Culture and Religion

[Xirian]

I tend to see culture as encompassing all aspects of a geographical area. But from reading some of the posts here it appears that others see religion encompassing culture, if that makes any sense.

I personally am interested in the Italian Culture on a whole and with that comes information on cooking, hobbies, family, religion, history, specific regional differences, witchcraft, geographical information, etc...

I don't focus all of my energy on the aspect of religion in one area and then through learning about that particular religion start learning about history. I focus on everything and I've noticed that it all ends up coming together. But I feel that basing things mostly around a religion is not as important, to me, as seeing things the other way around.

But then I will be accused of avoiding a certain religion because I'm not necessarily focusing on it, as others perhaps would like or from what others can see from some of my posts here (even though I spent a great amount of time and a bit of my life focusing on one particular italian witchcraft religion, only to put things aside and start actually listening to the people of the area and learning about their culture, when I realized that religion wasn't for me anymore and that I didn't agree with the teachings). Perhaps there are other aspects of the culture that are more interesting to me and the religion I focus on at different times when it actually comes up in the history I'm studying.

I don't necessarily separate culture and religion, they tend to go hand in hand along with all the things I mentioned above. But my focus is certainly not on religion, but moreso on gleaning information about my own spirituality from learning about the history, culture, religion, way of life of other people.

So what are your thoughts about this? Am I seeing things completely skewed?

[Infinite Grey]

Culture is not a simple thing... terms such as Italian Culture, or American Culture, Or Japanese culture are merely blanket terms given to a group of people in a particular nationality. Culture is a term used to describe a collection of similar ideals and traditions upheld by one or more persons.

For example, A person that lives in Maine will have a different culture than someone living in Texas... or a businessman compared to a farmer. Or even the way you interact with your family and friends compared to how I do.

A national culture is a collection of all these cultures in a general sense... in places like Italy, the religious cultures is very predominant and is seen in large spectrum over the national populous... where as in other nations the religious cultures may vary in greatly.

But food is also very predominant in the Italian general culture, as is family. There is no reason why you can't study a specific culture within a nation, they're all as valid as each other... though it would be better if you specify which culture holds your interest.


Cultural levels (off the top of my head)
Global cultures (The West, The East... ect)
Religious general cultures (Christians, Hindus, Muslims)
National cultures (Italy, France, Australian, Canada, Brazil)
Caste cultures (Noble, common..)
Economic cultures (rich, poor, middle class)
Geographical cultures (Mountain, alpine, desert)
Regional cultures (states, provinces)
Educational cultures
Business cultures (office, building site...)
habitation cultures (City, town, village, rural)
Life Style cultures (Heterosexual, Homosexuals, vegetarians, asexual, specific religious [Catholic, Baptist, wiccan], health fanatic)
Creative cultures (music, art, literature)
Cosmetic culture (dress sense: Goth, neat )
Family culture
Personal culture
The list could go on for ever...

[Xirian]

A national culture is a collection of all these cultures in a general sense... in places like Italy, the religious cultures is very predominant and is seen in large spectrum over the national populous... where as in other nations the religious cultures may vary in greatly.
Agree with this above comments and the ones before it.


But food is also very predominant in the Italian general culture, as is family. There is no reason why you can't study a specific culture within a nation, they're all as valid as each other... though it would be better if you specify which culture holds your interest.
Quite frankly no one has ever cared to ask me what type of culture or specific region of Italy holds my interest the most, (except on my own forum). I have two regions that I'm very interested it, but not only do I try to learn about the religions of those regions, but also the current state, the history, the cuisine, the crafts, etc... Simply because I do not focus on the religion solely, doesn't mean that it's not something that I avoid. I don't focus on religion in most of my conversations here because it's not as interesting to me as other aspects. However, this doesn't mean that I don't try to study about it in regards to whatever I am studying about.

I think in studying about a certain region, all the things you list below are apart of that research. None are excluded and I study them as the information comes to me. Of course, because I can relate to it a bit better, I have been trying to focus on what is going on now and relate that to what I know about the history of that particular place to glean more of a holistic idea and/or story about the people and the place.

Hope that makes sense.



