David Clarkson, March 31, 2016, Big Fish
Big Fish was probably my favorite movie that we have watched to this point, and it even left me feeling a little emotion at the end. It was a film unpacking the story of an extremely interesting man, somebody we would not completely understand until the end of the movie. His son, Ed Bloom doesn't feel like he knows who his father is, and sees the stories that his father has told him as some type of fantasy that his father is completely making up. As the film progresses, we start to learn about the type of man that his father was, and Ed is surprised when he finally understands his father's character. Above all, Ed's father was a man who loved his wife and son more than anything else in the entire world. He worked incredibly hard to take care of them, and even though he was not always home with them, he loved them more than Ed ever imagined. Secondly, he was an honest and hardworking man who took care of the people that were apart of his life, outside his direct family. In these relationships he was always able to stay true and faithful to his wife, despite various temptations. Lastly, he was a man who was able to transform even the most rudimentary moments of his life into stories that could entertain any amount of people. The film comes full circle when Ed realizes that his father truly was the man who he had always said he was, and understand that the stories he told him were out of love. In the final chapter of his fathers life, Ed tells him one of these incredible stories about how his last moments on earth were spent with all his friends and family. Through this story we understand that Ed has come full circle with who his father was. It was a story that enabled his father to rest in peace.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
From story to myth
C.S Lewis writes, "In the enjoyment of a great myth we come nearest to experiencing as a concrete what can otherwise be understood only as an abstraction. . . . It is only while receiving the myth as a story that you experience the principle concretely." After reading this quote I thought of my Uncle Buddy. He was the sister of my grandma who I never really got to know, and through his stories I was able experience something that feels concrete about who I am and where I came from. His stories brought to life the history of my family, and it feels important to have experienced his stories. Some of my family members who I never knew still live on as myth and I have no doubt that this has shaped who I am.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Generation of Film
David Clarkson, March 30, 2016, Generation of Film
Is studying film as academically beneficial as studying writing? This is one question that has been on my mind during this course. Clearly, we live in a generation that is immersed in media and becoming increasingly immersed in media. This immersion has begun to spread to the classroom setting as well through classes, such as this Religion and the Movies Writing Intensive. A class of this nature seems perfectly reasonable and understandable in terms of the academic benefits that can be had for our generation. But, the question remains, are studying films and TV shows as insightful as the old school method of studying writings and books? I believe there are definitely insightful benefits to be learned through studying film, especially since it has become such an intrinsic part of everyday life. But, I do not think that we learn as much as we do when we are reading when we are watching film. The main reason I have for this though is that when you are reading, you have to stay more focused on what you are doing, because you focus is paramount to the understanding of the text. But, when you are watching any form of media outlet, I think there is a tendency to relax and enjoy, since it does not require as much focus as reading. That being said, I think studying film and media is becoming increasingly important, not because of its academic benefit compared to other outlets, but because it is becoming more and more relevant to our everyday life. In today's world you can go virtually nowhere without consuming media, therefore it is important that we understand how to analyze and understand the media we will inevitably consume.
Is studying film as academically beneficial as studying writing? This is one question that has been on my mind during this course. Clearly, we live in a generation that is immersed in media and becoming increasingly immersed in media. This immersion has begun to spread to the classroom setting as well through classes, such as this Religion and the Movies Writing Intensive. A class of this nature seems perfectly reasonable and understandable in terms of the academic benefits that can be had for our generation. But, the question remains, are studying films and TV shows as insightful as the old school method of studying writings and books? I believe there are definitely insightful benefits to be learned through studying film, especially since it has become such an intrinsic part of everyday life. But, I do not think that we learn as much as we do when we are reading when we are watching film. The main reason I have for this though is that when you are reading, you have to stay more focused on what you are doing, because you focus is paramount to the understanding of the text. But, when you are watching any form of media outlet, I think there is a tendency to relax and enjoy, since it does not require as much focus as reading. That being said, I think studying film and media is becoming increasingly important, not because of its academic benefit compared to other outlets, but because it is becoming more and more relevant to our everyday life. In today's world you can go virtually nowhere without consuming media, therefore it is important that we understand how to analyze and understand the media we will inevitably consume.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Exploring Film Technique
Bunny to me, displayed the idea of wrestling with death. I really liked what Tylor said during class, comparing the idea of the gentiles. as described by Paul, being drawn to truth, to the moth being drawn to the light. Now this is interesting comparison to be made in context of what the consensus view was of the meaning of the film, being the idea of death and union. The bunny was led to death by the moth, although the bunny knew how much time it had left. It seemed afraid, hence why it attacked the moth. In the end though, the bunny was united with her husband in death. To me this makes me view the moth as the Holy Spirit, all be it I am biased because I originally thought the moth was a bird, my point still stands. The Holy Spirit leading the bunny beyond life and uniting her with God and her husband in Paradise.
