[No doubt, Manichean philosophers criticized common folk.
For common folk, reason was at the service of material need. The flesh (the practicality of living) dictated the situation. Only reasonable (or sensical) content was relevant.
Unreasonable content was situated through religious experience, regarded by the Manicheans as superstition.]
[What if this intersection resolved into interscoping forms?
What if the recognition of my spiritual spark cohered with the nitty gritty of surviving?
Well, participation of the flesh (the decision to keep on living) might go with the situation level.
The recognition of reason (one manifestation of the spark of the spirit) might go with content level.]
Summary of text [comment] page 82
[For the Manichaean, the passions were material and reason was spiritual.
The participation of the flesh and the recognition of reason belonged to one conflicting actuality.
The Manichean view fits an intersection.]
[In this way, Augustine defeated the Manicheans.
Today, Augustine points to the influence of each woman struggling in a world of ideological constructs.
These ideologies want to destroy her baby. They claim that babies are not convenient. Recognize this.
Plus, they call for the woman to reject her helper. Participate on your own. You will be your own salvation.
Like in the Manichean world, evil babies stand at the intersection of recognition and participation.]
Summary of text [comment] page 82
[Today, we may appreciate the brilliance of Augustine’s gambit.
The man will follow the woman.
After all, the man evolved to be the woman’s helper.
The woman will always lead her man by putting him in charge.]
[Baptism is a wonderful sacrament.
The waters of baptism wash away the inevitability of material corruption.
The water of baptism confirm the observation (that the baby, even though material, was not evil) over the claims of the men folk and the Manichean philosophers.]
[Once Augustine makes the case, the men folk wonder, “Could the corruption of our material world come from some sort of horrible accident at the founding of our world?”
Meanwhile, the women baptize their babies.]
