Some people, let alone birds, are so ugly that they are endearing. A vulture is just being a vulture and does not make a decision to poke its so perfectly evolutionary developed head into a corpse. It is its nature. Not so wicked merciless humanity.

The context here is that 'faith feeds among tombs', that religion has a morbid obsession with death, with the emotional desire for eternal life after death somewhat like scavenging.

It seems that human beings tend to be inclined to seek for a deeper meaning to life. Useful evolutionary trait I suppose, this restlessness.

But the carrot of heaven or the stick of hell fires just creates anxiety in the vulnerable. I think the doctrine has probably marred some otherwise peaceful lives.

These are some of my reflections on reading this thought-provoking book and not intentionally off-topic.

Penelope wrote:

"Faith, like a jackal, feeds among the tombs." The jackal Anubis is Egyptian God of embalmment. And yet, the jackal reminds us of the vulture, a disgusting animal scavenging among corpses.

Vultures are not disgusting. They are amazing, funny and full of personality. Very intelligent birds, you will find the only thing they can't do is talk.

They are the undertakers in mountainous and stoney places - because they get rid of the corpses when there is no soil to bury them or when there is no one around to burn them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz2aJC7G ... re=related

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Hey! Thanks for that link! I watched a couple of the film clips and enjoyed them. That must be fun, getting some training as a falconer.