Monday 21 December 2009

Brahmin Spear or Saint Thomas

You can now listen to my latest podcast. Which is a philosophical treatise on the state of the universe. The first of many chats with mates. I just have to advise you that the whole Rentaghost section at the end is somehow gone forever. Between Audacity and PodOMatic is a mighty digital chasm into which the nuggets have disappeared for good.

This is a shame, but please click on the link below and enjoy the first 8 minutes or so.

LINK BELOW


One of the more interesting Apostles seems to have been Thomas - famous for his doubt of course - and known as Didymus (meaning 'twin') he is reputed to have been the only Apostle to preach outside the Roman Empire. He is said to have been killed by stoning and then piercing by spear at the hand of an angry (at Christian poaching of believers) Brahmin on a mountain-top near Mylapore in Kerala, Southern India. To this day, there is still a significant Christian community in this part of India.

Some have postulated that Thomas (as above, the English name Thomas derives from the Aramaic word for 'twin') was in fact Jude, brother of Jesus, though whether he was his twin brother is not stated. I think it unlikely, given the whole immaculate conception thing, which would mean that a twin brother in the mix would somewhat muddy the waters, I'm sure you will agree.

Thomas is patron saint of the blind, thanks to his own occasional spiritual blindness, most clearly illustrated by his unwillingness to believe in the resurrection until he actually saw the marks of crucifixion on the Messiah's body. Many Christians really believe that his actual remains reside in Italy.

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