[Sca-cooks] Catholic/Christian, was: The Fallwell/Robertson statements

[Laura C. Minnick]

Michael Newton wrote:
>
> HMMMMM that is strange because, ASSASSIN is a Muslim concept unknown to the
> West until the Crusades, at least as I was taught and read.

> > << You shall not suffer a sorceress to live." >>
> >
> > do you know, I have read this and researched it in various places and the
> > original text said "Thou shalt not suffer an ASSASSIN to live?"

The word 'assassin' comes from the same root as hashish- and the Story
is-

During the Crusades, there was this guy who was remarkably like a
certain Saudi Multi-Millionaire who is currently suspected of pretty
nasty things. This guy (whose name is escaping me at the moment) was
known as The Old Man of the Mountain. He has a mountaintop lair, and
only his followers were allowed up there. There was a variety of people
who the Old Man didn't like, and periodically someone would show up
somewhere, wild-eyed, murder someone, and take off. Frederick II, Holy
Roman Emperor, survived at least one of these attacks.At least once the
murderer was caught and forced to give an explanation before he in turn
was executed. They said that they were brought to the Old Man, made to
swear fealty, then they were told that they were going to commit X
murder. To Inspire them, there were told that they would be given a
glimpse of the paradise awaiting them. Then they were drugged. (I forget
if this is where the hash comes in or later) Then when they woke, they
found themselves in a place with many beautiful and willing women,
luscious food of all kinds (including all sorts of opiates) and more
luxury thatn they could have imagined. Basically they got to have sex,
drugs, and rock and roll until they wore themselves out. When they awoke
again, they were back with the Old Man (what a shock!), who told them
that now it was time to do the deed and then they would again be in
paradise... most of them were killed by bodyguards and such, of
course...

They came to be known as 'Hashashin'- hashish smokers (they may well
have been high when they did the murders too). And over the course of
time (there was an Old Man on the Mountain for a long time), the word
became assassin.

So folks, this is the extent of the usefulness of a degree in Medieval
Studies- answering arcane questions when I ought to be sleeping. Ain't
it wonderful.

'Lainie