Northfork was interesting, the center of it to me was on the orphan boy. The unwanted boy, the one who needed love more than most. Think about the wording, the unwanted orphan, that is a hard line to say. An orphan is already a child given up by his parents, not necessarily willingly, but nonetheless that has certain effects on a child. Then to say that the child already given up his own parents, is unwanted. This idea of the unwanted boy is portrayed with a double exposure shot, giving a view of both the boy and a buffalo, the unwanted animal of the Midwest. Then there is the son and father clearing out the homes. The father takes the very symbolic leap of faith. Jumping to the other side of the house that is split in two, that has weather going on, only in the middle of the gap between the two sides. Jumping to the other side of what though? The other side of belief? or is that too general or broad? Also what did the snow in between mean? Perhaps becoming white as snow and truly considering himself free from whatever might be in his past. I am curious as to what that leap of faith was towards.
Paris, Texas now that movie was intriguing. The father was desperate for reunion it appeared. To find reconciliation with his family, in particular his wife. He wanted to have back what he had lost. This is shown by the beginning shot, he is in a place where most people would be lost, but walks with purpose. The shot we paused on was great because it showed he had a rugged past, when considering the back drop of the big, rugged mountain. Compared to his brother who had a good life with his wife, depicted by the gentle sloped mountain behind him. The scene when the man and his wife were reunited at first is interesting, the view points of each were curious. He thought she lived this good, all be it reckless, life. Yet she looked back and really her life was dull, because she is just looking at plywood. He on the other hand is living in the darkness of the past and not willing to go into the future with her yet. Still needing to hide from her behind the phone. Those shots were very interesting and gave insight on what was going on.
The pink floyd film was representative of a man's past. A lot of reference to the women in his life hurting him, as well as him feeling oppressed by the school system and government. His oppression, really his feeling of all students oppression was portrayed by the school being like a factory, making them all look alike and doing the same thing. The abuse he took from many women in his life was portrayed by a variety of symbols in the cartoon part, whether it was a flower, female legs, an actual women, or another being. The figure was usually in one way or another attacking the main character in the particular scene. This films symbolism was clear in representation of the things he felt hurt him and made him build this "wall" to keep people out of his head and knowing the true him.
Northfork was interesting, the center of it to me was on the orphan boy. The unwanted boy, the one who needed love more than most. Think about the wording, the unwanted orphan, that is a hard line to say. An orphan is already a child given up by his parents, not necessarily willingly, but nonetheless that has certain effects on a child. Then to say that the child already given up his own parents, is unwanted. This idea of the unwanted boy is portrayed with a double exposure shot, giving a view of both the boy and a buffalo, the unwanted animal of the Midwest. Then there is the son and father clearing out the homes. The father takes the very symbolic leap of faith. Jumping to the other side of the house that is split in two, that has weather going on, only in the middle of the gap between the two sides. Jumping to the other side of what though? The other side of belief? or is that too general or broad? Also what did the snow in between mean? Perhaps becoming white as snow and truly considering himself free from whatever might be in his past. I am curious as to what that leap of faith was towards.
Paris, Texas now that movie was intriguing. The father was desperate for reunion it appeared. To find reconciliation with his family, in particular his wife. He wanted to have back what he had lost. This is shown by the beginning shot, he is in a place where most people would be lost, but walks with purpose. The shot we paused on was great because it showed he had a rugged past, when considering the back drop of the big, rugged mountain. Compared to his brother who had a good life with his wife, depicted by the gentle sloped mountain behind him. The scene when the man and his wife were reunited at first is interesting, the view points of each were curious. He thought she lived this good, all be it reckless, life. Yet she looked back and really her life was dull, because she is just looking at plywood. He on the other hand is living in the darkness of the past and not willing to go into the future with her yet. Still needing to hide from her behind the phone. Those shots were very interesting and gave insight on what was going on.
The pink floyd film was representative of a man's past. A lot of reference to the women in his life hurting him, as well as him feeling oppressed by the school system and government. His oppression, really his feeling of all students oppression was portrayed by the school being like a factory, making them all look alike and doing the same thing. The abuse he took from many women in his life was portrayed by a variety of symbols in the cartoon part, whether it was a flower, female legs, an actual women, or another being. The figure was usually in one way or another attacking the main character in the particular scene. This films symbolism was clear in representation of the things he felt hurt him and made him build this "wall" to keep people out of his head and knowing the true him.
