My brother recently became a Bar Mitzvah, a very important achievement in his life - and many family and friends gathered to celebrate with him. As the oldest brother, I felt a strong obligation to give a speech at the event. I gave the speech with some reservations, being that I'm not Jewish - but I felt the message was too important to hold back based on those grounds. The speech seemed to really strike people, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity. For posterity and without further comment, my unabridged speech:
First and foremost, Mazal Tov on your Bar Mitzvah! Like everyone else, I'm very proud of the effort you've put in over the past few years to prepare for this day. Now, take a second to look around you. You've managed to get about a hundred people gathered in a room, celebrating in your honor. On top of that, you've managed to separate all of them from some of their hard earned cash! Sure makes up for the ritual circumcision and years of Hebrew school, doesn't it?
I know it’s been tricky for us to build our relationship as brothers, since you're more than half my age and I left home ten years ago. However, I'm sure our relationship will get a lot better in the all too near future when I'm going through my mid-life crisis and I start calling you at college begging to hang out. Nowadays, the time we get to spend together is a lot of fun, but it's rare we get the opportunity to talk about the heavy stuff. Matters of the spirit like religion, faith, and philosophy. I know when I was thirteen, I never talked about these things at all. That's why I've insisted on standing here tonight, to provide some words of caution and words of encouragement, and forgoing the golden opportunity to embarrass you in front of all your friends.
When I was about your age, I performed the Catholic Rite of Confirmation. I did this less out of choice, than out of obligation…it was what you were supposed to do. While I had to do a bit of work to prepare for the occasion, it was nowhere near the commitment needed to prepare for a Bar Mitzvah. I did it in a catholic school gym with a bunch of other kids, and we all got to it all in English! For all of its supposed significance, my Confirmation was pretty much void of honest spirituality. I felt no connection to the beliefs of the religion I was "confirming", and it was after that day I made the decision that it wasn't for me. With the benefit of hindsight I realize how it was a big mistake to shut myself off from spirituality with that decision. It was more than a dozen years after that Confirmation when I discovered religions and philosophies that deeply resonated with me, inspired me and drove me to focus much of my thoughts and energies on such matters, and to do so passionately. I say all of this to give you perspective on why I must caution you to not spend the next decade ignoring spirituality like I did.
In many ways I envy you and the opportunity you have before you. It's my hope that you are encouraged by all of your studies and this event to never stop investigating the deeper matters. Don't let the many wonders and wisdoms of spirituality and philosophy become part-time endeavors, as things to lean on during difficult or convenient times. Don't look upon your Bar Mitzvah as a destination, as an end to a long period of intense study. Look on it as a celebration of your faith, on becoming morally and ethically responsible for your actions. I encourage you to use today as a springboard into a life of seeking. Seeking to understand yourself, seeking to understand Judaism, seeking the answers to those really big questions that all too often go unasked.
Your Proud Brother, Chris
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Movie Review - The Man From Earth
"Piety is not what the lessons bring to the people, it's the mistake people bring to the lessons."
On a whim, I recently watched The Man From Earth (2007) on Netflix Streaming. (Speaking of which - for ~$10 a month this is such a phenominal deal - and the primary reason I don't have to spend ~$100 a month on cable)
While I'm not one to write a review of every movie I watch - this one is certainly an exception. Written by sci-fi legend Jerome Bixby, The Man From Earth is a story about an impromptu good-bye party at the almost-empty house of Professor John Oldman; which quickly turns into an interrogation about the reasons he's leaving. After plenty of goading John reveals that he is in fact a cro-magnon human who is about 14,000 years old, and never ages. Understandably, his colleagues label it as a prank; but of course an anthropologist, biologist, historian, psycologist, and the other academics couldn't let such an idea pass.
The film goes into an astounding amount of discussion involving the physical possibilities of John's condition, and probing of John's memories of his many many years and life experiences. At every question, John provides lucid and entertaining responses - constantly putting his colleagues (and the viewer) into a state where they have to seriously consider that he's in fact completely serious. I knew it was a movie, yet I found myself wanting it all to be true, because the plotline of this 14,000 year old life was so compelling.
