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From: slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: On the Power of Arcane Symbols
Message-ID: <406@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 10:47:14 EST
Article-I.D.: drutx.406
Posted: Thu Oct 31 10:47:14 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 15:44:02 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 32

>So I treat these things with great respect;
>whether or not they do invoke the supernatural, they do have power.
>
>For the same reason, I am leery of munging religions together.  I am
>somewhat of a student of Taoist thought, and a very little bit of Buddhism.
>But mix-and-match religion makes my blood run cold.  The symbols of other
>religions, whether they are 'true' or not, nevertheless are powerful, and
>should be respected.
>Charley Wingate

Actually, that is the reason I DO believe in "munging religions together."
All religious symbols and power come from the same place.  They all
have validity.  But some are more useful to a particular person than others.  
A person needs to use those that are most useful to him/her--whatever 
tradition they originally came from.  And that may include things from
several religions for one person.

In fact, I would go farther and say that some symbols are more useful
at certain times than others.  If I am taking a long trip, I may find
it best to go by car to the airport, then take a plane, etc.  I would
not force myself to take the car the whole way just because I started
out in it.  We should not be afraid to use those symbols, rituals, and 
practices which advance us on the way.
-- 

                                     Sue Brezden
                                     ihnp4!drutx!slb

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I march to the beat of a different drummer, whose identity,
   location, and musical ability are as yet unknown.
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