Visuals in Film
David Clarkson, March 27, 2016, Visuals In Film
When we watched the abundance of films to understand the importance of visual effects in film, I was taken back by the amount of detail and depth that the visual aspects of film were able to portray. The first film we watched was in cartoon form, but the visual and audio effects allowed such a simple story and picture to portray a deep theme. The widow is living a stressed life after the death of her beloved husband. Though we were given no information on how he died, when he died, or how she feels about it, we can infer from her facial expressions, mood and anxiety that she is more than depressed about it. Her pain is further inflicted when a fly is buzzing all around her house as she is trying to bake herself dinner. Despite numerous unsuccessful attempts to purge the fly, the fly proceeds to ruin the dinner she is baking, as it spills her mix everywhere. Infuriated, the widow throws the fly and the dismantled mix into her oven, as she plans to bake the fly to death to suppress her depression and struggle. After a while, the oven begins to shake, and she cautiously moves towards it to see what is going on. She opens the oven and finds something that she had not been searching for, but needed all along. The oven transforms into a portal to what the viewers can safely assume is heaven, where she will be able to be re-united with her long lost lover, and leave the anxieties of the world behind. Sure enough the fly is the one leading her home. The same fly that we were so frustrated with in the beginning is the one who cared most for the widow all along. The simple visual and audio effects of this cartoon effectively attached the viewers to this story line, as it goes from frustration to happiness
When we watched the abundance of films to understand the importance of visual effects in film, I was taken back by the amount of detail and depth that the visual aspects of film were able to portray. The first film we watched was in cartoon form, but the visual and audio effects allowed such a simple story and picture to portray a deep theme. The widow is living a stressed life after the death of her beloved husband. Though we were given no information on how he died, when he died, or how she feels about it, we can infer from her facial expressions, mood and anxiety that she is more than depressed about it. Her pain is further inflicted when a fly is buzzing all around her house as she is trying to bake herself dinner. Despite numerous unsuccessful attempts to purge the fly, the fly proceeds to ruin the dinner she is baking, as it spills her mix everywhere. Infuriated, the widow throws the fly and the dismantled mix into her oven, as she plans to bake the fly to death to suppress her depression and struggle. After a while, the oven begins to shake, and she cautiously moves towards it to see what is going on. She opens the oven and finds something that she had not been searching for, but needed all along. The oven transforms into a portal to what the viewers can safely assume is heaven, where she will be able to be re-united with her long lost lover, and leave the anxieties of the world behind. Sure enough the fly is the one leading her home. The same fly that we were so frustrated with in the beginning is the one who cared most for the widow all along. The simple visual and audio effects of this cartoon effectively attached the viewers to this story line, as it goes from frustration to happiness
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Passionate Inwardness
Passionate Inwardness
March 26, 2016
Outside Reading: Soren Kierkegaard/Fear and Trembling
Soren Kierkegaard inquires why Abraham is considered the father of faith rather than a murderer, concluding that “either Abraham was every minute a murderer, or we are confronted by a paradox which is higher than all mediation.”(128) By an act of faith, Abraham leaped over the wall of rationality and into the absurd. It is this leap of faith, which Abraham took when he sacrificed Isaac, that draws the individual out of the ethical submergence into the universal and into a religious mode of existence. To Kierkegaard, “faith begins precisely where thinking leaves off.”(106) The consequence of this leap is that it undermined reason, placing complete emphasis on faith in the Christian life. This divorce between faith and reason is what makes the leap of faith a leap into the absurd. However, Kierkegaard failed to understand that the true Biblical view of faith is not a oblivious leap into darkness but a rational step into the light. In subjecting the role of reason, as the brother of faith, Kierkegaard transforms faith into an irrational leap in the unknown.
Kierkegaard’s lamentations over the superficiality of Christianity in his day may be sympathized with. The church in Denmark had reduced faith to mere intellectual and doctrinal assent. As religious history scholar, Belden Lane, observes, “Christianity in his day had been safely reduced to an idea stored in the dusty pages of Scripture.”(80) Kierkegaard called on people to set their Bibles aside and beginning living out their faith. Life was not meant to be factually observed and footnoted in pages but lived out and experienced. To Kierkegaard, the Christian life is the highest life and faith is the highest passion a person can attain. Each individual must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. The religious life is inherently paradoxical, demanding a rejection of passivity and passionate inwardness. Only when separated from the crowd can the individual’s faith be proved genuine.
Virtue of Absurdity
Virtue of Absurdity
March 26, 2016
Outside Reading: Soren Kierkegaard/Fear and Trembling
In his work, Fear and Trembling, Kierkegaard asks if there is “such a thing as a teleological suspension of the ethical?”(75) By this, he wants to know whether their is a higher law - a particular - that transcends the universal ethical. Kierkegaard finds his answer in the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22.
