Numen

Holiness is peculiar to religion to despite coming from the sphere of ethics. This is very interesting to me that holiness can apply only to religion yet it is taken from ethics. Holy is an ethical concept but it is hard to define. I agree with Otto that it completely eludes apprehension in terms of concepts. The reason for this is that holy has became synonymous with "sacred." The word holy has come to mean completely good, an ethical concept. I think of Holy as something else. I don't always think Holy can be good. Japanese cultures emphasis these, having the spirits but holy while committing good and evil acts.