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Amy Guskin wrote:
>>>On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 11:53:51 -0400, Rob Perkins wrote
> 
> (in article ):
> 
> 
>>Methuselah Jones wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Definitely, the concept of body = hindrance is a very primal
idea, and is 
>>>present in some form or another, to a greater or lesser degree, in most 
>>>spiritual philosophies.
>>
>>Yes yes... but where did it begin? To my knowledge Judaism doesn't have 
>>the idea; its philosophies posit that life on earth is very good enough, 
>>as far as I've ever been told. Other ancient animisms and naturist 
>>religions don't seem to address what comes after either, except perhaps 
>>to insist that the dead must be treated correctly in order not to haunt us.
>>
>>Do the Chinese traditions, the ancestor cults of ancient Asia, posit 
>>such a progression, for example? <<
> 
> 
> How about Buddhism, and your eventual absorption into the godhead?  That 
> seems to qualify.

Maybeso, maybeso, and it stands to reason that those ideas would be 
present during the beginnings of modern SF. I don't think Verne or Wells 
played with them, though.

Rob
                                                                     
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