Kierkegaard emphasized the deep agony and distress that Abraham must have felt as he made the three day trip to Mount Moriah and woke up early on the fourth day to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. All of Abraham’s hope was set on God’s promise to provide for him an heir through whom all the nations in the world would be blessed. But now all was lost. God had asked him to sacrifice the seed of promise. Dread is the element so often missed by commentators of Abraham’s story. In obeying the absolute call of God, Abraham rose above the universal ethical standard, jumping into the transcendent realm of faith. “By virtue of the absurd…he believed that God would not require Isaac.”(75-76) Abraham’s faith persisted in the midst of absurd circumstances. Thus, paradox was the “substance of Abraham’s life.”(71)
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
David Clarkson, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, March 23, 2017
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I found the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to be an extremely confusing and difficult to understand. To start, I find it extremely hard to believe that you would be able to delete a couple years memory from somebodies mind, and they would still be able to function with their daily life. I also didn't understand the process by which the doctors were able to delete memories from the persons mind, and how Jim Carey and his girlfriend Clementine were able to affect that process by Jim Carey thinking back and putting them in their old memories. However, all these negative comments aside, I thought it was cool to see the love of this couple overcome the mistakes they made. Clearly, their relationship ended badly, and it was almost ruined by their attempt to delete each other from their memories. They were both extremely hurt by how the relationship ended, because it was a better relationship than either one of them had ever had. Despite this, they are able to overcome these mistakes and the memory deleting procedure, and reunite together in their relationship and start over again.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I found the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to be an extremely confusing and difficult to understand. To start, I find it extremely hard to believe that you would be able to delete a couple years memory from somebodies mind, and they would still be able to function with their daily life. I also didn't understand the process by which the doctors were able to delete memories from the persons mind, and how Jim Carey and his girlfriend Clementine were able to affect that process by Jim Carey thinking back and putting them in their old memories. However, all these negative comments aside, I thought it was cool to see the love of this couple overcome the mistakes they made. Clearly, their relationship ended badly, and it was almost ruined by their attempt to delete each other from their memories. They were both extremely hurt by how the relationship ended, because it was a better relationship than either one of them had ever had. Despite this, they are able to overcome these mistakes and the memory deleting procedure, and reunite together in their relationship and start over again.
David Clarkson, March 23, 2016, Idea of the Holy
Means by which the Numinous is Expressed in Art
"The art of China, Japan and Tibet, whose specific character has been determined by Taoism and Buddhism, surpasses all others in the unusual richness and depth of such impressions of the magical, and even an inexpert observer responds to them readily" (Otto 66). I found this quote by Otto in his section, Means by which the Numinous is Expressed in Art, very interesting because it made me question the importance of art in religion. Personally, when I think of my Christian faith, one of the last things that comes to mind in defining it are the artistic aspects. The only prominent symbol that comes to life is the cross, and the cross is more of a symbol than an artistic masterpiece. When I spent time overseas in Thailand, I was always amazed when I would tour various temples at the detailed artwork in the religious structures. Everything was beautifully made, and I couldn't help but wonder how much it cost to build these incredible structures that were filled with an abundance of golden artwork and statues. For me, I always thought these temples were excessive and unnecessary. Forgetting the fact that I do not believe in the gods these temples stand for, I always thought it was a shame that so much money was spent on these structures, when so many people living in the community around them are struggling through poverty.
Means by which the Numinous is Expressed in Art
"The art of China, Japan and Tibet, whose specific character has been determined by Taoism and Buddhism, surpasses all others in the unusual richness and depth of such impressions of the magical, and even an inexpert observer responds to them readily" (Otto 66). I found this quote by Otto in his section, Means by which the Numinous is Expressed in Art, very interesting because it made me question the importance of art in religion. Personally, when I think of my Christian faith, one of the last things that comes to mind in defining it are the artistic aspects. The only prominent symbol that comes to life is the cross, and the cross is more of a symbol than an artistic masterpiece. When I spent time overseas in Thailand, I was always amazed when I would tour various temples at the detailed artwork in the religious structures. Everything was beautifully made, and I couldn't help but wonder how much it cost to build these incredible structures that were filled with an abundance of golden artwork and statues. For me, I always thought these temples were excessive and unnecessary. Forgetting the fact that I do not believe in the gods these temples stand for, I always thought it was a shame that so much money was spent on these structures, when so many people living in the community around them are struggling through poverty.
