10-10-10

"If we ask why animals and plants should be the most common totems, that too is clear. The clan does not want as its symbol something distant and vague; it needs an object that is specific, concrete, and near at hand, something closely tied to its daily experience.

Pals, Daniel L. Eight Theories of Religion. 2nd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

C: In this passage, Pals discusses Durkheim's argument about totems, and in particular the earthiness of their symbology. The passage argues that the symbol chosen for totems is so terrestrial as a means of avoiding the vague of the beyond; as it is the symbol of their tribe, it must be something real, something tangible they can share. This likely strengthens their covenant with the object, as it reflects a reality they understand.

However, I wonder why the Abrahamic religions cast aside this earthiness, directly forbidding the embodiment of the spiritual in the physical. At most, the Jews had their Ark and the Muslims the black-rock--yet both of these embody the higher, more ethereal power of God. Perhaps this furthers the importance of their god's omnipotence, but I wonder how this helps their culture stay unified socially.