The bible and Anthropoligy

[AerodynamicOwl]

Man acquires at birth, through heredity, a biological constitution which we must consider fixed and unalterable, including the natural urges which are characteristic of the human species. In addition, during his lifetime, he acquires a cultural constitution which he adopts from society through communication and through many other types of influences. It is this cultural constitution which, with the passage of time, is subject to change and which determines to a very large extent the relationship between the individual and society.






"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.


How Possibly could that verse have been proved true back then? or was it that the bible was referring to the individual family unit?

Anyone care to add their two cents?

- yes i am aware that i butchered the thread title.

[AerodynamicOwl]

Anyone? Anyone?

[AerodynamicOwl]

Beuler?

[Invincible Summer]

I'm not even quite sure what you're asking, to be honest.

[Hiero]

It is this cultural constitution which, with the passage of time, is subject to change and which determines to a very large extent the relationship between the individual and society.




"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.


Are you saying these two passages are the same?

The bibble is filled with metaphors. This one could could mean family, kindgdom, church, sect or the whole of humanity. You could even use that justify genocide.

Check out the Anthropologist Mary Douglas if you can, she has some stuff on the bible.

[AerodynamicOwl]

Are you saying these two passages are the same?

The bibble is filled with metaphors. This one could could mean family, kindgdom, church, sect or the whole of humanity. You could even use that justify genocide.

Check out the Anthropologist Mary Douglas if you can, she has some stuff on the bible.


See, this is where most people find confusion in the bible, is in the context in which it is said. THe passage in context was dealing with the family unit.

[danyboy27]

See, this is where most people find confusion in the bible, is in the context in which it is said. THe passage in context was dealing with the family unit.

and its probably the worst metaphor ever, its not beccause your parent where nazi that you will be a nazi, or if your parents are drunk that you will be a drunk.

inversely, some people raised in model home and model family became violent rapist and sociopath.

this passage is just a stupid generalisation based on nothing but empty space.

[Hiero]

and its probably the worst metaphor ever, its not beccause your parent where nazi that you will be a nazi, or if your parents are drunk that you will be a drunk.

inversely, some people raised in model home and model family became violent rapist and sociopath.

this passage is just a stupid generalisation based on nothing but empty space.

Your statement is problematic. The bible is a cultural artefact, a product of a culture and reinforcer of a culture. It does not have to be a good metaphor, it is the fact that the metaphor has a use in a historical context that it is significant. In a Marxist analysis it is a cultural reflection (ideological, meaning imaginary) of the family unit in that era of that specific productive forces and relations of production. There is more meaning behind it then first appears, as in it has more to do with property relations when read beyond a shallow level.

It is hard to explain what I am getting at, but it is like looking a picture of Che and saying "that is stupid". It is not a coherent response as it doesn't make sense. It doesn't explain the picture.

At a literally level the bible is stupid and in my daily life even more stupid. But anthropology is not ego-centred on part of the reader of culture. It explores the use of cultural artifacts.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Are you referring to the "nature vs. nature" debate? Anyway the bible was produced by an agrarian society who had some knowledge of breeding animals, hybridization, developing new strains of fruit and grain. Wheat was first domesticated in the Middle East around maybe around 8000 BC, I believe. People during this time did not have a theory of genetics, but they were certainly aware of plant and animal breeding. It seems the bible was using this as a metaphor for human nature.

[AerodynamicOwl]

and its probably the worst metaphor ever, its not beccause your parent where nazi that you will be a nazi, or if your parents are drunk that you will be a drunk.

inversely, some people raised in model home and model family became violent rapist and sociopath.

this passage is just a stupid generalisation based on nothing but empty space.



Man acquires at birth, through heredity, a biological constitution which we must consider fixed and unalterable, including the natural urges which are characteristic of the human species. In addition, during his lifetime, he acquires a cultural constitution which he adopts from society through communication and through many other types of influences. It is this cultural constitution which, with the passage of time, is subject to change and which determines to a very large extent the relationship between the individual and society.
You misunderstand me. I wasnt referring to Habits Per Se, but referring to the connections of personality. YOu obviously dont have a firm grasp of biology if you dont think that genetic variations cause certain personality traits that are passed down from line to line. Ive wittnessed it many times in nature and society.

[AerodynamicOwl]

Are you referring to the "nature vs. nature" debate? Anyway the bible was produced by an agrarian society who had some knowledge of breeding animals, hybridization, developing new strains of fruit and grain. Wheat was first domesticated in the Middle East around maybe around 8000 BC, I believe. People during this time did not have a theory of genetics, but they were certainly aware of plant and animal breeding. It seems the bible was using this as a metaphor for human nature.

.................... I guess i really wasnt clear.