Paranormal on the Rez and pronouncements?

Question

I know a lot of people weren't reared with decent manners regarding making pronouncements concerning spiritual faiths of others. I see it a lot.

But sometimes the two overlap, and on this QA they do to some extent. When a person makes bald-faced pronouncements about the non-existence of the paranormal it's a slap in the face to anyone who has a spiritual life. Not only Christians, but many, including mine.

There are some paranormal phenomena on the Zuni Reservation and southward I'd like to ask some opinion about here sometime. One involves Salt Mother. A volcano crater with a salt-lake inside the crater.

The [Rez] Zuni [most of them] believe Salt Mother is a major entity in the area and I agree with them.

Is it possible to ask for the respectful opinions of people on the Paranormal QA about such a matter without having a litany of echoing parrots proclaiming there's no spiritual being there?

Answer 1

I do not know a thing  about this volcano named Salt Mother, but it does sound interesting and I plan to research it a bit, Just wanted to add comment to your opening statement, I agree whole heartedly, so many skeptics use this forum as a venting ground. However, it is their right as Zach pointed out, This is a public website, so we can not ask these skeptics to hold their tongues, t hey have a right to say what they wish to say and how they wish to say it.  As a spiritual person, I just let it roll off of my back, as I feel I know better, and to tell  you the truth, I feel as if I am more blessed at the moment than they are, as I have some direction to how I feel inside and some direction as to what will become of me in the here after.  So I will leave it at that.

By the way, I have enjoyed following your questions and answers, you are a most well read , articulate, and intelligent man. I may not always agree, although most of the times I do,  with what you say, but the way you phrase your posts  it is refreshing to read and ponder. Thank you for being here.

Answer 2

Hi:

I am new to this area of Yahoo Answers, and I am glad to see that it is here, for I have lots of paranormal issues my self!!

I have heard about the Salt Mother before, on an show about different sprits in the world. I always wanted to know more so I decied to look her up and learn more.

Link: mhtml:http://home.arcor.de/franklanger/9-03/Fw...

She was very interesting to learn about, after that show, it was a Taboo on Discovery.. I learned a lot about her, but I wondered why the people prayed to her, if they seem to be slightly fearful of her power!

That was my only question, but I too think taht anyone who has seen another side to the spritual life, would believe more in other paranormal intities like the Salt Mother..

I think also that lots of people can see, hear, and feel the sprits, how ever some just think these times are strange occurences in their lifes!!

Thank you!!

Answer 3

Personally,I never directly comment on any ones spiritual or religious beliefs.I do comment on the paranormal.There is a difference.Believing in hauntings and psychics,dowsing and things like that.It's not the same.Why be insulted if I say they don't exist?It's my opinion,I'm sticking to it.Is that inappropriate on this forum?Besides spiritual beliefs are more likely to be slapped by other spiritualists.In my experience any way.I've never had a skeptic ring my doorbell to give me a sermon.

Answer 4

I am only vaguely familiar with Salt Mother, but the concept is not lost on me.  Many peoples[sic] have looked to natural phenomenon for inspiration and personified different characteristics of the planet.  The Greeks and Romans created gods to represent many things including celestial bodies, oceans, and the winds.  Pagans worship earth based figures, and the wiccan religion is full of references to garden spirits, rain makers, and the sun.

The difference in this case seems to be related to the recognition of a natural feature that supplies nourishment or a commodity to the Zuni.  It also doesn't hurt that it provides a spectacular view with its massive size and the tentacles reaching out to "feed the people".  I'm sure that the vision of the salt veins was as amazing to the ancestors who first saw it as it is today.  

The question that comes to my mind is whether this natural feature has some spiritual existence apart from the people who appreciate it.  In other words, is there a spirit in this feature that is living, breathing, nourishing, and willful?  Are those just characteristics that have been applied to it by the people who have seen it or heard about it?  I don't think that I can answer either of those questions without actually seeing or being near to it.  I have been near fields, montains, rivers, and forests that seem to have their own spirits, so it is completely resonable to believe that the same is true of Salt Mother.

One final point:  Whether an object or a geological feature has its own spirit, inanimate objects can take on the energies and the characteristics of the living spirits that come into contact with it.  Over the centuries, the Zuni have been walking the salt paths with reverence and respect.  The spirits of all of those people have become part of the lands, and the respect that they have shown that particular land is powerful.  It could be the power of the Zuni people that have created the Salt Mother as much as she has nourished the people.  In either case, it is easy to understand that, regardless of her origin, the Salt Mother is a major entity in that area, and is especially revered by the Zuni.

Thanks for the question!