What makes something sacred?

[Eudaimonist]

What makes something sacred? (In your opinion.)

I'm not asking what you consider to be sacred. We've covered that in different threads.

I'm asking what it means for something to be sacred. Is it purely subjective and arbitrary? Or is in a sacred thing sacred in itself, regardless of a subject? Or is something sacred in the relation it has with a subject?

What has to be true of reality for you to regard something as sacred? What does it mean for something to be sacred?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[seattlegal]

The sacred is something set aside in order to attempt to protect it from being corrupted. (As contrasted to the profane, to which no such attempt of protection is given.)

This goes back to the tradition of hiding your positive karma (sacred) and confessing your negative karma (profane) in order to preserve the positive and transform the negative into positive.

Matt 6
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.[d]

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.​

 

[nativeastral]

What makes something sacred? (In your opinion.)

I'm not asking what you consider to be sacred. We've covered that in different threads.

I'm asking what it means for something to be sacred. Is it purely subjective and arbitrary? Or is in a sacred thing sacred in itself, regardless of a subject? Or is something sacred in the relation it has with a subject?

What has to be true of reality for you to regard something as sacred? What does it mean for something to be sacred?


eudaimonia,

Mark

lt can be purely subjective and arbitrary but sacred objects/places are usually communally acknowledged; in any case nothing can be sacred without a subject observing it, as only humans make meaningful any phenomena observed [unless you think dolphins hang around a sacred reef they find meaningful?]. Sacred objects are symbolic and are used thus. Sacred places evoke reverence and other intense feelings because we are meaningful creatures who attach significance to things, particularly if testimonied by many [but as l said it can be purely individualistic, one could find sacred that 11am cup of tea in that special cup! or is that too flippant!]