How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"I call myself a multi-religious believer [...] I don't believe in ghost because I like to be the boss of ghost, and if you are afraid of ghost, the ghost is your boss." (16.9)
This quote, courtesy of the one-and-only Dang Moua, is about as close to Ghostbusters as the Hmong get, in this book or out of it. And catchy theme song aside, it says a lot about Hmong spirituality—especially since even those who have converted to other religions still hold onto a piece of it. As with many belief systems, Hmong religion is cultural and communal as much as it is religious and spiritual.
Quote #8
After I had asked him to provide a rational explanation for a non-rational custom [...] he just [...] said, "Anne [...] Hmong culture is not Cartesian." (16.56)
If you're trying to make logical sense of Hmong spirituality, then you've already missed the point. Hmong religion—like many other shamanic belief systems—uses decidedly illogical ideas to make sense of the world. In fact, we'd argue that this is a key ingredient to religion in general, no matter the specific beliefs.
Quote #9
"Lia's parents think that the problem was caused by too much medicine."
"Well [...] that may not be too far from the truth." (17.20-21)
Holy cow—Nao Kao and Foua were right along. What's more, their traditional Hmong treatments actually seem to stabilize Lia's condition. That certainly throws a wrench in our preconceived notions, doesn't it?