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That's very poetically written but I think you might be neglecting the fact that one of the monk's primary duties was (and still is) to lead a life of prayer, a

That's very poetically written but I think you might be neglecting the fact that one of the monk's primary duties was (and still is) to lead a life of prayer, and in their worldview this is very much an ongoing spiritual battle against Satan and all his demons who are continuously attempting to overthrow the kingdom of God, mostly by tempting the people of the surrounding lands into sin or by allowing their opponents to prevail. Snails are a real threat too, but by no means the only enemy in the mind of an actual practising monk.

jacquesm 7y ago
> an ongoing spiritual battle against Satan and all his demons who are continuously attempting to overthrow the kingdom of God, mostly by tempting the people of the surrounding lands into sin or by allowing their opponents to prevail Sure, but that's all make-believe; snails are real.
- saagarjha 7y ago
  Depending on your religion, they might be equally real. The threat posed by snails might be more immediate, though.
- darkpuma 7y ago
  > Sure, but that's all make-believe Not from the perspective of many (but not all) monks. I think you're having a theory of mind failure here.
jandrese 7y ago
Who's to say the snails aren't agents of Satan? These monks may be fighting actual demons in their gardens. It's not like old Scratch is a stranger to using animal proxies. His first documented appearance has him in snake form.