handofdave wrote:
The devotional aspect is always present, so I guess this is what you mean by it not being purely hedonistic- but there is a place for pleasure in most religions. Within bounds, of course, but pleasure itself isn't outlawed, unless you're talking about the most extreme forms, which distrust all pleasure as being seductively destroying.
What I mean is 'pleasure' in religion is always conditional as much as devotional. Pure pleasure isn't subject to anything other than your own sense of it.
Even those happy clappy holly rollin' gospel outings, there will sure be alot of dancing and hugging but it will always be punctuated with 'praise the lord' - ie he's[i/] the one making you so joyous, don't [i]forget it!
Now if it were possible to transcend the god bit in that context something special might be happening, but there the buck stops.
Brings me back to my own belief that humanity would get on better if we all learned to look at ourselves an not for some great scapegoat or disclaimer! 'Would force us to face up to good and the bad within ourselves.
Another topic I know.
x
