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theotherpages · 2 years

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Alzheimer's as a Villanelle

I visit the theme of memory often in my writing, and since medical events are written into the plotlines of my books from time to time, I have had the unsettling experience of reliving a scene I’ve written. Perspective can also shift with time, our stage in life, or our position in a relationship. In Ion, book six of The Republic of Dreams, during a scene intended to evoke memories and the emotions they carry, Sparrow observes to Meredith, “I have learned that much of life is spent revisiting the same events, over and over, from different viewpoints.”

A few years ago, I traveled north to Ohio and Michigan, and had an opportunity to visit with Ms. Elizabeth Papps, my AP English Literature teacher from high school. It had been four decades, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was still around (she has since passed) but saddened to learn she had suffered a stroke. Her body was a pencil-thin version of the person she used to be. Her memory, and her attention span, likewise, were thin slivers of what they used to be, making conversation challenging. Challenging, but not impossible.

I explored things she might remember from teaching, from childhood, from travel, and especially on the topic of food. Food memories are rich from a sensory standpoint, and I guessed correctly that childhood memories of her favorite foods would be a good topic. She grew up in a Greek household, and the savory and sweet dishes are the kinds of things that have unique tastes and textures and fill a home with inviting aromas: avgolemono (lemon-chicken soup), pastitsio (a lasagna-like dish with a bechamel sauce and cinnamon), kourabiethes (sugar cookies that melt in your mouth), baklava (flaky pastry with honey and cinnamon). Food led to places she had been, people she had known, and things she had done.

The doorway to memory opened and closed repeatedly. She remembered traveling to Greece, Israel, and Egypt in detail, but could not remember it again twenty minutes later. She would correct me on the pronunciation of a Greek word, and forget that word ten minutes later. She wanted to be called Bess, because that is what her friends always called her. Friends she couldn’t remember.

Her favorite book to teach was A Tale of Two Cities, because she liked how the places and storylines paralleled and contrasted with each other. Her favorite play to teach was Hamlet, because, similarly, he stood in two worlds: his outward public life, and his tortured inner life. She remembered only a few teachers, but remembered more when prompted. She remembered Patricia Osborne fondly, a former journalist who taught English in an adjacent classroom for many years. She remembered only two students from all her years of teaching: Beth Perkins and Jim Calhoun. She didn’t remember me (not surprising - even without the stroke, it’s been forty years).

Her own questions and observations were simple, and recurring. Sometimes they repeated exactly, and sometimes with variations. More than anything, it reminded me of the structure of a villanelle. A villanelle is a poem with a very simple rhyme scheme in which two of the lines become an alternating refrain, as in a pair of comments or questions repeated multiple times, sometimes with slight changes to evolve their meaning.

A conversation with someone who has suffered memory loss can be that way. The same is true with some individuals on the autism spectrum. Maybe there is a certain reinforcement, or reassurance in the repeated refrain. The variations along the way can add depth to the conversation, as can approaching things from different directions. I am not an expert on these disorders in any way, but in a very human sense, she was happy to have company and was very engaged in the conversation. Did she remember my visit the next day? I don’t know. I suspect not.

I think the concept of a villanelle prepares us for the fact that the same ideas, subjects, and specific questions will repeat themselves, and that with patience, we can still communicate on some level. It may be a recursive conversation, and the content may be more in emotions than in words, but in truth, in most one-to-one personal conversations, isn’t that the most important part?

If you have not experienced this scene, odds are that you will, some day. If you write it or imagine it beforehand, don’t be surprised to find that it turns out differently. Be relieved, in fact. There is a certain eeriness when fiction is too close to reality. In the field of artificial intelligence (another recurring theme in The Republic of Dreams) there is a similar concept referred to as the Uncanny Valley. For the Alzheimer’s patient, I wonder which is the greater frustration - the thing that seems unknown (“Do I know you?”), or the thing that seems familiar, but just not quite right? (“Why do you look so old?”)

