Adam Kimmel – Topic Of My Choice : Dangerous Wilderness

Going through this class has lead to lots of talks about harsh wildernesses and the people who claim these sites to be holy. I always have wondered why so many people's holy sites are the ones that have the most unforgiving terrain and weather in them. While in class we discussed Tahoma or “The Mountain That Was God” and discussed how the terrain of mountain is very dangerous and that is part of the reason why the people named it so. The unforgiving terrain and rapid weather changes give it a very ominous feel. Also because of the height of the mountain it towers over everything else so it is easy to see why people are in such awe of it. People give places like these a sacred meaning because they believe that only a God could survive in terrain while if a mere human tried to overcome and ascend the mountain they would surely die in trying to do so. I believe it is the places ability to strike fear into a person that helps it become holy.