To day I was the early bird, without the worm, but with some neat shots. One of geese in flight, low over the Elbow’s flow and one of a squirrel in flight in the tree tops. There were about half a dozen of them, chasing each other along a fixed route in the trees. It was like a posse and considering that it is spring we may infer its purpose.

The flowers and trees also got several turns as I walked through Lindsay Park from the 21st ave foot bridge around to 25th ave and back. The other day I also caught the ogling google car on the corner of 4th street and 23rd ave here in Mission. I notice that I’m zooming in an action shots as it were, more so than in the past!

Catching Geese and squirrels in flight with my camera.

Yesterday I’d brought my copy of the Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam to show Juliet and as a result she asked me to get her a copy as well. Her dad was a Shiite Muslim in old India, so besides the RC convent memories, Juliet also has a soft spot for some of Islam’s traditions.

Later today I’ll meet John for supper, after which we plan to take in CPO’s Bach concert in the Knox United Church this evening. Last night I thought some more about Mani’s message on which I’ll elaborate below.

Yesterday I made the observation that Manichaeism uses knowledge to become ‘freed’ from the body and I add, become free of existence in matter. This morning I returned to that observation about Mani’s teachings and I asked myself, whether I should call Manichaeism a failed religion since as such, it has disappeared.

However, it did serve thousands for more than a thousand years, which means that it functioned as a living religion for along time, as it spread from Spain to China, be it in stages. So, I modified ‘failing’ to ‘being inadequate’ in the sense that Manichaeism blossomed at its start, but withered with time. This I gleaned last night from the Chronological Table in Kurt Rudolph’s book titled ‘Gnosis‘. This table shows dates and places of Manichaeism’s acceptances, which are then followed by rejections by the rulers of the various regions so affected.

I asked myself why this would be, which made me recall Hans Jonas’ observations on Manichaeism in his book ‘The Gnostic Religion’, chapter nine (9). In it this author makes clear that Manichaeism viewed earthly existence as in a “world and its terrors” p.233 and from which Mani’s teaching of knowledge provided a means of escape.

That makes Manichaeism a teaching of ‘life avoidance’, invalidating human life on this earth.

That makes Manichaeism a teaching of ‘life avoidance’, invalidating human life on this earth. I suspect that this ultimate outcome in the end, did not serve the ruler who wanted his people to enhance his earthly kingdom.

The attitude of freeing oneself from existence in this world to go on to a preferred state of existence, makes me wonder about the motives of those seeking the martyrdom that is attracting some people East and West today.

However, there are two more points to consider. First is the fact that initially Manichaeism was popular as it spread to new regions. This was because it incorporated ideas, teachings and traditions of three different religions, Christianity, Buddhism with Zoroastrianism at its core.

This combination was attractive all through the world of late Antiquity - 200 to 600 - through which Manichaeism first spread. Such a collection of teachings removed many friction points and causes for conflicts in that world religious confluences.

My second point is that each religion is a revelation specific in time, place and for specific people and circumstance. This does include adaptations in the future, provided internal consistency is maintained. So, with time a religion can change, but may become insignificant loosing its adherents, such as is the case for Zoroastrianism and the Farsi.

This concludes my observations on Mani’s lost religion, but I am not finished with my study of it, so more comments are bound to follow.
10:24am~