Starting Assumptions for
Week 4
|| February 2, 2009 at 12:00pm
From my perspective, a fable is a story which is intentionally set into a non-historical or non-literal context for the purpose of conveying information, morals, and values; or simply to entertain a particular audience. It is a creative expression of storytelling in which there is no real expectation that anyone would mistake it for something that has actually occurred in the past. A myth, on the other hand, intentionally blurs the line between what "could have" happened and what "actually did" happen. Myths seek to not only be accepted as plausible, but in truth most offer a more compelling explanation for why things are the way they are.
When understood properly, Myths are in many ways far more real than the world around us. The so-called 'historical record' is continually being rewritten as one kingdom overtakes another, but what king or emperor can change the testimony of the heavens above? It is for this reason that community elders and priests have always encoded sacred knowledge by narrating oral stories based upon the movement of celestial bodies up above and our 'historical' interactions with one another down below. Indeed, most ancient cultures looked to the stars not only for guidance, but also for their origins and afterlife destiny.
Much more could be said about myths, but the most important point that I can make is that the ancient concept of Myth is fundamentally different than how the modern age has employed this term. We assume that myths are false superstitions that offer superficial explanations or false beliefs which are wrongly believed to be true. They, on the other hand, would have argued that their Myths are experientially verifiable to anyone who engages them on their own terms; which in turn, makes them more real than our manipulated perceptions of life and reality. This, of course, begs the question: what is reality anyways?
Which is more real, our dreams at night or our waking reality during the day? Who's to say that our individual 'lives' are not but a dream being dreamt by another in a distinctly different realm than our own? Would not a mythological or dream-like language be the ideal form of communication? If we were living in a 'computer-generated' Matrix, then perhaps it would be worthwhile to learn the internal language or coding that makes up everything that we see around us. These are the sorts of questions that I spend a lot of time engaging, but the joy of seeking answers comes from the new questions that arise in their discovery.
As for Greek and Roman mythology, I must admit that as a kid I could not have thought of anything more useless to me; in fact, the same is true when it came to the idea of learning Greek and Latin as a 'dead' foreign language. I mean, why should I embrace a bunch of pagan nonsense of gods and goddesses when my monotheistic religion clearly condemns them as a form of idolatry? Besides, my limited exposure to these myths only reinforced my opinion of them. Half man and half god or half beast? These sorts of images made about as much sense as the perpetual battles and glorification of war.
Today, I am beginning to discover a new found appreciation for these obscure and bizarre tales. Little could have I imagined that the Bible would be virtually incomprehensible apart from a certain degree of background familiarity with them. I am studying Homer for the first time this semester. I had already been tipped off that the Gospel of Mark and the Acts of the Apostles may have been written as a veiled mimesis of the Homeric epics, but these first couple of weeks have already provided a number of fruitful insights. I know that I would enjoy Aesop's fables, but for this week I will be reading the Homeric selections.
Storytelling for Week 4:
Institutional Bewitchment || February 7, 2009 at 12:00pm
Once we arrived at the church, we discovered that it was constructed by the hands of men, placed in a highly prominent spot, and surrounded by things which offered the appearance of life. Vicious businessmen and politicians were always close by, for they had been transfixed and drugged by its promise of both power and wealth. These animals did not attack us, but instead graveled before us as if they wanted us to become like them. We were, after all, potentially new members who can fill their coffers with money and other goodies. Though they did not harm us, we were frightened by the sight of seeing how far man's depravity could go.
Once we arrived upon it's doorsteps, we began to hear Institution spilling forth various propaganda through it's well-oiled machinery. Such a web of deceit, who could possibly avoid it's greedy tentacles? One of the least-discerning among us was instantly bewitched by all the bells, whistles, glitz, and glamor. He wanted to know more about Institution, so he called for one of the staff-members who was now leading us along the path of membership. Most of my comrades fell for the bait, but I wasn't going to have any part of it. I sat outside in the parking lot while they blindly walked into it's deceptive clutches.
Once they went inside, Institution placed them along a line of benches which it called pews. They were seated and offered a bunch of rhetoric which appealed to their superstitious minds and got them all worked up into a drunken stupor. No longer were my comrades men, for they had become mere creatures which liked to wallow in it's own filth. No longer did they remember the glory of their own homes, for now they just sat idle as life passed before their eyes. All they could do was complain about the outward behaviors of external entities; a practice which it cleverly called: loving the sinner, but hating the sin.
