Capitalism, Calvinism, and Japan

Sun: 21'Gemini
Moon: 27'Cancer
New Moon

While I disagree with the essay's final conclusions, I do find this to be a fascinating and very thought-provoking piece.

Japan, of all the Asian countries, has most stringently resisted the incursion of Christianity into their lands.  This is a look at the historical and cultural roots that make such powerful nationwide resistance possible, and further, a look at how Calvinism empowered (in a way, created) modern capitalism as we know it.  Finally, it looks at the cultural assumption behind that empowerment - that wealth is a sign of godliness - and questions the religious exclusivity in the tradition from which that assumption came.

Was monotheism really that much better than polytheism?

Sun: 07'Gemini
Moon: 00'Aquarius
(Mars: 28'Taurus, conj. fixed star Algol)

I found a fascinating link this afternoon over at Free Thought Blogs: was the advent of monotheism truly that much of an advancement over polytheism?

Find it here, and jump below the break for my thoughts (and perhaps, hopefully, a discussion)...