Reply #11: pagani= rural [View All]

The rock ribbed earth rooted conservatives of the Roman world while the urban based Christian slaves fought the decadent collapsing syncretist empire with its state religion of mad elitists were probably the last to "embrace" Christianity. Through many centuries homespun devotions to the old gods, especially connected to farming co-existed with overlaid Christianity.

And now, with no sense of irony or continuity there it is again, with even a hint that the some suspect there are still lurking "pagani". It reminds me of suddenly seeing a visionary sweep of history like some James Michener novel dramatically encapsulated in some tangible symbol, some now completely forgotten connection.

Weird, funny, meaningful. And no one is asking if anyone is keeping private little talismans of ancient earth religions, superstitions or whispers echos of "classical" pastoral values over the newly planted crops.

Rural Americans are presumed to be the rockbed conservative god-fearing Christians. This is a reminder of older faiths and the way of life that persists under a thousand sincere, borrowed or imposed faiths.