And so it was, they were spellbound by a propagandist institution that met in a building called church.
Meanwhile, I barely escaped it's clutches myself as I observed the things taking place. You see, I was an outsider looking in through the windows and my vision was crystal clear. It was they who had become numb to the realities of the world which continued to exist outside of it's carefully constructed walls; for these doctrines turned sound minds into bestial deformities.
Thus, I returned to Luther to persuade him to depart with me and our remaining crew. But alas, he could not be persuaded. In spite of everything said about this place, he somehow saw something of value therein. Each to their own, I suppose. For me, however, I'll pass on that which calls itself One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic; for the sola XXXX battle-cries suit me just fine.
Original story: Odysseus and Circe
Image Information: Wright Barker, ca. 1890. Weblink.
Author's note: I wrote this from the perspective of Eurylochus, as he is the one who did not fall under Circe's spell but returned to warn Odysseus. Also, I've altered the story to make it align with the criticisms of certain individuals and sects which have decisively negative opinions and downright cynical viewpoints concerning the Church. Some have reasoned that the modern English word 'Church' is in fact derived from Circe herself, so this is my attempt to give voice to their concerns. For examples of this attempted connection, see Reformation: Church of Rome and Tentmaker: Daughter of the Sun among other websites.
The Myth of Private Interpretation,
Web source: Photobucket: Spitfire1985md
Essay for Week 4:
Adventures in
Wisdom || February 8, 2009 at 10:30am
1458-1529 depicting scenes from Odyssey; Illuminated by Reginaldus Piramus; University of Vermont; Weblink.
Story 1: Odysseus and the Cyclops
This is a good example of an adventure in Wisdom. It starts out with Odysseus leaving behind his 'fellow citizens' with a smaller group of men aboard his ship. They go to the nearby land of the Cyclops with the intention of 'exploiting' their resources. Once there, he has 'his' men stay aboard the ship while he takes 12 of the best with him to scout out the land. We are then given a 'wish list' of items that appeals to his men. They wanted to quickly exploit and run, but Odysseus was more interested in the Cyclops. There's something peculiar about this creature that compels him to disregard the wishes of the 12.
Indeed, some of his men are sacrificed to the Cyclops as a result of his obsession with him. Even after he escapes with his men and the goods, he still allows it to provoke the now blinded Cyclops into nearly sinking his ship by hurling large boulders at them; not to mention the curse of Neptune being placed upon them. I have skipped over the details of how Odysseus plots, schemes, and outsmarts the Cyclops to escape with his life. There are definitely elements of Wisdom involved throughout, but for this story I am mainly pointing out that Odysseus clearly puts more emphasis on the Cyclops than upon it's goods.
Ultimately, this means that if we were to use Odysseus as a hero or character worthy of imitating, then we too must closely consider the elements of his stories. This one is no different. Why does he leave behind his fellow citizens to go on an adventure? Why select 12 of the best men to accompany him in the journey into the Cave? Why obsess over the cyclops itself when in fact it is consuming your friends? After escaping, why persist in the obsession to the detriment of one's safety? In considering these questions, one must wonder if perhaps there were allegorical interpretations passed along in oral tradition.
Story 2: Odysseus and Circe
This story shares some of the same elements as before.
First, Odysseus scouts out the land and returns back to his ship with a sacrificial meal. He then divides his men into two groups. He captains one and commissions Eurylochus to the other. They cast lots and Eurylochus is tasked with venturing into the land while Odysseus remained aboard the ship with his men. Eurylochus and his men then narrate their adventure. The men succumb to Circe's enchantment, but Eurylochus escapes back to the ship to alert Odysseus to the dangers. Despite his warnings and refusal to go back, wouldn't you know that our dear Odysseus becomes obsessed with Circe?
Well, he does but not before Mercury gives him a special herb that protects him from Circe's bewitching spells and potions. We are then given a number of details related to his time spent with her. He has his companions set free and they stay for a year with her resting and relaxing from the hardships of their journey together. Odysseus then obtains key information regarding whom he needs to next consult as they again set out on their journey homeward to Ithaca. As before, there were certainly allegorical interpretations of these stories which had encoded various forms of Sacred Knowledge through oral tradition.
