Related
Translate
Previous entry: N.J. Stripper to Plead in Body Parts Case
Next entry: Zambian archbishop reclaims Korean bride
Get RNB via RSS
 |
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Get RNB via Email
 |
 Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Follow: Twitter
Most Popular
This Week:
- Guyana’s Jonestown suicide site gets plaque
- Gaddafi preaches Islam to Rome beauties
- Scientology practices ‘putting people at risk’
- Recession: Muslim schools in UK under threat of closure
- Australian senator tells Parliament of widespread criminal conduct within the Church of Scientology
- When a child dies, faith is no defense
- Muslim terrorists smuggle fatwas promoting Jihad out of secure UK prisons
- Techie Holy water and geeky bishops
- Israel Charges Extremist With Attempted Murder Of Messianic Family
- 1-year prison term for man who participated in cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites
Myth of people’s princess sees Diana cult followers spawn a new religion
More articles on this topic: Princess DianaAugust is Diana month: its eve, July 29, marks Princess Diana’s wedding anniversary – just 25 years ago.
And, at the month’s end, the anniversary of her tragic and sensational death in 1997.
As the years pass, Diana becomes part of history. And yet, the cult of Diana lives on among the “Dianaphiles”, who keep her memory alive through internet contact, and even various forms of shrines and relics.
In a new study [UK] of Diana published in August, author Ted Harrison, who has specialised in religious reportage for the BBC, suggests the cult of Diana may be developing into a new religion.
There are instances of people claiming to have been saved from some disaster by the spirit of Diana; or that they have had a supernatural visitation from the dead princess.
An American medium, one Marcia McMahon, claims to be in psychic communication with Diana in the spirit world; she says the dead princess is a source of healing, guidance and comfort by her supernatural influence.
An Australian farmer very nearly met with a fatal agricultural accident – but the ghost of Diana allegedly intervened. New-Age spiritualists say that Diana is in heaven, where she has formed a special bond with Mother Teresa of Calcutta (who died shortly after Diana).
This seems a suitable bonding, as they admired one another in life.
To give them their due, both of them broke barriers in caring for AIDS victims without stigma and without the fear of contagion that had prevailed.
Diana’s quasi-religious status is not new.
Within months of her death, a Church of Diana was set up in the US by Richard Yao.
The Church’s Bible was called “DianaSpeaks”, and followers were told that “Your Princess will speak to you. She will be your angel.”
It was somewhat difficult to pin down, however.
On a more measurable level, traditional Christian church attendances rose in the immediate aftermath of Princess Di’s death.
On her anniversary, suicide levels have to be watched, too: the Samaritans report more calls from people still grieving for Diana (or at least reminded of their own unhappiness).
A lot of daft nonsense – or a symbol of the human need for icons, and a spiritual dimension? Perhaps a little of both.
Ted Harrison certainly sees Diana fitting into a series of archetypes from history, spiritual ideas, and mythology.
He links Diana both to the Virgin Mary – the young girl called to be mother and queen – and to the universal Cinderella story: the unwanted, or abandoned child, complete with cruel stepmother, who grows up to wed the Prince.
Diana’s psychological background certainly was damaged: there was immense pressure on her mother to produce a male heir, but her first-born son, John, was stillborn.
A miscarriage followed the death of that child; and Diana followed on after that – a huge disappointment that she was not a son.
A bonfire was prepared in the Althorp estate in preparation for the birth, but not lit when it was “only” a girl.
Her mother left home when she was only six. Diana thus falls into another archetypal category of “the wounded healer”.
Because she was wounded herself, she could exercise a primitive “healing touch”, associated with royalty since ancient times. Yet, if Diana is subjected to saintly treatment by the Dianaphiles, she was no saint.
Harrison claims that she schemed quite artfully, if not cunningly, to capture Charles, and she manipulated the media against him when the marriage started to go wrong.
He also claims that DNA tests have privately confirmed that Charles is Prince Harry’s biological father, despite rumours to the contrary.
This, of course, is no bar to being a saint, for saints are often difficult and flawed people – indeed, not unusually great sinners in their time.
Yet it seems to me unlikely that the cult of Diana will turn into an orthodox religion.
The great religions have great texts behind them – holy books which are sources of wisdom, law, moral philosophy, even literature and poetry, as well as inspirational spiritual characters and devout followers.
But the cult of Diana will go on, and August will be its holy month.
Her relics – being anything associated with her – are sold on e-Bay.
Her shrines being the iconic pictures which her followers often keep in their homes, even with votive candles before them. And the Dianaphiles will go on sending messages to each other and to her spirit: “Diana, our Queen, you will live in our hearts for ever.
“She came from God and to him she has returned – like a drop of rain flowing to the ocean.”
Such is the human longing for the divine condition.
What You Can Do From Here
|
Read More Articles On These Topics
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Read Another Article
Previous entry: N.J. Stripper to Plead in Body Parts Case Next entry: Zambian archbishop reclaims Korean bride
RNB Homepage with latest headlinesFind Related Information
Find Related Books
|
Share This Article
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
