: 'FREEDOM'S JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR NOTHIN' LEFT TO LOSE...'
: I came across the story of Esclarmonde de Foix about 8 years
: ago. Her story (while there are many versions) seemed to
: epitomize my own sense of Reality. My favorite was the one
: about Mont Segur. It supposedly belonged to her family.
: When the Cathars were attacked by the Pope's army, she
: gathered them together at Mont Segur where they were at
: least 'physically' safe. But the Pope's army surrounded the
: castle and eventually the Cathar's began to starve. Knowing
: this, the Pope's emissary arrived at the Castle gates

: bearing a compromise: If they would all come out, the
: adults who had NOT taken the Consolatum would be allowed to
: renounce their faith and then be sent off to America. The
: children would be taken and raised by others (presumably as
: slaves to good Catholic families). Those who had already
: taken the Consolatum would, of course, be burned alive
: because that meant that they were already FREE and what
: could you do with a Mind that no longer WOULD ALLOW ANY
: foreign object between its Self and God? I mean if an
: individual believed that they had a direct connection to
: their Spiritual Essence, NO one could have power over them.
: Which was why the Pope wanted to curb this terrible Cathar
: 'disease' in the first place. Who would give to the
: collection plate after all, if no-one believed in their
: basic sinfulness?

: Why would they even consider taking the Church up on its
: offer? The argument was that at least the children would be
: spared. The presumption being that they were better off
: 'alive as Catholics' than 'dead as Cathars'.

: Esclarmonde graciously accepted the message and bid that she
: be allowed to give her answer in the morning. This was
: accepted.
: During the night a great celebration took place behind the
: walls of Mont Segur. During the celebration, many of those
: inside took the Consolatum, including Esclarmonde herself.
: Several of the Cathars then removed something from deep
: inside the castle and escaped down the sheer cliff wall
: behind the castle. Whatever it was they were carrying was
: considered to be very valuable.
: The next morning, the Pope's emissary had the army build a
: roaring fire in a small valley near the castle. He then
: again knocked on the castle door. It was opened by
: Esclarmonde herself. He again intoned the offer: Renounce
: your faith and you shall live, he advised her. She laughed
: at him and marched to the edge of the fire and jumped in.
: She turned and held out her arms and her six year old
: daughter, also named Esclarmonde, jumped into her arms. The
: rest followed her into the fire.

: To me, Esclarmonde represents the ABSOLUTE freedom of the
: human Spirit. As long as any of us HAS NOTHING TO LOSE, we
: are free. I do not always serve her well, but it is to that
: Icon of absolute freedom...to that SPIRIT, THAT FREEDOM OF
: MIND, for which opportunity is coming like a lumbering
: locomotive towards us...that I give her voice. AND she
: returns the favor by giving me courage.

: Thanks for asking,
: E.
To E: And you chided ME for taking things too seriously?! But it's a great story nonetheless (sniff!), and I'm sure the name suits you well now, and will probably suit you better in the future. And I like you too.
C