“Let us assume… that ‘A work of art may be full of philosophical concepts;’ let us also assume that religion is mythology, and mythology is partially art and partially philosophy. We also have said that mythology, or myth, is the basis of culture. All cultures are founded on certain beliefs which are shared by its members and around which they build their lives. The true claim of a religious life in the reconciliation of conflicts is the realization that the very conflicting attitudes reveal the ultimate claim that Man has made upon himself, considering himself whole, in the degree possible in this life. If man was not whole, he could not impose his logic upon God’s logic. Mythology, it seems has made this claim upon man patent and keeps it alive. Without going into detail about this claim, I would merely assert that religion is an uncritical attempt to present reality-hence it must yield to philosophy. Religious and mythological symbols call for philosophical interpretation or language to expose their meaning. An authentic religion cannot deny the presence of forces in human life and in the world; African religious attitudes admit to the presence of these forces in the universe. The tragedy has been that most scholars have considered African World-View as merely animistic. This, however, has shattered all attempts to advance to a more sophisticated level of theologizing.” Dr. Henry Olela “From Ancient Africa to Ancient Greece: An Introduction to the History of Philosophy” Page 46
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 10:55:05 +0000
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