Be Whole
Magnificent Magnolia
Class Film: The Tree of Life
March 23, 2016
Show me your roots
For then I would know
How you are able to stand
So tall, so strong, so still
All else is becoming
You teach me to be
In a universe of endless potentiality
Where all things are possible
And nothing can be controlled
You remind me to be
Patient, long suffering, content
A tree planted by a river
Standing in all seasons
To see what you see everyday
To plumb the depths of your ‘being there’
To sit under your shade
To climb you limbs
If only I could see your roots
Then I would know
The higher does not stand without the lower
There is no glory without suffering
No wholeness apart from pain
Embracing the heavens with open limb
You remain firmly grounded in the earth
The deeper you go the higher you grow
Reaching out to all things
Given to interconnectivity
By what blessedness am I received?
Or welcomed by leaves that forever stay green?
I come to you
Old sage
Magnificent Magnolia
We converse through metaphor
Our language crosses over, goes beyond
You tell me
‘Don’t just do something
Stand there
Be’
Yes, my spiritual teacher is a tree
Everything Belongs
Everything Belongs
March 23, 2016
Class Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I used to say, ‘everything belongs’
Loving it all as a gift
An owner of nothing
A steward of everything
Then concepts crept in
A world of twisted ideas
Abandoned by abstractions
Fraught by fears
My desires confused and crooked
I dishonored it all
Didn't notice the glory
Now I know
Passivity is that monster
Which unless destroyed
Will put an end to me
Complacency is my enemy
The death of me
Complacency is my enemy
The death of me
Again I return
To that sacred place
Where I used to say
‘Everything belongs’
Monday, March 21, 2016
Dr. Becker- The Jacket
John Maybury's 2005 film ,The Jacket, was my favorite film we have watched in class all semester. It was so suspenseful. I sat in awe with hundreds of questions running through my mind. Jack Starks, a man who claims to have died twice, experiences extreme torture in an insane asylum lead by a doctor by the name of Dr. Becker. I want to focus my blog post on Dr. Becker because I had such a hard time reading him throughout the film. Dr. Becker's techniques are unethical and downright cruel. The hardest part for me while watching this film was watching Dr. Becker. He seemed to truly believe he was helping his patients by attempting to "reset" their minds and put them in morgue drawers for long hours. While Jack is in the morgue drawer, the viewer is lead to believe he is able to time travel. Jack travels into the future and meets face to face to Dr. Becker as he is leaving a church service. Jack laughs at Dr. Becker and claims that he and the other patients he mistreated are all ghosts that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Dr Becker responds to Jack with what seemed like a genuine response. "I was trying to help you." Although Dr. Becker's treatments were unorthodox, I do not see why he would waste his time with them if he didn't actually believe that they were helpful. I had a hard time hating Dr. Becker in this film, especially when he got angry at one of his nurses for leaving Jack in the drawer all night long. His mannerisms throughout the film lead the audience to believe he is evil, but I saw some good in him.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Numinous as Art in Film - Malia
Rudolph Otto says that “the most
effective means of representing the numinous it ‘the sublime.’ Through the
recent film clips that we watched, I have found concrete evidence that this is
certainly true. He also describes the
numinous as invoking a devaluation of self and inducing self-deprecation, things
that would seem to have a negative impact on us lowly humans. However, the numen inspires us, through the
sublime and namely art, to reach for the new heights that is shows us and gives
us a glimpse of the creator who is so much more than us. In Paris Texas, for example, the grand landscapes
and majestic giant structures are a stark contrast to the single lonely man
wandering. It is not only beautiful, but
a dangerous place that shows the power that is so much greater than he. In The Wall, this same concept is also
displayed but through a very different kind of image, in which grotesque figures
and shapes that overpower the normal human display. It demonstrates the greatness of other
objects that are beyond us humans, though we add to the creation of such
things, like the wall. The numinous,
therefore, can manifest in a variety of ways in film, with beautiful grandeur
being the most obvious display because of how awe inspiring it is. Through images that are interesting, different,
and larger than life, though not as traditional such as those in The Wall, the
feeling of the numen can be invoked.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Piety and Vanity
Piety and Vanity
February 8, 2016
Class Film
“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity,” says the general as he looks himself in the mirror, reflecting back on a life of wealth, glory, and prestige. He is dressed in his finest, about to return to the place he promised never to revisit. The carriage ride is long, giving him idle time for his mind to travel back to that day years ago when he looked her in the eye and choose the life of vanity over piety. The thought of love suppressed enters his mind and echoes in the empty caverns. She was disappointed to say the least. But there are aches and pains that must be endured for the kingdom of heaven. The path to wholeness often incurs loss, so her father used to say. She had her sister and a tight knit community. What more could a pious woman ask for than relationships such as these? Then came the knock on the door. The general, aged from battle, with scars of victory, stands at the doorstep. He has come back. An outsider, a man of the world, come to enjoy a French dinner. The food was laid out for all to see. Blinded by their own piety, the community fails to see the work of art which Babette has prepared for them. The general, however, savors every bite and sip, taking it as if it were a sort of communion and redeeming of past failure. He, whose life was not oblivious to such opulence, delights over the meal. And so the outsider opens the eyes of those inside. The general has lived his life, making choices in the face of fear, only to find that “mercy is infinite” and “imposes no conditions.” In this moment, he realizes that everything he has chosen and rejected has been granted to him. All things may be redeemed, even vanity, even piety. Love is the recapitulation of all rights and wrongs, past and present and the feast a symbol of that transformation.