I've often fantasized about the possibility of living in a different era - what life would be like in many different types of societies and cultures...and the film goes into quite a few of John past "lives" with a breadth and depth that is incredibly entertaining. The back-and-forth among the other characters in response to John's revelation continuously discuss and reinforces the notion that it is possible (nay, important for a truly curious mind) to investigate phenomenoa without having to believe in it first. (And this is a point that is not stressed enough in education these days!)
The film gets very emotional and touchy in the latter half, when the discussions about faith, religion and philosophy are strongest - but the film does so in such a fantastic way. By far, this was my favorite parts of the film. Ellen Crawford does a pretty decent job at portraying Edith, a christian fundamentalist who gets extremely uncomfortable and withdrawn as some incredible secrets about christinaity are revealed by John. She walks the finely woven line John unravels just enough to have her firm resolve and rejection of the idea into an almost incredulous belief that it may actually be the truth.
The film is a bit reminiscent of 12 Angry Men, given it is shot entirely in John's cabin, and the movie is focused solely on the characters and John's story. The film brilliantly uses the house as a way to break up the pace of the film, to allow for some decompression and setup of changing angles of inquiry. It also provides opportunities to focus on the characters grappling with the issue of whether to believe John or just hear him out while he's outside.
The acting in general is pretty good, David Lee Smith plays a very convincing John Oldman - and his speech is fluid, clear, and spoken with incredible sincerity and pace. If was a pleasure hearing him speak through pages and pages of script as if he truly was the person who experienced it all.
All this being said, the film has some weak points. Harry's jokes a bit dorky and lame, but actor John Billingsley does a pretty good job of saving those moments being sincere and affable while saying the lines. William Katt needs some acting lessons after witnessing his role as Art, and the ending...the ending was fan-tas-tic, but it was a bit quick and brief. It was such a fun, brilliantly written way to end the film, but the director kind of screwed the pooch in the execution. Not that is was bad...you just know if could have been a lot better.
I give this movie a 9.5/10, losing a half a point for the 2 points mentioned above, and reccomend that you SEE THIS MOVIE!
- Chris
On a whim, I recently watched The Man From Earth (2007) on Netflix Streaming. (Speaking of which - for ~$10 a month this is such a phenominal deal - and the primary reason I don't have to spend ~$100 a month on cable)
While I'm not one to write a review of every movie I watch - this one is certainly an exception. Written by sci-fi legend Jerome Bixby, The Man From Earth is a story about an impromptu good-bye party at the almost-empty house of Professor John Oldman; which quickly turns into an interrogation about the reasons he's leaving. After plenty of goading John reveals that he is in fact a cro-magnon human who is about 14,000 years old, and never ages. Understandably, his colleagues label it as a prank; but of course an anthropologist, biologist, historian, psycologist, and the other academics couldn't let such an idea pass.
The film goes into an astounding amount of discussion involving the physical possibilities of John's condition, and probing of John's memories of his many many years and life experiences. At every question, John provides lucid and entertaining responses - constantly putting his colleagues (and the viewer) into a state where they have to seriously consider that he's in fact completely serious. I knew it was a movie, yet I found myself wanting it all to be true, because the plotline of this 14,000 year old life was so compelling.
I've often fantasized about the possibility of living in a different era - what life would be like in many different types of societies and cultures...and the film goes into quite a few of John past "lives" with a breadth and depth that is incredibly entertaining. The back-and-forth among the other characters in response to John's revelation continuously discuss and reinforces the notion that it is possible (nay, important for a truly curious mind) to investigate phenomenoa without having to believe in it first. (And this is a point that is not stressed enough in education these days!)
The film gets very emotional and touchy in the latter half, when the discussions about faith, religion and philosophy are strongest - but the film does so in such a fantastic way. By far, this was my favorite parts of the film. Ellen Crawford does a pretty decent job at portraying Edith, a christian fundamentalist who gets extremely uncomfortable and withdrawn as some incredible secrets about christinaity are revealed by John. She walks the finely woven line John unravels just enough to have her firm resolve and rejection of the idea into an almost incredulous belief that it may actually be the truth.
