<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2769" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
face=Georgia color=#000000 size=3>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Michael and Visionaries:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">When early Christian missionary began
converting indigenous people, for example, the Celts, shadows of earlier
traditional belief forms lingered, and were largely unchallenged. (This
made the switch from say Druidism to Christianity (arguably) easier to
swallow - particularly when clan leaders dictated baptism to his/her subjects en
masse.) Traditional gods/goddesses maintained a presence in the habits and
culture although the people were described as "Christian." But, come on
Michael, this is basis History 101 stuff, you know it, and so do the rest of
V2020 readers. The steps are simple to follow: fertility goddess +
conversion (often forced) to Christianity = St. Bridget</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Joan's discussion of Bridget follows that
trajectory. The only medieval "Saint" Bridget that I am aware of is
Bridgit of Sweden who certainly had nothing to do with St. Patrick - or
hospitality for that matter, despite Aaron's assertion.. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"><o:p>Of course there is no heresy connected to
Aaron's position on St. Bridget. It's a charming legend....with roots
in paganism. The real question in my mind is why didn't the bright lights
at NSA know this already, and name the room after a genuine Calvinistic heroine
like Jenny Geddes? .</o:p></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Georgia size=3 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="12">Rose
Huskey<BR><BR>"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight
you, then you win." Mahatma Gandhi</FONT></DIV></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>