Everard enters the temple of Poseidon to drink from the holy spring, to find an under-priest or acolyte who might give him a religious pass through the Syrian pickets or, failing that, at least to plan. When the caretaker gives him a cup of water:
"In Everard's present state, the icy tang was more welcome than beer. His prayer of thanks came close to sincerity." (pp. 106-107)
Why not thank sincerely? If not, literally, the deity, then at least the human institution that maintains the temple. I meditate in a side chapel of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, then have coffee and cake in the cafe. Sieg Larsson's Inspector Bublanski worships in a synagogue but "talks to God" (thinks seriously about work and life) in the back of a Catholic church where he knows that he will be left in peace. There is a place for such buildings whatever our beliefs.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
A fair point, what you said about Evrard, that he really need not be shy about being thankful. Maybe it's just the way some lifelong agnostics think, they feel self conscious about being thankful.
Ad astra! Sean
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