The film is a bit reminiscent of 12 Angry Men, given it is shot entirely in John's cabin, and the movie is focused solely on the characters and John's story. The film brilliantly uses the house as a way to break up the pace of the film, to allow for some decompression and setup of changing angles of inquiry. It also provides opportunities to focus on the characters grappling with the issue of whether to believe John or just hear him out while he's outside.
The acting in general is pretty good, David Lee Smith plays a very convincing John Oldman - and his speech is fluid, clear, and spoken with incredible sincerity and pace. If was a pleasure hearing him speak through pages and pages of script as if he truly was the person who experienced it all.
All this being said, the film has some weak points. Harry's jokes a bit dorky and lame, but actor John Billingsley does a pretty good job of saving those moments being sincere and affable while saying the lines. William Katt needs some acting lessons after witnessing his role as Art, and the ending...the ending was fan-tas-tic, but it was a bit quick and brief. It was such a fun, brilliantly written way to end the film, but the director kind of screwed the pooch in the execution. Not that is was bad...you just know if could have been a lot better.
I give this movie a 9.5/10, losing a half a point for the 2 points mentioned above, and reccomend that you SEE THIS MOVIE!
- Chris
Friday, November 19, 2010
Book Review: Walden
"Will you be a reader, a student merely, or a seer? Read your fate, see what is before you, and walk on into futurity." - Pg. 119
Yet again, I have my friend Eli to thank for introducing me to such a fantastic book. Considered Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden is a weighty book which chronicles his thoughts and experiences over the course of a couple of years on the banks of Walden Pond during the years 1845-1847. Walden is rife with transcendentalist philosophy, in many ways a response to a world that was growing increasingly hectic and smaller. While written in the mid 19th century, many of the discussions and philosophy is just as relevant to today's world (if not MORE so) than it was in his world - and that's probably one of the biggest reasons the book is considered such a literary classic.
"We are the subjects of an experiment which is not a little interesting to me. Can we not do without the society of our gossips a little while under these circumstances - have our own thoughts to cheer us? Confucius says truly, 'Virtue does not remain as an abandoned orphan; it must of necessity have neighbors.'" - Pg. 144
I'll admit that the book is bogged down by a lot of long descriptions of the natural world Thoreau explored. While interesting, and all eloquently written, it took me quite a bit of time to get through this book. It's the type of book that takes me a long time to read, little bits at a time. (Sorry I've had your book for over a month Eli :-/) While the language is certainly a bit too flowery and poetic for my taste, when he gets to the meaty philosophical parts he presents his arguments with a level of clarity that really made me think about things. The book certainly resonates with my feelings about the world I'm living in.
"We should be as good as the worthies of antiquity, but party by first knowing how good they were. We are a race of tit-men, and soar but little higher in our intellectual flights than the columns of the daily paper." - Pg. 116
It's really hard to classify Walden - in parts its a practical description of living a life in the woods on one's own terms, in others he takes a critical look at society and economy, and in portions his investigation takes a scientific tack that while odd; helped me to appreciate the man behind the book. Thoreau is certainly a man of many facets and talents, and quite resourceful to boot. He is a man who is comfortable with who he is, and wise enough to realize the true battle of mankind is the battle within.
"A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. So our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts. We should be blessed if we lived in the present always, and took advantage of every accident that befell us, like the grass which confesses the influence of the slightest dew that falls on it; and did not spend our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities, which we call doing our duty." -Pg. 330
While Thoreau openly discusses his experiences with eastern philosophy, many of his discussions echo Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu philosophies - consciously or without knowledge. He does so in a way that is shockingly lucid, considering the limited exposure such philosophies had in the west in his time. It's in these passages where Thoreau's brilliance really shines brightest (for me, at least).
"I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere. Nature is as well adapted to our weakness as to o strength. The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well-nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of the work we do; and yet how much is not done by us! or, what if we had been taken sick? How vigilant we are! determined not to live by faith if we can avoid it; all day long on the alert, at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties. So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change. This is the only way, we say; but there are as many ways as there can be drawn radii from one centre. All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant." - Pgs. 15-16
Thoreau was certainly a naturalist at heart. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience in such matters becomes clearly obvious while reading Walden. The detail he provides is more than enough to close one's eyes and be able to pretend you're sitting on the stoop of his cabin enjoying a perfect day at Walden Pond. Thoreau also showcases his concern for the decaying relationships between man and nature - how out of touch society was becoming with its powerful benefits. I think if Thoreau were to live in today's world, he'd probably have quite a fit fits over how much worse things got after the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars really gummed things up a whole lot worse...
