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iritual awareness rising,
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(Editor's note: In this final installment of a series of
articles about religion on the UNL Campus, the
author examines some of the motivation, behind
religious expression in society, 1974,
By Rebecca Brite
In the 'KOs rnoyenwts arose which purported to
combat society's ills-civil rights and antiwar, marches
to Selma, Ala., and Washington, D.C. -
The movements of the 70s, however, seem
characterized by a different feeling. Encounter groups
and sensitivity training explore behavior and
motivation. Communes leave cities for the country
and the cry is "back to nature."
For the past few weeks the Daily Nebraska has
interviewed campus ministers, students and others in
an effort to examine current thought about religion
and mysticism at UNL.
By far the majority of persons interviewed agreed
that, if interest in and awareness of the spiritual is not
actually rising, at least religious or mystical behavior
is becoming more visible. And everyone agreed there
has been a trend away from social action, toward
inner search.
A recurring question throughout the interviews has
been, "Why?" What in the middle '70s has produced
this apparent change in so many people's approaches
to life?
In interviews Monday some possible answers to
this question were given by a social scientist and a
theologian whose special interests include observing
human reaction to spiritual experiences.
Rayma Shrader has a master's degree in
anthropology and is an instructor with the UNL
Extension Division.
For her thesis she attempted to draw a parallel
between religious movements historically in other
cultures, and present Western interest in mysticism
and the occult,
Shrader said when a society as a whole feels its
existence to be threatened, "revitalistic" religious
rnovsrriciits atsTiosi iitvdiict'uiy wiii rise.
These movements, she said, often f re characterized
by the emergence of Messiah-like feadsrs, "estatic"
behavior (speaking in tongues, trance states, frenzied
dancing) and a belief that dead ancestors will return,
bringing with them the old ways and a better' life.
Shrader said such movements are especially
prevalent when a native culture comes in contact with
a white colonial power. She cited tha Ghost Dance of
the lata 1800s, when thousands of Piains Indians
believed their ancestors would rise to aid them in
overthrowing the white settlers.
Revitalistic movements exhibit the same
characteristics from culture to culture, in every time
and place, she said. She believes that the rapid
changes and shifting values to today's society have
brought about such a movement.
Modern Pentecostal religion, including trance
states and speaking in tongues, current music and
dancing styles, the appearance and acceptance of
world religious leaders and even the nostalgia cra9 all
may be symptons of a new Western revitalism, she
said; a reaction to stress and frustration.
Religion in the 70s also may stem from societal
despair, according to Keith Stephenson, a Biblical
scholar and historical theologian who is a professor at
the Nebraska School of Religion.
"All religious experience begins, generally, with
the realization that things are not as they should be,"
Stephenson said, "and humans usuaKy react one of
two ways to this realization. .
"Either the power of the realization, is turned
anainst things as they are, in order to make them as
they ought to be, or that power turi tta
person's inner self, and enables him to live with things
as they are, in spite of them." ;
Stephenson said that, in the '60s, religious reaction
was largely the first type. Social action movements
were an attempt to make things as they ought to be,
and thus were a form of religious expression.
In thc '70s, he said, religious reaction has switched
to the second type, and takes the form of drawing
into personal emotions and "psychic needs."
Stephenson proposed that the switch may be duo
to "a loss of balance between necessities and
possibilities.
"In other words, people in the '60s saw what
needed to be done, and they felt themselves capable
of doing it," he said. "But now we are deluged with
things needing change, or perhaps we have become
more aware of our own limitations,
" Kierkegaard (a Danish theologian) said that,
when this balance is lost, despair results," he said.
Stephenson summed up his thoughts by saying
that there seem to be two general ways "for people to
make sense of life.
"The first is to deal through the data of life, to be
concerned strictly with the human processes," he
said.
"That was how we worked in the '60s, but the
70s have brought despair, and we have given up
trying to make sense of the human processes. We are
now just trying to make sense of ourselves.
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To you, photography is more
than a hobby. You may never want
to become a professional. Yet, your
photography is as important a
means of self-expression to ycu as
your speech. You demand the
same excellence in your photo
graphic equipment as you do of
your photographic skills.
