BOOK of ABSTRACTS XXTh WORld COngReSS InTeRnATIOnAl ...

First, the totemic principles govern man’s relationship
with some totems (animal and plant species which are
respected and not destroyed by the people. Secondly, the
taboo principle regulates the limit man can go in
exploring and explaining nature. As the Africa observes
the taboos in honor of the gods and spirits he is
indirectly given other members of the eco-system right
to live thereby applying eco-justice principles. Thirdly,
African Traditional medicine recognizes the symbolic
relationship between man and plant and man and some
animal species and the governing beings in the universe.
Medicinal plants abound in African forests.Viewed
against the backdrop of the traditional healing practices,
the African world-view encourages merciful treatment
of plants and herbs in the field. Land, water and trees are
inhabited by God. Both the priests and laity in African
Religious thought are bound by set of rules and
principles which make them treat nature and plant and
animals) with sobriety and religious restraints that give
human, plant and animals community sense of justice
and right to live.
Aoki, Kumi – Okinawa National College of
Technology, Japan
tHe aWakening of sPirit and aBsolute
notHingness: a comParative study of
WilBer and nisHida
There are some similarities between Ken Wilber’s idea
on the evolution of “the Kosmos” and Kitaro Nishida’s
on the self-development of “the Historical World”. For
Wilber, “the Kosmos”, composed of whole/parts or
holons, has a self-transcending drive of evolution built
into its very fabric. For Nishida, “the Historical World”,
composed of the one/the many, formulates itself
through self-negation. Moreover, for Wilber, the
groundless ground of all manifestation is “Spirit”, which
he also calls “Emptiness”, while for Nishida, the
groundless ground is “Absolute Nothingness”, which is
also equivalent to Buddhist notion of “Emptiness”. On
the other hand, from the viewpoint of “awakening”,
there is a crucial difference between their ideas.
According to Wilber, “Spirit” in us unfolds itself
endlessly in order to be awakened to its own true nature;
that is, “Spirit” cannot be fully awakened until the last
stage of evolution. This idea of evolution gives rise to an
issue that Enlightenment is not possible until time has
fully unfolded. To resolve the issue, Wilber defines
Enlightenment as “the realization of oneness with all
states and all structures that are in existence at any given
time”. Consequently, a person’s realization today is
deemed “Fuller” than yesterday. Nishida’s “Absolute
Nothingness”, however, does not unfold but it
determines itself, whereby time shifts from present to
present.
The present moment includes, therefore, eternal future
and eternal past, and the full awakening of “Absolute
Nothingness”, that is, the self-awareness of “Absolute
Nothingness”, can happen whenever “self” realizes
“Absolute Nothingness” as its own true nature.
Aram, Mohammad Reza – University of Toronto,
Canada • Aram_mdrz@yahoo.com
interPreting gloBalization: gloBalization,
religion and islam’s role
This is a time in which we are facing complex global
changes. New intellectual phenomena arising confront
people with different challenges in many fields. Among
them is the process of globalization that is an outcome
of modernized era of development in information
technology. Because of its great impact on culture,
economics and politics, globalization is of major
relevance as a topic for discussion. Given these stated
definitions of globalization and a general description of
what the process is comprised of, very little has been
written or said about the correlation between Religion
and Globalization. Given the fact most people of the
world believe in a religion and/or a higher spiritual
being, it is surprising that the phenomenon of
globalization and its influence on Religion and viceversa
has not been further evaluated. Therefore, it is the
initiative of this paper is to discuss and clarify the effects
of globalization, both positive and negative, upon
Religion, its belief system and practices. As all major
religions of the world derive from the same root source,
it is importance to realize the significance of mutual
respect that has been advocated in all religions.
Furthermore, with globalization of free flow of
information via high technology and the movement of
peoples across borders can positively help the increase
in religious tolerance. Considering the effects of
globalization and its positive and negative consequences,
this study seeks to review different dimensions and
aspects of globalization and the Islamic concept of it by
using descriptive-analytical method and some verses of
Qur’an.
Argüelles, Anibal – Center for Psychological and
Sociological Research, Cuba • reyita@cubarte.cult.cu
cHallenges and PersPectives of tHe
religions of african origin in cuBa
The religious expressions of African origin practiced in
Cuba have had to undergo a forced transculturation
process to be able to spread and to be deeply rooted
among its militant believers. This paper aims at explaining
the challenges and perspectives of the religious
expressions of African origin to advance and to have an
impact on the religious field of the Cuban society.
18 BOOk Of ABstRACts • RELIGION: A HUMAN PHENOMENON • 15-21 AUGUst, 2010 • tORONtO, CANAdA