Cultural levels (off the top of my head)
Global cultures (The West, The East... ect)
Religious general cultures (Christians, Hindus, Muslims)
National cultures (Italy, France, Australian, Canada, Brazil)
Caste cultures (Noble, common..)
Economic cultures (rich, poor, middle class)
Geographical cultures (Mountain, alpine, desert)
Regional cultures (states, provinces)
Educational cultures
Business cultures (office, building site...)
habitation cultures (City, town, village, rural)
Life Style cultures (Heterosexual, Homosexuals, vegetarians, asexual, specific religious [Catholic, Baptist, wiccan], health fanatic)
Creative cultures (music, art, literature)
Cosmetic culture (dress sense: Goth, neat )
Family culture
Personal culture
The list could go on for ever...

[Infinite Grey]

Quite frankly no one has ever cared to ask me what type of culture or specific region of Italy holds my interest the most, (except on my own forum).


That is because most people do not really understand the nature of culture... they make general assumptions, which leads to them not really understanding a culture when they do study one. It's a bit like the general concept of paganism; A lot of people just assume they're just Earth Based religions... or just non-Christian.



I have two regions that I'm very interested it, but not only do I try to learn about the religions of those regions, but also the current state, the history, the cuisine, the crafts, etc... Simply because I do not focus on the religion solely, doesn't mean that it's not something that I avoid. I don't focus on religion in most of my conversations here because it's not as interesting to me as other aspects. However, this doesn't mean that I don't try to study about it in regards to whatever I am studying about.

Oh I get yah... Religion isn't the be-all and end-all of cultures! Far from it. Example, there is far more to Muslim nations than just Islam.



I think in studying about a certain region, all the things you list below are apart of that research. None are excluded and I study them as the information comes to me. Of course, because I can relate to it a bit better, I have been trying to focus on what is going on now and relate that to what I know about the history of that particular place to glean more of a holistic idea and/or story about the people and the place.

That isn't a bad way to work... though to be thorough, you must study all aspects with intensity... but it's good if you're only doing it out of casual interest.



Hope that makes sense.


perfect sense

[Xirian]

That is because most people do not really understand the nature of culture... they make general assumptions, which leads to them not really understanding a culture when they do study one. It's a bit like the general concept of paganism; A lot of people just assume they're just Earth Based religions... or just non-Christian.
I have thought this many times. I'm sure I do this in relation to other things as well, make assumptions. But I try to learn from my mistakes quickly.


Oh I get yah... Religion isn't the be-all and end-all of cultures! Far from it. Example, there is far more to Muslim nations than just Islam.
That's my view, but by talking to others you would think that's where everything begins and ends. I guess I view things differently.


That isn't a bad way to work... though to be thorough, you must study all aspects with intensity... but it's good if you're only doing it out of casual interest.
I think I tend to start off studying casually, but then I start becoming more intent or thorough when I find something that is interesting (the two regions mentioned in my previous post), which leads me to a more thorough study of all things related to it.


perfect sense
Cool, thank you for taking the time to comment on this.

[Shadow Dreamer]

About the only thing I can add to your intentions and interpretations, is that depending on how far back in the history of Italy, and/or depending on the particular area you are interested in, religion sometimes cannot be separated from the culture. Think of Rome itself. The "Holy City". So much of Rome is about Christianity and the Vatican, that to study any part of the culture of Rome, you have to understand something (not everything mind you) about the religion that pervades the area. If you look further back into the history of Rome, quite a bit of what happened was based on what the Gods would like for us to do (or at least that's howt they explained their own self-serving natures....just my interpretation of history). But then to balance that out, there are geographic areas that really didn't concern themselves with religion and their culture would be something completely different than that of the city of Rome.....it all depends on what area you are interested in, and as Peacock mentioned, how in depth you want to go.

[Xirian]

About the only thing I can add to your intentions and interpretations, is that depending on how far back in the history of Italy, and/or depending on the particular area you are interested in, religion sometimes cannot be separated from the culture.
I completely agree with that and don't think it should be separated, but I don't have to practice it to study about it. I think there is a big difference when someone is only studying about a religion in one area and feels that that's how people should learn about the culture as well. I have implied that I'm not interested in a particular religion (anymore), and it was assumed that I wasn't interested in the culture either. Which isn't true. I was interested in studying that particular religion and only that religion, a while back, but was neglecting what was going on in regards to the culture and what the people are doing there now and comparing both, because I was so caught up in the religious aspects and the rituals and trying to understand the broken history of that particular religion instead of letting it all flow with learning about the culture as a whole. I have an interest in history, but I also have an interest in current culture as well.

I think that in studying someone's culture that all aspects should be focused on and not just one, i.e., religion.