Mutants, Mystics, and Mind-Blowing

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:55 pm by Tony Jones

Mutants, Mystics, and Mind-Blowing 2015-03-13T16:55:51-05:00 Tony Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This is a sponsored post and part of the Patheos Book Club. Check out the Book Club for more posts on this book and for responses from the author.

My friend, Ryan Parker, to whom I defer to all things pop culture, wrote this about Jeffrey J. Kripal’s book, Mutants and Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal:

Now I’ve never taken psychedelic drugs of any kind, but I would imagine that being on them is just a heightened sense of what it’s like to read Kripal’s book. It’s been a long time since I’ve read something as informative and challenging as this.

I agree. Kripal’s book is no walk in the park. It is dense, confusing, and, if you can stick with it, rewarding.

First of all, it’s a beautiful book. This is a book to buy, not a book for your Kindle.

Secondly, it’s a book that requires a commitment. If you’re not one who trucks in the lingo of comics and such, then you’ll have to be patient. You’ll pick up on the lingo as the book progresses.

And thirdly, there’s lots here to agree with and not agree with. Unlike many academic books, Kripal doesn’t couch his claims in a million qualifications. He says what he means and believes, and you can definitely argue with his theses.

That being said, here are my two major take-away from the book:

1) For millennia, human beings looked to the Earth for the genesis of our species. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was atop Mt. Olympus, but in many other cultures it was down and in. The Lakota people of South Dakota, with whom I’ve lived, considered our species to have emerged from Wind Cave in the Black Hills. But then, along came science, showing that the wind that rushes out of that cave is not a demiurge, but is a change in atmospheric pressure.

Similarly, down went ideas like Hades, the lost city of Atlantis, and, let’s be honest, the Garden of Eden.

When these places of mystery became less mysterious, we started looking up and out for our mystery. And along came UFOs, superheros from other planets, and dreams of traveling at “warp speed.”

2) The late 19th century was an amazingly rich time for the human imagination. There were men trying to burrow to the center of the earth in search of a lost civilization, the very first UFO sightings, and all sorts of encounters with the paranormal that were unheard of in previous generations. In the end, the advent of modern science did not squelch humanity’s interest in the supernatural, the paranormal, and the occult, but only channeled it in new directions.

While I’m no geek, I do like me some Twilight Zone, and I’m a huge fan of science fiction. If you are, too, and you’re looking to understand where all this came from in the last century-and-a-half, take some time and invest in Kripal’s book.

books

patheos book club

Previous Post

November 8, 2011

The Future of Seminary: Free?

Next Post

November 8, 2011 Save $50 on the Princeton Youth Ministry Forum

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category bible blogging books christianity in america church church history dissertation divorce Dog Training education emergent church essay family funny glbt jopa productions ministry minnesota movies music parenting philosophy politics Prayer publishing Questions That Haunt random same sex marriage speaking spirituality Teaching technology television theology Travels Uncategorized writing youth ministry

Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 June 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 August 2004 February 2004 January 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the shortest book in the New Testament?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jude Philemon 3 John 2 John