nothing new under the sun

I am reading Augustine's Confessions (do you underline books or italicize?) for the first time. I was advised to not read it, but skim it. I am reading it anyhow. This advisor suggested that it wasn't worthy of reading because it is not a story, but I don't mind, or I actually enjoy reading non-stories. Besides, it is a story. Or at least it is so far. I am really loving it because it is ST. AUGUSTINE. He is like the first guy you mention when you start talking about reformed theological debates. At first I was pretty intimidated, but so far, I feel like he is oddly personable. It is really hard to explain, and Wade knows me better than anyone probably and I don't know that he really understood what I was trying to explain. So I will skip that attempt. But, this little tidbit is pretty humorous considering what is fashionable these days concerning eating, etc. This is not me taking a shot at vegetarians or vegans, because although I would disagree with them on all points (except unnecessary cruelty to animals), this is more directed at people that apologize to their salad before they eat it. I don't know if these people have a name, perhaps I dreamed them up, but after reading this passage it seemed very familiar. I think in Augustine's time they were called Manichee. I am pretty sure they were off in a lot of other ways, but this one is pretty odd.

"...I was gradually led to believe such nonsense as that a fig wept when it was plucked, and that the tree which bore it shed tears of mother's milk. But if some sanctified memeber of the sect were to eat the fig-someone else, of course, would have committed the sin of plucking it-he would digest it and breathe it out again in the form of angels or even as particles of God, retching them up as he groaned in prayer. These particles of the true and supreeme God were supposed to be imprisoned in the fruit and could only be released by means of the stomach and teeth of one of the elect. I was foolish enough to believe that we should show more kindness to the fruits of the earth than to mankind, for whose use they were intended." St. Augustine