In both cases there are those who see these invaders as pests or worse who need to be exterminated. And this brings to mind some of the more extreme views that have grown up around the issue of \u201ccultural appropriation.\u201d I recall when I was taken to task by a UU minister colleague for cultural appropriation for being a Western Zen Buddhist<\/a>. Or, I also recall, the failed attempt to introduce a line into the UU minister\u2019s codes of ethics calling cultural or religious appropriation an ethical violation. I noticed at the time, before the suggestion met its demise that a line seemed to be forming of those who were willing to take on responsibility to sort out the appropriate from the inappropriate. (Always fear the righteous\u2026)<\/p>\n This obsession with cultural appropriation is a view that doesn\u2019t seem to be going away. And I don\u2019t mean to suggest there isn\u2019t some merit to it. Near as I can tell it first arose with some members of the American Indian Movement who objected to all the white people burning sage and going on vision quests. Stole just about everything from us, they opined. And now they\u2019re taking our religion. A compelling question, of course, one I\u2019ve felt obligated to reflect on.<\/p>\n First, I noted for the most part the original objectors to white folk doing Native American, Indian religious things, did not themselves seem particularly religious folk. In fact as I looked around at that scene in particular, while there was a lot that was to my eye very silly, and on occasion seemed in fact to be in bad taste, those who were taking the questions of Native American shamanism seriously were for the most part studying with Native Americans.<\/p>\n Three things came to mind as I considered the situation. First, there are legitimate questions about the utility of transferring a spiritual practice or a complex of spiritual practices that are so embedded within a culture that it seems unlikely one or a few particular strands can be extracted in any meaningful way. This is a problem for those who hope to integrate shamanic traditions into Western culture, no doubt. As I have no particular interest in such things, I\u2019ll leave that discussion to others. Third, if one pushes the argument of not appropriating other traditions into one\u2019s own to its logical consequence, I would have to paint my body blue and worship Odin or some tree. So, obviously, even if there is truth in the concern of appropriation, where does one draw the line?<\/p>\n
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