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The_Savior_from_Spiritual_Error, page : 71
looks into their books, such as the `Brethren of Purity‟ and others, and sees
how they mingle their teaching with maxims of the prophets and utterances
of mystics, he often approves of these and accepts them, forming a high
opinion of them. Next, however, he readily accepts the falsehood they mix
with that, because of the good opinion resulting from what he noticed and
approved. That is a way of gradually slipping into falsehood.
Because of this tendency, it is necessary to abstain from reading their
books on account of the deception and danger in them. Just as the poor
swimmer must be kept from slippery banks, so must mankind be kept from
reading these books; just as the boy must be kept from touching the snake,
so must the ears be kept from receiving such utterances. Indeed, the
snake-charmer must refrain from touching the snake in front of his small
boy, because he knows that the boy imagines he is like his father and will
imitate him, he must even caution the boy by himself showing caution in
front of him, so the scholar must act in similar fashion. And just as the good
snake-charmer on receiving a snake distinguishes between the antidote
how they mingle their teaching with maxims of the prophets and utterances
of mystics, he often approves of these and accepts them, forming a high
opinion of them. Next, however, he readily accepts the falsehood they mix
with that, because of the good opinion resulting from what he noticed and
approved. That is a way of gradually slipping into falsehood.
Because of this tendency, it is necessary to abstain from reading their
books on account of the deception and danger in them. Just as the poor
swimmer must be kept from slippery banks, so must mankind be kept from
reading these books; just as the boy must be kept from touching the snake,
so must the ears be kept from receiving such utterances. Indeed, the
snake-charmer must refrain from touching the snake in front of his small
boy, because he knows that the boy imagines he is like his father and will
imitate him, he must even caution the boy by himself showing caution in
front of him, so the scholar must act in similar fashion. And just as the good
snake-charmer on receiving a snake distinguishes between the antidote