[MD] are theism and mysticism mutually exclusive notions?

[Case]

> [Case]
> This is exactly how evolution works though. It is
> all about the law of large
> numbers. A organism is essential a collect of traits
> like hair, feathers, eyes, skin...

[gav]
no it isn't. an organism is essentially a whole; an
integrated coherent whole. 

[Case]
Just to pick up on this comment of yours I would like to point out that two
of the great functions of the human mind are: discrimination and
generalization.

To generalize is to see how different things are similar. Its great
byproducts are symbolism, mythology and analogy.

To discriminate is to see how similar things are different. It is a how we
separate wheat from chaff, it is how we tell each other apart and how we
recognize those things that can help us from those that can harm us.

These skills work best together and are not mutually exclusive. The idea of
the holon is one Wilbur borrows from Koestler. Entities can be viewed as
collections of parts or as wholes or as wholes that compose a greater whole.
All three are useful ways of viewing things.