Why this group?

Why this group?

In reading about the religious revival of the Urapmin people, I could not help but be continually drawn back to the question of what was unique about this particular group. Why was the Christian revival seen in this particular case such an unparalleled example of rapid and dramatic cultural change? Was it their geographic isolation? Or was it something inherent in their pre-existing culture that made them more tolerant to change?

I think that this point is especially interesting to consider when we contrast the immediacy of the conversion of the society as a whole to a similar type of religious revival in modern day America.  In chapter 2, Robbins references accounts of individuals even seeing others who had been “Spirit possessed” and out of fear running back to the pastors and demanding a Christian name and a revival themselves. However, Robbins also makes clear that there had been no history or tradition within the Urapmin people of Spirit possession. This calls me to wonder why such a rapid change of heart would occur. If we were to simulate these same displays of “Spirit Possession” in today’s society, I believe that our results would be much different. Although there may very well be some individuals who upon seeing a religious revival would then want that for himself or herself, the original individual would almost certainly also be met with some form of opposition. Whether passive or confrontational, I believe that it is safe to assume that not everyone in a particular society would rapidly converge to this same type of religious revival, a contrast to the unanimous support of the religious revival amongst the Urapmin. And for that matter, if the model set forth by the Urapmin for such a widespread acceptance to change were adopted today, would that result in a society that was constantly changing to wholeheartedly embrace the newest religious movement?

So what really is it about this particular group of people that makes the spread of a religious movement seen there so very different from that of today’s society?