After a whole day at the Music Festival, there is only time for a few notes on Byron Shaddock. His challenge of climbing down and back up a cliff eliminates Gayle Thayer, then his challenge of climbing up a ceiba, and back down in the dark, eliminates Matt Flagler, who is unable even to start the climb.
Shaddock categorizes his companions:
Orestes, spider;
Larry, bear;
Julia, woman;
Matt, ape;
Ellis, machine;
Gayle, sheep;
Anselmo, wolfhound, becoming jaguar when he moves to rescue Gayle;
Shaddock himself, man.
Ellis says that his religion forbids the use of the anti-rabies tablets that Byron has brought. Why?
Byron guesses that Matt suffers from acrophobia. During INTERVAL FIVE between challenges, he, Byron, captures a tarpon while Larry reads Eothen.
Like I said, miscellaneous, but I am trying to keep my hand in.
6 comments:
Probably a Christian Scientist: they're not supposed to use any number of medical things; their founder (Mary Baker Eddy) taught that sickness was an illusion that could be cured by prayer alone. In 1875 (she published her book SCIENCE AND HEALTH that year) prayer was about as effective as a lot of orthodox medical treatments. Now, not so much.
Kaor, Paul!
Mr. Stirling beat me to suggesting Ellis Nordberg was a Christian Scientist! (Smiles)
Alas, medical science has not solved the mysteries preventing cures for all illnesses. For some prayer is as good as anything a physician can suggest for treating cancers and HIV/AIDS.
Ad astra! Sean
I thought that Ellis was a more conventional Christian but will continue to reread.
Kaor, Paul!
Whenever I see someone denouncing physicians or medical science, my mind goes back to that chapter in the book of Sirach praising physicians and their skill in helping people.
Besides the "Christian Scientists," I've been trying to remember if there were any other unconventional Christians hostile to medical science.
I'm finding Ellis Nordberg the most unlikable of the seven contestants in Haverner's experiment. Barely a little better than Matt Flagler.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Jehovah's Witnesses interpret something about blood in the Bible to mean that they should not accept blood transfusions even to save their lives.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I've heard about that, re the Jehovah's Witnesses. Problem is, I know of JWs who don't reject medical science, so I'm not sure about classifying them alongside the Christian Scientists.
Ad astra! Sean
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