OK, Constantine was an opportunist, and Xtianity fit his purposes. Fact is he put that belief system on the fast track, whether by deed, adaption, or adoption, and the Empire which had served him well was doomed. What followed was the Dark Ages. There was no light until, uh, well.....The Enlightenment!
Descartes walks into a tavern. Barkeep asks, "so, Rene, will you have your
usual Aqua Vit?"
He thinks for a moment, "Oui", and quickly gulps it down.
"Will you have another, then?"
He thinks for a moment...."I think not
"POOF"! He disappears!
Most civilizations have adapted ancient ritual and mythology
towards their own designs. Campbell argues this point well.
Does "Spirit" mean an all-encompassing universal life force? Is the very air we breathe positively charged with exhaled molecules of Descarte, Constantine, JC, Buddah, Robert Johnson, Einstein, the Duke, Graham Chapman, Lennon, my loyal dog Grover B. Cheese, St. Augustine, A. Lincoln, et al?
If so, don't the negatively charged molecules of de Sade, Constantine, Hister, Mao, Cheney, Rayguns, Manson, Lay, Cortez, Bud Lite, et al, cancel out any life force, yin-yang, so to speak? It's balance. Sometimes.
I prefer the pagan view of spirits. Little gnomes, pixies, fairies, hob-goblins, gremlins, trolls, wizards and witches...in all our lives, all living things, and all things created by humans. It's fun and never depressing as faith based religion manages with all it's guilt trips and "holier than thou's"...
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