Job Discourse
Job Discourse
March 11, 2016
Outside Reading: Soren Kierkegaard/Repetition
Seeking solace in the anguished cries of Job, the young man finds that repetition alone brings about true wholeness. As Edward Mooney says, “Job is the model for repetition. His world gets restored in his yielding, and his dependence and acceptance of the wondrous beyond all choice or control.” In the place of humble yielding, the glory of creation erupts and the world is reordered. What Job discovers is a cosmos that is never fixed. In this open system of infinite potentiality, creation is a constant act all humans engage in. Autonomy gives way to interdependence and control left for trusting devotion. Through the act of giving up the world, Job receives his world anew.
Repetition
Repetition
March 11, 2016
Outside Reading: Soren Kierkegaard/Repetition
Repetition is one of Kierkegaard’s shorter works written under the pseudonym of Constantine Constantias. The book fits both philosophical discourse and novel into one, dealing with the metaphysical idea of repetition within the narrative context of a man who experiences deep anxiety from the loss of his lover. At the onset of the book he tells the writer that he intends to substitute repetition for the Platonic idea of recollection. Modern man needs a new way of acquiring knowledge. Recollection is the belief that the soul contains all knowledge. It is while making the traumatic journey from the higher realm of Forms to the lower realm of the material, inhabiting a body, that the soul forgets the knowledge that inheres within it. Thus, Plato teaches that all knowledge must be recollected by the help of a teacher, whom he compares to a mid-wife.
In a word, repetition is receiving knowledge, not through recollection, but as revelation from an unknown. It is a gift that can only be received through willful submission and the risk of love. The heartbroken, dramatic young man in Kierkegaard’s story seeks a revelation that will subdue his inner unrest, seeking out the mentorship of Constantine for help. Constantine, however, seems to be pessimistic about love and women in general, wanting nothing more than for the young man to move on. Here, it is likely that Kierkegaard is writing with his own life story in mind. As a young man himself, Kierkegaard severed engagement ties with his fiancé Regina Olsen for reasons that are not fully known. The event was a pivotal point in his life are finds expression in the indecision of the young man in Repetition. At the core of Repetition is the exploration of whether or not meaning can be found within or regained after suffering. To resolve this, Kierkegaard turns to the Biblical figures of Abraham (Fear and Trembling) and Job (‘Job Discourse’), two men who plunged themselves into the absurdity or faith with passionate inwardness and came out of the waters with renewed faith and praise.
Cumunitas in The Jacket?
In the excerpt by Stephen Graves, he mentions the "spontaneous communitas" that is often experienced by the pilgrim. He writes, "In spontaneous communitas, conversation occurs that is a "direct, immediate, and total confrontation of human identities." Turner notes there is something magical about it. He asserts that "when the mood, style or fit of spontaneous communitas is upon us, we place a high value on personal honesy, openness, and a lack of pretensions or pretentiousness." I felt the connection between Jack and his friend in the mental hospital had a similar feeling. Their first conversation had the feeling of "direct immediate and total confrontation of human identities."
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Midrash In The Decalogue
The Decalogue is a series of 10 hour-long episodes, each interpreting a different 10 Commandment. The first episode deals with "thou shalt have no other Gods before me", while the fifth episode deals with "thou shalt not kill".
In the first episode, we see two characters that have very distinct ways of looking at life. The father sees life in numbers and measurements (believing in what could be proven), while the aunt lives in faith. Pavel is searching for answers somewhere between the two, but dies in the lake before he can find them. After the bodies are pulled out of the water, we see Pavel's father slowly realizing what has happened, and even losing his faith in the science that caused his son to die.
The fifth episode was a little more confusing to me; why did Jacek want to kill that taxi driver? He does go into how his sister was killed by a drunk driver, so maybe he had some deep psychological issues. For me the concept of Madrash was evident in the first episode more so than in the fifth. It way clearly a way to understand the first commandment. I looked up the fifth episode to get some more clarity on it, and it just seems like 'this is what happens when you murder someone, murder is wrong'. It also seems like Kielwoski was using this episode as a way to show his stance on the death penalty, rather than trying to bring the focus back on religion.
