Bryan Deel:Landscapes of the Sacred. Examination of the Ontological Approach

On Page 43 of Landscapes of the Sacred, “From this perspective, (Ontological Approach) a sacred place is radically set apart from everything profane; it is a site recognized as manifesting its own inherent, chthonic power and numinosity.”
Lane presented an argument that caused me to consider a concept that I had not encountered before. Ultimately Religion and Culture overlap with the idea of the sacred and profane. I recollected my research of the Hajj and the banning of all non-Muslims from the city of Mecca. There is a verse in the Koran that backs up the restriction of Mecca to only Muslims under the idea to keep extra tourist traffic out and also to keep the city purely spiritual. Also, Muslims view Mecca as the center of the world, which reflects their view of Mecca’s chthonic power and importance to the religion of Islam. In addition, the Ontological Approach mentions that the sacred place has encountered supernatural forces. The Dome of the Rock in Israel is an ideal example of this view in the Islamic Religion. It is believed that Mohammed began his ascent to heaven from this location, which caused the Dome of the Rock to become one of the holiest sites in the Islamic religion. It seems that sacred places attract people due to their wonder and their distinct mystery. This quote maintains that perceiving with the Ontological Approach sets the sacred space apart from anything profane or irreverent.