[Griff]

Priests are not supposed to systematically ignore the world but rather create a bit of distance to view the world in a different context. Despite having read and enjoyed a little Ayn Rand, I've concluded that there is more to living than egoism and materialism. To me the key is choice, we can choose to be as worldly or as spiritual as we want, the more free the choice the better others can learn from it. Did the mystic down the street starve because he didn't acknowlege reality and get a job or on the other extreme did the heartless bastard up the hill die alone because of his egocentricity? Western Civilization wasn't built on fucking and foraging alone, some individuals, poets, priests, painters etc... stood apart and tried to consider mans place in the universe, I don't think they are parasites but rather symbiotes (?). To me the important thing is we don't create barriers to widely divergent lifestyles, unless they harm others. random thoughts...