In the first episode, we see two characters that have very distinct ways of looking at life. The father sees life in numbers and measurements (believing in what could be proven), while the aunt lives in faith. Pavel is searching for answers somewhere between the two, but dies in the lake before he can find them. After the bodies are pulled out of the water, we see Pavel's father slowly realizing what has happened, and even losing his faith in the science that caused his son to die.
The fifth episode was a little more confusing to me; why did Jacek want to kill that taxi driver? He does go into how his sister was killed by a drunk driver, so maybe he had some deep psychological issues. For me the concept of Madrash was evident in the first episode more so than in the fifth. It way clearly a way to understand the first commandment. I looked up the fifth episode to get some more clarity on it, and it just seems like 'this is what happens when you murder someone, murder is wrong'. It also seems like Kielwoski was using this episode as a way to show his stance on the death penalty, rather than trying to bring the focus back on religion.
The Holy as a Category of Value
David Clarkson, March 15, 2016, The Holy as a category of Value
"No religion has brought the mystery of the need for atonement or expiation to so complete, so profound, or so powerful expression as Christianity" (Otto 56). In this quote Otto is striving to reference the superiority of Christianity over other religions. All other religions explain or seek to try to explain what one has to do to achieve enlightenment, or how to do enough for a good afterlife. But, Christianity explains what has already been done for you through Christ. However, in order for us to understand Christ's atonement for us, we need to understand why we as humans needed any atonement in the first place. The need for atonement can be derived from the book of Romans where Paul explains to the Roman believers that nobody is righteous, not even one. Because of our shortcomings as human beings, there needs to be an appropriate atonement to pay for our sins. The ultimate sacrifice can be explained and experienced through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins on the cross, because he was the only being who was worthy to do so. The fact that Jesus died for us, despite the fact he didn't have to demonstrates his immense love for us as undeserving humans.
"No religion has brought the mystery of the need for atonement or expiation to so complete, so profound, or so powerful expression as Christianity" (Otto 56). In this quote Otto is striving to reference the superiority of Christianity over other religions. All other religions explain or seek to try to explain what one has to do to achieve enlightenment, or how to do enough for a good afterlife. But, Christianity explains what has already been done for you through Christ. However, in order for us to understand Christ's atonement for us, we need to understand why we as humans needed any atonement in the first place. The need for atonement can be derived from the book of Romans where Paul explains to the Roman believers that nobody is righteous, not even one. Because of our shortcomings as human beings, there needs to be an appropriate atonement to pay for our sins. The ultimate sacrifice can be explained and experienced through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins on the cross, because he was the only being who was worthy to do so. The fact that Jesus died for us, despite the fact he didn't have to demonstrates his immense love for us as undeserving humans.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
David Clarkson, Blog on Technological World, March 10, 2015
As I was writing my response on the Blade Runner, I could not help but try and connect the film with the global world that we are living in today. Technology is constantly and exponentially improving and evolving. The evolution of technology has lead to a decline of believe in the religious traditions of old. People are beginning to become more and more individualistic, as the the are relying science, technology, and man. Take smart phones for an example. People are extremely reliant, and dependent on this new technology. This dependence removes the need most people have for a higher power, because they seem to have complete control of their life in their hands. This is dangerous because I believe these devices will never fill them with the happiness, and fulfillment that the religious traditions of their fathers can provide them. Phones will not last, but the implications of your lack of relationship and devotion to your faith will last for eternity. The worst part is that most people do not even see or understand how distracted they are from the things that matter, because they are so immersed into the technologically advanced world they are living in. They are beginning to believe that they could not live without the technology that drives their everyday life, instead of realizing that the cannot truly live without faith. I think this film helps paint a picture of how bad the results of this reliance can be, and though it is seemingly an exaggeration of our future, if we are honest with ourselves, it might not be as far off as we hope. Somehow, I believe that our culture needs to break from our reliance on the technology that will not last, and go back to the faith that will determine our eternity.
