[Stones] A penny for your thoughts?

[Ric]

despite the archaeological weight of evidence for our megalithic heritage as being 'sacred' - just pick up any serious book on the subject - the fact that today many do perceive it as such, merits respect and tolerance - we live in a plural, multicultural society and need to respect that fact - this includes religious practices which some may applaud and others disapprove of. i have heard the same argument from villagers on the Ganges who loudly disapprove [do you seriously want to go down that road?] of worshippers, further up stream, placing offerings and the ashes of their dead into the sacred river - a practise and religion possibly pre-dating any other extant on the face of the earth today.
   
  as long as religious practise cannot be reasonably deemed to be dangerous, cruel, a hazard, or actively, consciously anti-social - then we have freedom of religion and liberty to worship, it seems to me -
   
  the alternative would seem to me to constitute an authoritarian state? 
   
  ric
  

NIGELSWIFT at aol.com wrote:
        In a message dated 23/06/2006 21:37:43 GMT Standard Time, megalith6 at yahoo.co.uk writes:
    i can't image responsible persons leaving offerings - votive or otherwise - at sacred sites as also intentionally 'defacing' them? - this is a total contradiction; waxy smoke deposits from candles in a Christian context could be seen as 'defacing' a Christian place of worship - but to pursue such an insubstantial argument would be - basically - barmy ...

  
  It seems to me that the term "Sacred Sites" is an unfortunate one. Whether any particular site was originally "sacred" and to what extent and to what purpose is either not or ill-understood. Whether any particular site is now "Sacred" and to what extent and to what purpose is now entirely a matter for individual perception and choice. 
   
  So actually, they are all "Sacred to some" sites, no more and no less.
   
  That being so, can someone tell me whether those like me (the majority?) who see them not as "Sacred Sites" but "Inviolate Sites" can register a protest against the leaving of offerings, be they damaging or not? 
   
  Or do OUR sensibilities count for nowt?

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