R.W.:

Another interesting read.

What floors me is the suppression of critical thinking that allows people to follow what Jung once said, and forgive the mistranslation: 'Religion is superstition got lucky'.

BTW: Curse the auto spell check: Albigensian crusade and not Albanian.

The Cathars were an interesting dualist religion. To name but a few points making them ahead of their times:

*No need for intercession from a Priest to a lay person.

*Forgiveness of sins

*Vegetarianism was practiced amongst their 'priests', who could be either male or female.

*Reincarnation

As well, they had very strong connections to the Gnostics and the flesh-abhoring Manichaens. (Many argue that Paul was an early Manichean). "The Gnostics offered salvation through special knowledge (gnosis) of spiritual truths."

From there it is not hard to trace their beliefs to the Zoroastrians, the most famous three in the Christian mythos being the Three Magi.

Of interest to you might be Canadian former Anglican Minister Tom Harpur's The Pagan Christ. A much easier read than Frazier's 'The Golden Bough' or Jung or even Joseph Campbell.

Thanks again for another good read.