-- Steve

⌘ Alzheimer’s as a Villanelle

Time slips away, as all things do. Drop by drop, and then a torrent. Who am I? Do I know you? I thought I told you we were through? Or was that another country, another lover? Time slips away, as all things do. I was brilliant once, and beautiful too, But memories, like mirrors, are blurry now. Who am I? Do I know you? I was married one time, or maybe two, I raised three wild children, or was it four? Time slips away, as all things do. I had a home once, shiny and new, Built on a lake, or was it the seashore? Who am I? Do I know you? Time chases everyone, even you. Why do you look so old? Who was I? Did I know you? Time runs away, as all things do. --Steve Spanoudis

#alzheimers #theotherpages.org #the other pages #the republic of dreams #poem #poet #poets #poems #alzheimer's #memory #memory loss #memory care #forms #poetic forms #villanelle

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theintoccabile · 2 years

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I continue to be really unimpressed with how Foundation handles the nature vs nurture question, with the emperors all being not just genetic copies of each other but when it comes to their behavior as well, with just slight variations

Compare this to my favorite ever scifi show Killjoys

(This thought came to me when I thought of Day as Dawn’s brother-father. “Oh hey interesting af parallel to--”)

You could argue that Dutch is a perfect genetic copy of Aneela when she was a human, though with Dutch having been created from a memory of child Aneela it’s really a very different process involved. But anyway

Dutch is literally originally a copy of Aneela. HOWEVER, the way they were raised, their experiences and their relationships were completely different

And so are they as people.

I mean sure they are both amazing and incredible and beautiful you know obviously but. Even if you turned Dutch Hullen she and Aneela would be distinctly different people. Even if you put Dutch next to an Aneela who never became Hullen, they would not remotely be “the same”

They have vastly different personalities and relationships and the things and people they care about are very different too. And you can tell even if they’d had a similar upbringing just 40 years or whatever apart from each other rather than a literal eternity, their experiences would actually shape them to be their own people

Watching those two interact and change and grow and bond was amazing and meanwhile the lazy storytelling in Foundation is just infuriating.

“End imperial cloning” okay cool but if we can’t have that why don’t we try to nudge things into raising those kids right

“Dawn is actually very different from Day and Dusk... oh it’s because his DNA was actually altered before he came into the world lol that’s why he could be a decent person while the other 2 are evil”

Okay okay cool try to be more creative in season 2 maybe. Also can I have a Killjoys spin off other shows just disappoint me it’s rude

#foundation #killjoys #killjoys syfy #foundation spoilers

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theheightofdishonor · 4 years

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@asilhalawadi I retyped it from memory.

There’s a lot of things the Beyblade Metal Saga get wrong (do not get me started on how dirty they did Yu) but when they got it right, it was brilliant and the connection between Ryuga, Tsubasa, and Kyoya, is one of those things.

So starting in Metal Fusion, these three are set against each other as Gingka’s rivals- I single them out specifically because these are the only rivalries that span the entire Saga. You’ve got Kyoya who starts out intimidating but is quickly established a reliable ally-no matter what he says on the contrary. There’s Tsubasa who you can’t quite get a read on until well into the third act of Fusion but ,eventually chooses a side and sticks to it. Then there’s Ryuga, the “big bad” who never chooses Gingka’s “side” even as Gingka saves his life, he’s a wild card and they often emphasize his untrustworthiness throughout the Saga. Green, Purple and Red respectively.