Story 3: Odysseus and the Underworld
In this story, we are given an example of a hero consulting various prophets, mediums, necromancy, and other arts of divination. The underlying theme here relates to the idea that the hero is engaged in a journey into or out of a realm in which he is blind or ignorant of things taking place in another parallel realm. Not only has he hit a roadblock in his journey, but he knows that he needs additional information in order to successfully complete his mission. Thus, he consults this other realm for guidance and direction. Each individual act of divination has its strengths and weaknesses, but they share a similar function.
In fact, this offers me a chance to comment on the Bible's prohibition of such activities. We know that various biblical saints and prophets explicitly condemn most forms of divinational arts. And yet, the Bible is full of prayers, songs, and prophecies which are not only embraced but enthusiastically endorsed. What escapes most people's observation relates to the fact that the 'dark arts' are indeed legitimate in that they do produce real results. The problem and reason behind the prohibition fundamentally comes down to one of trust and confidence. How can one be sure of the information's source or reliability?
If the hero is blind to higher or spiritual reality, then he has to entrust himself to the guidance of others. This guidance may be completely trustworthy or absolutely deceitful or a very complex mixture of the two. This story makes mention of departed souls or astral entities being attracted to meat and blood. Would a vegetarian diet therefore make for a less 'demon' infested vessel? Would a meat-oriented diet make oneself more prone to hearing and communicating with various spirits claiming to be various deities, ascended masters, or extra-terrestrials? What if they claim to be Jesus or Mary?
In asking these questions, I am simply offering insight into why "God" appears to be so schizophrenic. Observe all those claiming to speak on God's behalf and observe their lifestyles. Consider all the departed souls & the reports of ghost hauntings. How can you be certain of the voice(s) guiding your own life? Do you really want to entrust yourself to another's guidance? Therein lies the reason for the Bible's prohibition. Consecration of mind, body, and soul is in fact the narrow way of Life.
Famous Last Words for Week
4 ||
February 8, 2009 at 12:30pm
Well, this week has been a bit of a challenge. I wasn't too wild about the translation of the Homeric texts, but in fairness to the translator: Homeric Greek is not necessarily an easy thing to work with and I am far from being ready to take on the challenge myself. Regardless, there's bound to be a better way to convey the language. I think that part of my discontent is that it's neither modern English nor ancient Greek, so what's the point? But then again, my complaint about this translation of Homer is but a reflection of my own distrust of Bible translators. They do the best they can with what they have and under the constraints placed upon them, but that doesn't change the fact that most translations are woefully inaccurate when compared to the actual language used in the original source texts.
Anyhow, the stories were a bit time-consuming and I really wasn't sure which one I would ultimately retell. I finally decided to work with a smaller subplot within the Odysseus and Circe story. This was fun for me because I am well aware of the sorts of ideas and perspectives people have; both within the Church as well as outside her visible boundaries. Secular atheists, agnostics, and folks of other religious traditions certainly don't think all that highly of the Church, but what of the super-pious and devout followers of Christ who see nothing but corruption and evil when they think of 'organized' religion? What of those who hate the 'bells and whistles' or 'glitz and glamor' surrounding the rituals and sacraments? Are these things not pagan "smoke and mirror" rituals designed to appease the masses as a dear friend of mine asserts? Well, this story allowed me to take up not only his own plight but also to offer a voice to the many others who share similar thoughts and feelings on the matter.
As for my storybook, this has been one of the more frustrating aspects of the week. I had a really good feel for what I wanted to do with it, but my underlying devotional interest was getting in the way of practicality. My plan was to have Joseph summarize his story from the book of Genesis while highlighting the more liturgical or Eucharistic imagery found therein. I was then going to offer 4 different stories of how "Joseph" has continued to fulfill his promises to his brothers throughout the biblical canon, but most specifically in the New Testament examples of various characters encountering Jesus. The problem, however, is that there's a wealth of information that is knowledgeable to myself already, but largely unknown to my audience. So, how does one bridge the gap apart from writing the introduction and stories well beyond the max word count allowed. Also, there's the tricky issue of remaining faithful to the biblical texts apart from actually plagiarizing them. It goes without saying that I'm having to make some adjustments as I go along. Thankfully, working ahead gives time to iron out any wrinkles as they come up.