Chapter 1.5-Miraculous Claims and the Critical Mind (Can Intelligent People Still Believe in Miracles) Point 5

Chapter 1-Obection #5 to the Assumption of Naturalism-Ethnocentrism

Have you heard of the word "ethnocentrism"? I didn't until I read the book we are looking at it. It means the assumption that a certain ethnic, or cultural group is more important that all others. The authors of this book believe that the idea of miracles is also rejected because western scholars feel that the "European, academic, naturalistic perspective--is superior to all others." These scholars then reject reports of supernatural events coming from other cultures based on the idea that these cultures are primitive and unscientific.

There are some scholars who are starting to recognize the problems with their ethnocentrism, especially those who study ethnic groups. They are starting to take the accounts of supernatural events more seriously and documenting their own observations of such events in their publications and acknowledging that they are real.

Here are just two examples of books published by such people.

Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption 

http://www.amazon.com/Glimpses-Devil-Psychiatrists-Possession-Redemption/dp/0743254678

Experiencing Ritual: A New Interpretation of African Healing (Contemporary Ethnography)

http://www.amazon.com/Experiencing-Ritual-Interpretation-Contemporary-Ethnography/dp/0812213661/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278345024&sr=1-1

Perhaps the difficulty some have with considering the reality of supernatural events is the result of living in a culture that sees its own worldview as superior and refuses to objectively consider events that don't fit into their view.