How do we know that the objects collected and used by cargo cults
have religious significance, rather than merely artistic significance
which the people take very seriously?

Allan Adler wrote:

Not being an expert on the matter, I'd start with any of the dozen
sources spanning a half-century listed at Wikipedia if it was a
serious scholarly answer I was looking for.

But being just an ordinary schmuck, I'm personally satisfied with
the sort of thing that you find in the Smithsonian Magazine
article on the subject. I see nothing whatsoever ``artistic''
in their descriptions of the people's beliefs, and everything
``religious.''

Draw your own conclusions.

Cheers,

b&

In article nestle.csail.mit.edu>, Allan Adler says...

Ask a devotee?

(By now, some may be Useneteers. Maybe one will respond to your
query.)

"Allan Adler" nestle.csail.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:y9363whk7h3.fsf@nestle.csail.mit.edu...

If my understanding is correct, if you ask them what they get out of it,
they reply, "Hopefully, cargo", and not "Artistic edification".

--

Regards,
Mike Combs