Opening the Doors of Wonder: Reflections on Religious Rites of Passage

305 Pages·2006·1.05 MB·English

by  Arthur J. Magida

OPENING THE DOORS OF WONDER

OPENING THE
DOORS OF WONDER
Reflections on Religious Rites of Passage
ARTHUR J. MAGIDA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles London
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University ofCalifornia Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University ofCalifornia Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2006 by The Regents ofthe University ofCalifornia
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Magida, Arthur J.
Opening the doors ofwonder : reflections on religious rites ofpassage /
Arthur J. Magida.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
isbn-13: 978-0-520-24545-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
isbn-10: 0-520-24545-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Ritual. 2. Rites and ceremonies. 3. Religions—Customs and
practices. I. Title.
bl600.m28 2007
203'.82—dc22 2006007729
Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on New LeafEcoBook 50, a 100% recycled fiber ofwhich
50% is de-inked post-consumer waste, processed chlorine-free. EcoBook 50 is
acid-free and meets the minimum requirements ofansi/astm d5634–01
(Permanence ofPaper).
We can only see as far forward as we can
remember back.
african proverb
Memory is the diary that we all carry about
with us.
oscar wilde

CONTENTS
Prologue 1
Introduction: Sometimes, the Magic Works 11
PART ONE ·CHRISTIANITY: Soldiers for Christ
1. The Descent of the Spirit 21
2. Bob Abernethy: No Fundamental, Life-Changing
Experience 48
3. Chinua Achebe: What Makes Someone Give
Up Their Religion? 55
4. Huston Smith: Religion Saturated the House 64
5. Julia Sweeney: That Soldier-of-Christ, Slap-across-
the-Face Stuª Is Sick 71
6. Jim Zogby: The Wal-Mart-ization of the Church 81
PART TWO ·JUDAISM: Would Anne Frank Sing Karaoke?
7. What,Really,Is a Man? 91
8. Leon Botstein: I’m Tone-Deaf to Belief 104
9. Roz Chast: I Was Like a Spy. Like a Closet Jew 112
10. Rabbi Harold Kushner: I Wanted to Make
My Parents Proud 120
11. Letty and Abigail Pogrebin, Mother
and Daughter: “You Are a Woman” Meant
“You Do the Dishes” 129
12. Ram Dass: Mushrooms Gave Me What I Could
Have Had at My Bar Mitzvah 145
13. Rabbi Jeªrey Salkin: Israel and I Came
of Age Together 152
14. Elie Wiesel: I Am Not God’s Policeman 160
PART THREE ·HINDUISM: Coming to Brahma, Knowing Nirvana
15. The Thread of Life 171
16. Deepak and Gotham Chopra, Father and Son:
Religion Is Frequently Idiotic 183
PART FOUR ·BUDDHISM: Original Perfection versus Original Sin
17. Waking Up 197
18. Roshi John Daido Loori: Born a Buddha.
Die a Buddha 202
19. Robert Thurman: I Looked Like Henry Miller
in Drag 212
PART FIVE ·ISLAM: Seven Essential Words
20. Allah Is One 223
21. Coleman Barks: Just Being Sentient Is Cause
for Rapture 230
22. Dr. Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens): Floating on
a Cloud of Mercy 239
23. Michael Wolfe: I Feel Like a Monotheist with Extra
Credentials 246
Epilogue: Would Anyone Riding by on a Horse
Even Notice? 257
Notes 271
Acknowledgments 291