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<DIV>Source: <A href="http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/07/atheists-need-better-liturgists.html">http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/07/atheists-need-better-liturgists.html</A></DIV>
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<H2 class=date-header>Tuesday, July 21, 2009 </H2>
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<H3 class="post-title entry-title"><A href="http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/07/atheists-need-better-liturgists.html">Atheists Need Better Liturgists</A></H3>
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<DIV class="post-body entry-content">Religion News Service <A href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-07-21-atheists-debaptism_N.htm"><FONT color=#0d8f63>reports</FONT></A> on the phenomenon of atheists who feel the very-telling need to get ritually de-baptized. From the ritual:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="post-body entry-content">In a type of mock ceremony that's now been performed in at least four states, a robed "priest" used a hairdryer marked "reason" in an apparent bid to blow away the waters of baptism once and for all. Several dozen participants then fed on a "de-sacrament" (crackers with peanut butter) and received certificates assuring they had "freely renounced a previous mistake, and accepted Reason over Superstition."</BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class="post-body entry-content"><BR>I'm going to leave all the irony alone here, in part because it's too obvious to my readers. I'd like to discuss why these guys need a new liturgist.<BR><BR>A symbol is powerful because it is at the same time obvious and suitable for sustained contemplation.<BR><BR>On the obvious side, water is necessary for life; flame gives light; bread provides nourishment.<BR><BR>A very little deeper, water drowns; flame burns; the bread which gives nourishment is itself consumed.<BR><BR>Both meanings are very suitable for the presentation and contemplation of Christian doctrine and there are many more meanings to these Christian symbols.<BR><BR><A onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__UF8dQ1CgRc/SmY4eFaw0YI/AAAAAAAAAP8/8R92ZiSrQEM/s1600-h/dryer2.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand"
id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361034495932813698 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__UF8dQ1CgRc/SmY4eFaw0YI/AAAAAAAAAP8/8R92ZiSrQEM/s400/dryer2.jpg"></A><BR>A good symbol also requires no label, unlike the atheist hairdryer labeled "Reason". The symbol for "Reason" should be obvious and powerful enough that it requires no label. But there is no clear connection between a hairdryer and "Reason". Someone who labels things is more of a sloppy editorial cartoonist than a powerful image maker. Isn't that one reason we hated those 70s felt banners?<BR><BR>Leaving that aside, what does a hairdryer do? It blows hot air. Umm, on second thought maybe they picked a revealing symbol for atheism after all.</DIV>
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<DIV><EM><FONT color=#0000bf face="Comic Sans MS">Like a deer that longs for running waters so my soul longs for you, O God.</FONT></EM></DIV></FONT></EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000bf><EM><FONT face="comic sans ms">Ps 42:1</FONT></EM></FONT></DIV>
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