The supernatural

Stumbled upon this website yesterday that described the rituals at a syncretistic temple in Tampines, Singapore. This temple, known as the Jiutiaoqiao Xinba Nadugong Temple, houses three deities from three very different religious traditions. There is Ganesha (Hinduism), Nadugong/Natoh Gong (Islam), Dabogong/Tua Peh Gong (Taoism). All three are worshipped under the same roof. And get this, as a symbol of "religious harmony", twelve decorated Christmas tree will also be included!

Reading the account of the rituals at this temple and seeing the pictures of the possessed mediums gave me the shivers. Go see them yourself. But don't blame me if you get the heeby-jeebies.

The supernatural is very close to us here in Singapore. At the folk religion level, the philosophy of the religion really doesn't matter. As long as you can "bai-bai" (worship) the god, you might as well do so to increase your favour with all the gods. It is increasigly common to find Chinese people worshipping at Hindu temples. In fact, one of the pictures on that website shows a Chinese person carry the kevadi, a traditional Hindu form of offering. It also shows a Chinese woman possessed as an Hindu god, dancing in a sari with her tongue sticking out. The "possessed dead" were really scary.

Overall, Taoism is the fastest declining religion here, falling from 30% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2000. Most of these Taoists become Buddhists, switching to the textualised philosophy that Buddhism offers. Yet, my theory is that in our heart of hearts, whether we are Buddhists or Christians, we still have that kernel of fear and admiration for the supernatural.

Compare the Taoists' rituals to the charismatic's speaking in tongues and being slain in the spirit. As we move further away from being "fresh converts", the horror we used to have about the supenatural dwindles, and that kernel of fear and admiration draws us back again to supernatural manifestations of god. We want these manifestations. We are an orthoprathic people, not an orthodox people.

This also explains why the Protestant churches in Singapore are as a rule, so much busier with programmes than the churches in the United States. Programmes have become our practice of religion. If we aren't doing something, we don't feel religious enough. The Catholics, on the other hand, seem less busy and happier to let things flow. I suspect it is because the Catholic church is replete with supernatural rituals -- they eat the body and blood of Christ every week! The Protestants lost these rituals gradually along the way, and so make up with programmes aplenty.

When do you feel the closest to the supernatural?