EP88: René Girard: The Founding of Religion and State - Gracearchy with Jim Babka

This is the most important episode of Gracearchy, yet.Show more

The work of René Girard provides the "anthropological underpinnings" of Gracearchy with Jim Babka. Anthropology is the study of human society, including its origins, culture, social structures, and language. That's a pretty big topic, but this episode goes deeper.

Girard's work is much like a "Theory of Everything." We recognize that this might be a turn-off. Some people prefer to show more sophistication by having a big catalog of explanations, perhaps two for every different subject. But in this episode, we show how Girard's work starts as a literary theory, then journeys on to anthropology and psychology, then travels through mythology, theology, and, finally, sociology.

By traveling this path, as you will in this episode, you learn the origin of the State and of religion.

And not only those things, but also the source of cultural rituals, political behaviors, and war.

We cover all of that in this one episode! So the claim, that this is the most important episode we've yet done... Well, that's real.

The Scapegoat

The original goal of this episode was to cover and explain the role of the Scapegoat in René Girard's theory. But the conversation took off in inspired ways.

The concept of the Scapegoat sits at the intersection of my personal theology and my Voluntaryist social philosophy. And Jim couldn't help himself -- he had to explain how it fits into a big picture.

The Scapegoat is a sacrificial concept. Both institutional religion and statism are founded in and sustained by the blood of innocents. And the recognition of the Scapegoat can be an invitation to the end of superstition.

Our journey includes Oedipus, Caiaphas, Hobbes, Nietzsche, and Kaepernick (yes, the quarterback). Examples from literature, history, and current events are also included.

We hope you'll listen, slowly, carefully -- maybe even twice. This episode is that foundational.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Opening
1:01 There was a Part 1
4:39 Mimetic desire
7:07 Mirror rivals
8:33 Hobbes understood mimetic rivalry
12:18 Political parties sell rivalry
15:16 A literary theory becomes anthropology
17:03 Great authors as proto-psychoanalysts
19:25 Thesis for this episode
20:33 Mythological solution to violence
22:54 Understanding the Scapegoat
25:36 The innocent victim in mythology
31:35 Justifying the sacrificial murder
34:29 Girard discovers a break in the pattern
36:33 Biblical arc away from sacrifice
39:35 Awareness Girardian insight 1
41:46 Sociology, founding religion and state
42:44 Purpose of rituals
45:37 Power is narcotic, mob's cup of blood
46:52 Communion Girardian insight 2
50:10 Judge not - take up your cross
51:44 Nietzsche the great theologian
54:14 Ideologies, current pagan religions
55:34 Religion, Mythological vs Biblical
57:00 Why playing Victim is the power play
59:57 Is Jim pro- or anti-religion?

Show Notes
Episode 7 - René Girard and Memetic Desire: https://youtu.be/8yvv-3WYKIs

Thank you to Sarah Perry whose article "Fluid Rigor" appeared May 4 2017 issue of Ribbonfarm and includes the illustration we use in this episode - https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/05/04/fluid-rigor/

Bill Protzmann is your moderator.

ZERO AGGRESSION PROJECT - https://zeroaggressionproject.org/ - is our sponsor.
But the views expressed are exclusively those of the participants, and not necessarily those of the board, staff, or supporters of the Zero Aggression Project.

Thank you to Randy Garbin for our amazing episode thumbnails: http://randygarbin.com/

We are grateful to Sergio at https://www.youtube.com/@KeysofMoonMusic for our intro theme.
► https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10500501
or
you can purchase his music on BandCamp:
► https://keysofmoon.bandcamp.com/
► If you have any questions please feel free to write to Sergio at: serjo.de.lua.music@gmail.com

Be grace-full to each other.