Reply #4: This really doesn't look like plagiarism to me to be honest.

[Oregone]

McCain's story was of two people on different sides using the symbol to unite as Christians, despite the differences. Their faith created a universal bridge that brought people together under a symbol of Jesus.

Solzhenitsyn story was about how one ragged man yearning for death found hope and encouragement through the symbol of faith, that was drawn by another prisoner. Such a symbol gave him a reason to live, instead of pursuing suicide.

Clearly, despite similar motifs, the actual points of the stories are drastically different. McCain's story is that Christianity can bring people together in incredible circumstances. Solzhenitsyn tells that Christianity can give hope and meaning to an otherwise desolate life.

With that said, I still find McCain's story to be absolute bullshit. It reminds me much more of stories Ive heard of Christian's drawing a half of a fish symbol in public, to be finished perhaps by another Christian, when they were in hiding and fearing persecution. The completion of the fish would let them recognize each other as Christians secretly so that they could pursue fellowship in God.


"Usage is described as a pointer to secret meetings during the period of persecution, a primitive password or handshake in the sand where when two meet each one supplies an arc, or simply a theological statement inscribed under trying circumstances and signifying a certain perseverance above all else."

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Biblical_Studies/Christianity/Christian_art/Primitive