Baptised Gorillas

Tao_Equus said:
Cannot believe I just read this...
More Baby Gorillas Baptized In Rwanda - Science News - redOrbit
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From the article:

Eighteen baby mountain gorillas have been “baptized” at an annual event in Rwanda to signify the seriousness of the endangerment of the species.
However, the baby gorillas were not physically at the event, which was held at a national park where the primates live.
There were 18 masked people that represented the gorillas at the event, which included songs and dances and was attended by senior government officials like Prime Minister Bernard Makuza.
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This is just the these folks way of "blessing" the baby gorillas. (Infant baptism is more of a ceremony welcoming the infant into the community, rather than the baptism of repentance of sins.) It is the way these people show how they consider the gorillas to be a part of their larger community, and that they are concerned for their welfare. Since no actual gorillas were disturbed during this ceremony, what's the problem? :confused:
 
seattlegal said:
This is just the these folks way of "blessing" the baby gorillas. (Infant baptism is more of a ceremony welcoming the infant into the community, rather than the baptism of repentance of sins.) It is the way these people show how they consider the gorillas to be a part of their larger community, and that they are concerned for their welfare. Since no actual gorillas were disturbed during this ceremony, what's the problem? :confused:
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No problem at all. Anything that might help protect them is good in my book. I was still surprised to read it though.
 
one wonders whether it is a repentence of sins of of some symbolic sort concerning the genocide transposed to the gorillas as their continuing life is important for the ecomony [tourism]. Or whether they did have previously [pre christian] some ritualistic ceremonies/totem correspondence with the gorillas?
 
I'm glad Seattle explained it ... I had a WTF moment.

Good luck to the baby gorillas.
 
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