Date: Sun, 20 Aug 1995 10:57:37 -0400 From: U0A75@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU Subject: I dreamed I saw St. Augustine Well it IS Sunday, the Christian Holy-day, and I thought this quote might shed some light on just why Dylan was so attracted to the Saint of August. --Marguerita "It has been the custom among most Christian apologists to represent the religion, and especially their own branch of it, as time-centered, referring back to a certain historical fact--the human transition of Jesus. Other versions of the Christian story are labeled heresies. St. Augustine, who is explained away as being tainted with unchristian (i.e., non-conventional) philosophy, said, 'That which is called the Christian religion existed among the ancients and never did not exist from the beginning of the human race.' (*Epistolae* Lib. I, xiii, p.3) The deviation of Christianity from the rest of human religion was, of course, the result of a deliberate choice--the decision to regard the events of the life and death of Christ as unique, not as part of a continuous process. It must clearly be remembered that the versions of Christianity most generally available to the average student are those which have prevailed, being most successful, not necessarily the most accurate, historically or otherwise." -- Idris Shah, _St. Augustine_