I see it more as a general function of the Christian tradition, which in Western civilization has combined the political and economic hegemony of religious institutions with a doctrine that champions the virtues of poverty. Reform movements have often established themselves by contrasting their own lack of resources with the wealth of existing organizations. Accomplishing these movements' goals usually requires more resources and access to power, however, and thus poverty is often de-emphasized or reinterpreted (e.g. individual poverty vs. organizational resources) as time goes on. Even though many magical traditions are not Christian, it's likely that their attitudes toward money are being cast in terms of the same discourse.
Dan Harms
Coordinator of Instruction Librarian
State University of New York - Cortland
Memorial Library B-110
(607) - 753-4042
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From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on behalf of Chas S. Clifton
Sent: Sun 8/20/2006 4:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Selling Shamanic Training to Survive
On 20 Aug,06, at 1:58 PM, Sabina Magliocco wrote:
>
> 1) Why and how did the prejudice towards money/ spirituality
> develop in the West? and
>
I will hazard a totally unsupported opinion that it is a cultural echo
of the Protestant Reformation--the condemnation of the selling
of indulgences and so forth.
Chas
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"Letter from Hardscrabble Creek" -- a Pagan writer's blog
http://www.chasclifton.com/blogger.html
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