Wilma de Soto
Thu, 23 Jan 2003 11:21:02 -0800
On 1/23/03 12:56 PM, "Brian Siano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Wilma de Soto wrote: > >> On 1/23/03 11:40 AM, "John Ellingsworth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> >>> Will it affect me if I picked it up even if I don't believe in voodoo or >>> Santeria? >>> What about the disposal person? Will they be affected? Should an exorcism >>> be performed on it? >>> Or should we just leave it in the park? >>> >> I realize you are being tongue-in-cheek here, but for adherents to these >> practices, it is a serious matter. >> >> Frankly, I cannot be certain if being a believer makes one more susceptible >> but my guess would be yes. In all probability this was an offering to the >> Orichas, if you interfere with it, well...it's not a good thing whether you >> are a believer or not. The rule of thumb is that what you are not involved >> with, let it be. >> > I am completely out of sympathy with Wilma's comments. For one thing, > this is a dead animal John found: regardless of whatever "ritual" was > involved in leaving it there, it could become a health hazard. Corpses > attract carrion-eaters, insects and parasites. Fleas vacate the corpse, > and they gotta go _somewhere_. (n other words, at the very least, that > corpse has to be disposed of. > > And it's probably not a nice thing for a small child to discover, > either. Let's say you left it there out of "respect" for whatever ritual > you suppose was involved. So this dead, decapitated animal's laying in a > park, and while you're congratulating youself on your tolerance for > strange and colorful cultures, Mom brings out her pre-schoolers for some > fresh air and maybe some wintertime activity on the swings. So not only > do the kids _find_ this thing, but now they have to imagine that there > are people in their neighborhood who _murder animals_ because they > belong to some _weird religious cult_. > > Look at it this way. Let's say that one of us found a decapitated > rooster dumped not in Clark Park, but our front yard. I don't think any > of us would think, "Well, it was probably one of those religious > practices of one of those other cultures. After all, it's a place with > shrubs and grass, it's a small patch of nature, and it was done as an > offering to the Orichas." I think our first thought would be "Who the > hell'd dump a dead animal in MY front yard?" And I think our second > thought'd be "Is this some kind of bizarre _threat?_ Is someone trying > to chase me out of the neighborhood?" And I think our third thought > would involve filing a police report of some sort. > >> I am of the opinion that all people's religious observances should be >> treated respectfully whether or not I agree with them. >> > It'd be interesting to see if Wilma'd extend such tolerance to, say, the > Christian Identity movement. > > > ---- > You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. I understand it's unnerving to say the least to find some dead animal in a public setting. However, seeing one that has been killed in a certain fashion that probably brings to mind an animal sacrifice for some religious ritual, I for one would not disturb it. That's just me. If you feel that you should move it , by all means do so. As for extremist political movements cloaked as religious observances, you are probably right that I would not hold the same reverence or respect. Perhaps I am wrong but that is how I feel. Wilma ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.