The Canon F-1 is the camera that
can fulfill any photographic task to
which you put it. It can stand up to
your ability in any situation.
us about p
non F-1. -
hotocrasSw.
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Naturally, a great camera like the
F-1 von't ensure great results.
That's up to you. Yet it's nice to
know that your camera can grow
with you as a photographer.
Part of the reason for this is the
F-1 system. Since it was designed
in totality, it offers total perform
ance. There is nothing "added on"
in the F-1 system. Everything works
as it was designed to, and inte
grates superbly with everything
else. You'll spend less time worrying
about operating the camera than in
shooting. And that's what creative
photography is really ail about.
Controls fall into place under
each finger. It's no accident. Pro
fessionals who depend on a camera
for (heir livelihood have a deep
regard for the F-1's handling. It's
amazing how much a comfortable
camera can improve your work.
Sharing these lenses and many
of these accessories are the new
Electronic Canon EF, with fully
automatic exposure control, the
FTb, now improved with all expo
sure information visible in the
finder, and the TLb, great for a
second camera body or for getting
started in Canon photography.
Canon. For serious fniiratinne
For serious photographers.
Isn't it time you got serious?
!
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Ct "J' U-A I'
on 'J' ' I - 1' f I 'J f1 j 1. 1 .iiiuist ' "
( ,i i , & 'jtf ,i r -( ' i i LtiJ O'l'.ll it
Wednesday
7:30 a.m.-Studtnt
Affairs-Nebraska Union
9 a.m. -Student Afflars
taff -Union
9 a.m.-Mini University No. 8
"Tha Frethmsn Ysr"-Unlon
11 a.m.-Mini Unlwwfity No. 9
"The Evaluation Procef"-Unlon '
11:30 a.m.-Endlcott
School-Union
1 1 :30 a.m.-Women't Action
Group Film-Union
12 p.m. -Student Affaire
luncheon-Union
12:30 p.m.-CSL Fee and Fines
Committee-Union
..X : 3 0 ... P . m.,.- Stud"t
peveloprnent tatf-Un!on
3:30 p.m. Student
AffJr-Uniprj,. ,a t..,MiuuM
4 p.m. -Builder Bui
bookt-Union
4 p.m.-Chl Epilon-Unlon
4:30 p.m. -Fee Allocation
Board-Union
5:30 p.m. Engineering,
Toatmater-Un!on
5:30 p.m. Gemma
Lambda -Union
5:30 p.m.-Mortar Board-Union
6 p.m. -Student Affelre
dinner-Union
6:30 p.m. -UNL Bend
dinner -dance-Union
6:30 p.m.-ASUN Senate
meeting-Union
7 p.m.Free University "Why
ere we in Veitrm?"-Union
7 p.m.-lnterf reternlty
Councll-Un ion
7 p.rr.-Student Veterene
Atwc.-Union
7:30 p.m.-Recreation
Department Sport Clube-Union
7:30 p.m.-Free Unlverwty "The
Bahal Faith"-Unlon
7:30 p.m. meth
counlor-Union
7:30 p.m. -UNL Wildlife
Club-Unton
7:30 p.m. -Modern Language
Department career plennmg-Unlon
8 p.m.-Sigma Delta Chi-Union
8:45 p.m.-Nebreske Union
Board-Union
ARCm TLCTS Peace
Corps VI ST A is seeking
city planners, r; gional
planners, & construction
science grads for assign
ments in VIST A and Peace
Corps. Recruiter in Place
rr.cr.t Cmlci Apiii 2 -2$
V
I
I BBA's - Current openings
I in the U.S. and overscan
I with VI ST A and Peace
I Corps. Management, ac
t counting, advertising, rnaik-
eiing, and finance persons
needed to work with eo-
operatives and unall bus-
inesses. Contact Placement
Ior CBA Hall for interview
April 22-25
I
i i
SPANISH OR FRENCH J
j MAJORS - Use you Jang- I
I uage where it tan help the I
t moht. Talk to Peace Corps I
i ViSTA representatives in I
I the Placement Oiiicc April i
22-25 I
j I
pjyo 10
daily nebraskan
Wednesday, aprii 2A, 1974