leader pours beer into a pot which is buried in the ground, while he says, ;Master Chauta, you have hardened your heart towards us, what would you have us do? We must perish indeed. Give your children the rains, there is the beer we have given you.; Then they all partake of the beer that is left over, even the children being made to sip it. Next they take branches of trees and dance and sing for rain. When they return to the village they find a vessel of water set at the doorway by an old woman; so they dip their branches in it and wave them aloft, so as to scatter the drops. After that the rain is sure to come driving up in heavy clouds.
...
In a district of Transylvania when the ground is parched with drought, some girls strip themselves naked, and, led by an older woman, who is also naked, they steal a harrow and carry it across the fields to a brook, where they set it afloat. Next they sit on the harrow and keep a tiny flame burning on each corner of it for an hour. Then they leave the harrow in the water and go home. A similar rain-charm is resorted to in some parts of India; naked women drag a plough across a field by night, while the men keep carefully out of the way, for their presence would break the spell.
...
In a district of Sumatra, in order to procure rain, all the women of the village, scantily clad, go to the river, wade into it, and splash each other with the water. A black cat is thrown into the stream and made to swim about for a while, then allowed to escape to the bank, pursued by the splashing of the women.

All sure to be just as effective, but far more entertaining, than old men in pointy hats raising fervent entreaties to their particular primitive deity.

sakrilege · 08-15-2003, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SignOfTheCross
No, we'll just be thankful.

Like I said, what is disgusting is the claim of victory.

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08-14-2003, 10:23 PM	#22
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Why just prayers? Why not rain dances? If doing rain dances causes rain, then so much the better. But if it doesn't, then you are no worse off then if you had never done them. So let's organize some rain dances.

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