Monday, October 29, 2012

What is Bread?

"A Sufi was accused of apostasy by four learned scholars. He told the judge that he would accept the death penalty if his accusers could satisfactorily answer one question. The question was: 'What is bread?' The first scholar said: 'Bread is a combination of flour and water, shaped and baked in various ways, according to cultural traditions and personal preference.' The second said: 'Bread is the staff of life.' The third said: 'Bread is the gift of God.' The fourth said: 'Bread is a mystery.' The Sufi turned to the judge. 'My accusers cannot agree on what bread is. How can they know whether I am an apostate?' He was released."

-Charles Lindholm, 'What is Bread?' The Anthropology of Belief, in Ethos Vol. 40, 3, 341-357


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