"But since I left those shores the wood choppers have still further laid them waste, and now for many a year there will be no more rambling through the aisles of the wood, with occasional vistas through which you see the water. My muse may be excused if she is silent henceforth. How can you expect the birds to sing when their groves are cut down?" - Pg. 205
Walden was by no means an easy read, but the challenge was well worth it.
- Chris
Yet again, I have my friend Eli to thank for introducing me to such a fantastic book. Considered Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden is a weighty book which chronicles his thoughts and experiences over the course of a couple of years on the banks of Walden Pond during the years 1845-1847. Walden is rife with transcendentalist philosophy, in many ways a response to a world that was growing increasingly hectic and smaller. While written in the mid 19th century, many of the discussions and philosophy is just as relevant to today's world (if not MORE so) than it was in his world - and that's probably one of the biggest reasons the book is considered such a literary classic.
"We are the subjects of an experiment which is not a little interesting to me. Can we not do without the society of our gossips a little while under these circumstances - have our own thoughts to cheer us? Confucius says truly, 'Virtue does not remain as an abandoned orphan; it must of necessity have neighbors.'" - Pg. 144
I'll admit that the book is bogged down by a lot of long descriptions of the natural world Thoreau explored. While interesting, and all eloquently written, it took me quite a bit of time to get through this book. It's the type of book that takes me a long time to read, little bits at a time. (Sorry I've had your book for over a month Eli :-/) While the language is certainly a bit too flowery and poetic for my taste, when he gets to the meaty philosophical parts he presents his arguments with a level of clarity that really made me think about things. The book certainly resonates with my feelings about the world I'm living in.
"We should be as good as the worthies of antiquity, but party by first knowing how good they were. We are a race of tit-men, and soar but little higher in our intellectual flights than the columns of the daily paper." - Pg. 116
It's really hard to classify Walden - in parts its a practical description of living a life in the woods on one's own terms, in others he takes a critical look at society and economy, and in portions his investigation takes a scientific tack that while odd; helped me to appreciate the man behind the book. Thoreau is certainly a man of many facets and talents, and quite resourceful to boot. He is a man who is comfortable with who he is, and wise enough to realize the true battle of mankind is the battle within.
"A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. So our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts. We should be blessed if we lived in the present always, and took advantage of every accident that befell us, like the grass which confesses the influence of the slightest dew that falls on it; and did not spend our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities, which we call doing our duty." -Pg. 330
While Thoreau openly discusses his experiences with eastern philosophy, many of his discussions echo Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu philosophies - consciously or without knowledge. He does so in a way that is shockingly lucid, considering the limited exposure such philosophies had in the west in his time. It's in these passages where Thoreau's brilliance really shines brightest (for me, at least).
"I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere. Nature is as well adapted to our weakness as to o strength. The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well-nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of the work we do; and yet how much is not done by us! or, what if we had been taken sick? How vigilant we are! determined not to live by faith if we can avoid it; all day long on the alert, at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties. So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change. This is the only way, we say; but there are as many ways as there can be drawn radii from one centre. All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant." - Pgs. 15-16
Thoreau was certainly a naturalist at heart. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience in such matters becomes clearly obvious while reading Walden. The detail he provides is more than enough to close one's eyes and be able to pretend you're sitting on the stoop of his cabin enjoying a perfect day at Walden Pond. Thoreau also showcases his concern for the decaying relationships between man and nature - how out of touch society was becoming with its powerful benefits. I think if Thoreau were to live in today's world, he'd probably have quite a fit fits over how much worse things got after the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars really gummed things up a whole lot worse...
"But since I left those shores the wood choppers have still further laid them waste, and now for many a year there will be no more rambling through the aisles of the wood, with occasional vistas through which you see the water. My muse may be excused if she is silent henceforth. How can you expect the birds to sing when their groves are cut down?" - Pg. 205
Walden was by no means an easy read, but the challenge was well worth it.
- Chris
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