I saw Fiddler on the Roof at the Orange County Performing Arts Center a few weeks ago. One of the classic songs is called Tradition, and as Tevye says, he doesn't know why they do a lot of what they do. It's just tradition.
As most of my close friends know, I am not a fan of tradition, particularly tradition for tradition's sake. I think actions need to be meaningful. Traditions can be very meaningful when you understand why they are there and when they still have relevant meaning. Yet so often in life (related to spirituality and not), we take actions simply based on tradition. And I think that is the cause of a lot of problems and crises in faith eventually.
What do you think? Is there value in tradition for tradition's sake. When is tradition useful/good?
I can think of no intellectually defensible reason to support tradition for tradition's sake alone, but perhaps some importance must be placed on the fact that changes to society, even if good, even if wondrous, can have a short-term negative impact.
ReplyDeleteIn that vein, I would like to research the reasons for a tradition and fully understand it before rejecting it or continuing it. Cultures are complex and traditions are almost always there for a reason, even if it's a bad reason or one that, while once valid, no longer applies.