As I was writing my response on the Blade Runner, I could not help but try and connect the film with the global world that we are living in today. Technology is constantly and exponentially improving and evolving. The evolution of technology has lead to a decline of believe in the religious traditions of old. People are beginning to become more and more individualistic, as the the are relying science, technology, and man. Take smart phones for an example. People are extremely reliant, and dependent on this new technology. This dependence removes the need most people have for a higher power, because they seem to have complete control of their life in their hands. This is dangerous because I believe these devices will never fill them with the happiness, and fulfillment that the religious traditions of their fathers can provide them. Phones will not last, but the implications of your lack of relationship and devotion to your faith will last for eternity. The worst part is that most people do not even see or understand how distracted they are from the things that matter, because they are so immersed into the technologically advanced world they are living in. They are beginning to believe that they could not live without the technology that drives their everyday life, instead of realizing that the cannot truly live without faith. I think this film helps paint a picture of how bad the results of this reliance can be, and though it is seemingly an exaggeration of our future, if we are honest with ourselves, it might not be as far off as we hope. Somehow, I believe that our culture needs to break from our reliance on the technology that will not last, and go back to the faith that will determine our eternity.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
David Clarkson, Idea of the Holy
David Clarkson, The Idea of the Holy, The Numinous in the New Testament
Rudolf Otto writes, "The idea of election-- i.e. of having been chosen out and pre-ordained by God unto salvation--is an immediate and pure expression of the actual religious practice of grace" (Otto 87). I am glad that Porter brings up the topic of predestination and election, because I think that it is a topic that many people who call themselves christians do not like to bring up. I think the reasoning for their unwillingness to openly talk about the subject of election is mostly due to their lack of understanding of the topic as a whole, or distaste for the truth of the matter. Many people who call themselves christian in modern day America believe in what many people call the prosperity gospel, where they only believe and abide in the parts of scripture that talk about the prosperity and blessings they can receive as believers. Predestination and election falls in contrast to the more favorable doctrine this group of christians accept, hence the reason this topic is avoided by many believers. Because of this misconception, I like how Otto describes election as an expression of grace. As humans, I do not believe we are in a place to question God's election as he commands us in Romans. His election should only make us all the more appreciative of grace.
Rudolf Otto writes, "The idea of election-- i.e. of having been chosen out and pre-ordained by God unto salvation--is an immediate and pure expression of the actual religious practice of grace" (Otto 87). I am glad that Porter brings up the topic of predestination and election, because I think that it is a topic that many people who call themselves christians do not like to bring up. I think the reasoning for their unwillingness to openly talk about the subject of election is mostly due to their lack of understanding of the topic as a whole, or distaste for the truth of the matter. Many people who call themselves christian in modern day America believe in what many people call the prosperity gospel, where they only believe and abide in the parts of scripture that talk about the prosperity and blessings they can receive as believers. Predestination and election falls in contrast to the more favorable doctrine this group of christians accept, hence the reason this topic is avoided by many believers. Because of this misconception, I like how Otto describes election as an expression of grace. As humans, I do not believe we are in a place to question God's election as he commands us in Romans. His election should only make us all the more appreciative of grace.
David Clarkson, The Idea of the Holy
David Clarkson, March 9, 2016, Signs Following
Rudolf Otto writes, "Now the fewer preconceptions which we bring to our reading of the narrative-material of the Gospels, as reviewed and guaranteed by a thorough criticism, the stronger becomes the impression that in Jesus these powers were present with a rare potency" (Otto 208). I thought that this point was an interesting and accurate point by Otto. It seems to be referencing the idea that as readers when we are getting into the Bible for study, we come into the passages with a preconceived notion and idea of what we think we should be getting out of the passage in terms of application. This is a dangerous practice because instead of learning what the passage is actually saying, individuals might only be receiving what other people have told them the particular passage is about. This unintentional practice could be especially dangerous if an individual goes into reading a passage with preconceived notions heard from someone else that are false in doctrine. Moreover, this type of reading will raise a culture of individuals who are incapable of learning how to read and understand a passage without help for themselves. Personally, if I'm being honest, I know that I have been guilty of this type of reading before, as I have taken something a pastor or peer has told me about the Bible, and when I have gone for myself to read it, already had an idea of what I think it meant without reading it completely for myself.
Rudolf Otto writes, "Now the fewer preconceptions which we bring to our reading of the narrative-material of the Gospels, as reviewed and guaranteed by a thorough criticism, the stronger becomes the impression that in Jesus these powers were present with a rare potency" (Otto 208). I thought that this point was an interesting and accurate point by Otto. It seems to be referencing the idea that as readers when we are getting into the Bible for study, we come into the passages with a preconceived notion and idea of what we think we should be getting out of the passage in terms of application. This is a dangerous practice because instead of learning what the passage is actually saying, individuals might only be receiving what other people have told them the particular passage is about. This unintentional practice could be especially dangerous if an individual goes into reading a passage with preconceived notions heard from someone else that are false in doctrine. Moreover, this type of reading will raise a culture of individuals who are incapable of learning how to read and understand a passage without help for themselves. Personally, if I'm being honest, I know that I have been guilty of this type of reading before, as I have taken something a pastor or peer has told me about the Bible, and when I have gone for myself to read it, already had an idea of what I think it meant without reading it completely for myself.
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