Verbatim quote · from the corpus

“Thus it is only with modern anthropology that the notion of “the sacred” came to be separated from the objects/personae/practices in which it was embodied—a subject worthy of interest in itself. Be that as it may, I will proceed on the assumption that “the sacred” or “sacrality” is a universal anthropological phenomenon that can be detached from any specific practice of worship or conception of divinity. The word “sacred” cannot be reduced to its adjectival role as denoting a quality of certain objects or conceptions. In this conception, the sacred is in the first place experienced as a coercive will that manifests itself in interdiction. In the originary event, the proto-humans experience the sacred as an force that prevents them from attempting to appropriate—and in consequence to fight over—the central object of the scene. Identifying the sacred with an interdictive will defines the point at which GA, religion, and natural science converge. This will is a phenomenon first encountered by humans as an external force, not associated with any living creature, and inhabiting rather than manifested by the central object of the scene. The originary sign is the means by which the members of the group communicate their recognition of and submission to this will.”

— Eric Gans, The Sacred in Humanist Anthropology · Saturday, May 1st, 2021 · Chronicles of Love & Resentment