Steiner, wine and religion

originally posted by Peder Byberg:
Religious phenomena are often produced and distributed in ways that make them appear secular. The aim of this paper is to describe the religious background for the biodynamic production and consumption of wine. The point of departure is an apparent paradox: Rudolf Steiner, the founder of biodynamics and anthroposophy, is critical of alcohol consumption; yet wine is increasingly being produced and marketed as biodynamic.
Steiner, inspired by theosophy and Goethe’s beliefs about the nature of plants, developed ideas about a link between cosmologic forces and nutrition. His beliefs involve that the development of a scientific mindset is accompanied by a decline of culture that involves loss of spiritual insights, clairvoyance and poor nutritional status. Through Steiner’s own spiritual insights, he believes that guidelines can be developed to bridge the gap between the new insights of science and lost spiritual knowledge.
Central to Steiner’s description of a biodynamic production is the ritual of “preparation 500”, in which cosmologic forces are transferred via manure in a cow’s horn to the piece of land, and distributed to plants in the area. Under the beliefs of anthroposophy, this ritual will help earth regain a balance with the cosmic forces. At the same time, biodynamic vegetables grown on such a piece of land will transfer spiritual nutrition to the consumers. When “preparation 500” is carried out, the land regains its physical and spiritual health.
The idea that the farm is an entity that has its own life is paralleled by the notion of terroir that is prominent in wine production. In the paper, it is argued that the idea of the terroir is central to understanding why wine producers, marketers and consumers have been open to the idea of biodynamics.
The ritual of “preparation 500” bears resemblance to the classical Roman agrarian cult as described by Cato (234 BC - 149 BC) in De Agricultura, and places biodynamics in the tradition of such cults. But wine has its own religious connotations, manifested in both classical antiquity, Judaism and Christianity. In all of these religious traditions, it is shown that wine is attributed religious significance.
Consequently, it is shown that the combined forces of religious traditions concerning wine, agrarian cult, and Steiner’s eschatology, are the background for the present wave of biodynamic wine production.
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You mean to say that some people insist upon answering "Is that all there is?" with "no" ?
 
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You mean to say that some people insist upon answering "Is that all there is?" with "no" ?
Dear Jeff

It may be due to my lack of language skills, but I simply don't understand your question. If you would be so kind to elaborate it I shall try my best to answer.

Thesis have their limits. My focus was to illustrate how biodynamics potentially can make sense for the producers as well as consumers of wine because of its ability to embed the established religious traditions of wine as a product which can contain as well as distribute supernatural forces with the idea of terroir - a concept central to biodynamics.

In my opinion biodynamics works, but not because of the cosmological arguments distributed by Steiner.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
Not to worry, abstracts are fine enough for me. I studied art in school (it was the Famous Artists School)
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Was that the Bakersfield School of Famous Artists?
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Yes it was - the Oildale campus to be exact. I majored in ur-popart, but also studied regional musicology and laundry science. This led to my senior project called "Tide the Buck" but they didn't see my intent through my Warhol-inspired work and they tossed me outta school.

-Eden (feeling more than a little Haggard this morning)
 
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
Not to worry, abstracts are fine enough for me. I studied art in school (it was the Famous Artists School)
Click to expand...
Was that the Bakersfield School of Famous Artists?
Click to expand...

Yes it was - the Oildale campus to be exact. I majored in ur-popart, but also studied regional musicology and laundry science. This led to my senior project called "Tide the Buck" but they didn't see my intent through my Warhol-inspired work and they tossed me outta school.

-Eden (feeling more than a little Haggard this morning)
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I do hope you enjoyed dancing and cocktails at Trout's after finals!
 
originally posted by Peder Byberg:
In my opinion biodynamics works, but not because of the cosmological arguments distributed by Steiner.
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This is an answer to my question, and it is the answer I was expecting, and it is the answer to which I obliquely referred in my question, and it is the answer with which I agree.

Thank you!
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Peder Byberg:
In my opinion biodynamics works, but not because of the cosmological arguments distributed by Steiner.
Click to expand...
This is an answer to my question, and it is the answer I was expecting, and it is the answer to which I obliquely referred in my question, and it is the answer with which I agree.

Thank you!
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This is about as close as I'll ever get to religion.
 
originally posted by JasonA:

This is about as close as I'll ever get to religion.
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mooootherrrfucckkkkerrrrrrrrrrr.

i clicked teh link in the true belief i would see teh hot girls in teh lingerie. or the luxuriant moustaches of jo landron and rene mosse.

instead, i gets teh fuckin wikipedes.

you have no soul.

fb.
 
mose.jpg
Feel better now?
 
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