It’s easier to split this up and discuss the inner dynamics first so Imma start with Kyoya-Ryuga. Controversial opinion but these two are just slight variations on all the same characteristics;their personalities are centered around individuality, mistrust, arrogance, a lack of manners, and a specific honor code that they don’t like revealing- they’re mirrors.It’s interesting to note that their respective colours (the colour of their auras, Kyoya’s green and Ryuga’s Red) are complementary colours. On a colour wheel, Red is directly opposite from Green. Even as they go through the same things, they’re on different sides. In Fusion, they’re both manipulated by Doji and fight to truly develop their own personality but they’re pitted against each other. In Masters, their developments take place mostly off-screen, never meeting and in Fury, they’re once again major players on opposing sides. There is exactly two points in the series where these two collide (other than Ryuga’s death)

The first is Battle Bladers. Their match in Battle Bladers is fundamental in understanding how their characters connect. Seriously watch it, it’s one of the best battles in the Saga. Ryuga begins by trashing the stadium before the battle begins, a move that Kyoya counters by destroying the stadium even more. It’s a statement of power as much as an intimidation tactic and neither backs down. Their battle continues the same way as they snark back at each other and exchange blows each with the force of a special move. It’s very “fight fire with fire”, “eye for an eye” and it works better than anyone would have thought. Tsubasa may be the first person to ever withstand the Dark Move but Kyoya’s the first one Ryuga fully takes seriously. It’s a fascinating battle. Kyoya taunts Ryuga to force him to use his full strength and Ryuga complies-knowingly. (The implications of him temporarily pushing back the Dark Force just because Kyoya asked-I) Kyoya has full confidence that his taunts will work, he admits as much. Ryuga, for his part, verbally praises Kyoya for being the only person to ever push him this far. (Granted, the way he says it, it’s more of an insult but.) They’re so equal in power that the battle was actually up to toss before Ryuga got possessed. But the thing with fighting fire with fire is that it leads to a lot of people getting burned. Ryuga gets thoroughly possessed (and would likely have stayed that way if not for Gingka) and Kyoya is impaled by a demon spirit. (Remind me to speculate on Hikaru and Kyoya’s response to the Dark Power). It doesn’t end well for either of them- but they’re equals.

In Metal Masters, they’re both demoted to secondary characters. They get lives outside of Gingka and don’t meet face to face until Metal Fury. Like I said, their arcs are parallel so it makes sense that the next time they battle toe to toe- they’re both on the verge of a series long personal conflict that has direct consequences on the fate of the world. This time, Ryuga is the self-assured one, he had an entire (mostly)Gingka-free season to sort out his issues and grow in power. Kyoya, on the other hand, isn’t even comfortable with his new bey yet and it’s almost depressing how quickly Ryuga wins that match. Ryuga even marks on it, that although their beys may be equal in power, they themselves no longer are equals. Their maths are set into motion and that’s the last communication between the two of them.

Their individual conflicts in Fury are actually the same exact problem- stemming from the fact that they are both horrified at the thought of selflessness. They have to justify their actions as something that directly affects them and being tied down by caring about something else is one of the worst things imaginable. By this meeting in Fury, Kyoya was a ticking bomb that had its roots all the way back to the beginning of Masters. In Fusion, they had become friends, but when Masters starts, Kyoya forces their relationship strictly back into rivals and does his bet to keep it that way. (I feel so bad for Gingka who literally gets nightmares about this moment) Even when he shows up to stop Ziggurat like some kind of guardian angel with impeccable timing - he’s quick to clarify that he’s not there for Gingka and only showed up because he thought Ryuga’s presence in the World Championships was suspicious. Like he’s right but ouch. It’s important to note that no one ever calls him out on this behavior where even as he helps and fights alongside them, he’s denying that he cares. I can’t even blame them for it because it wasn’t worth the effort.

When Kyoya actively joins Gingka again in Fury to search for Legendary Bladers, he’s obviously uncomfortable with the situation. I mean, there’s only so much you can pile under the justification of doing it to secure your rivalry. Let’s be real, that excuse barely worked even all the way back in Fusion when Kyoya joined forces with a couple of people he can’t stand to follow Gingka all the way to effing Koma Village. So him going batshit was inevitable, Aguma was just the spark.

Ryuga is in the same boat, except when he professes to not care, it’s much more believable unless you take a good look at his actions. His help in defeating Ziggurat could be attributed to his canon reason of dealing with ghosts from his past. But that doesn’t explain why he practically forces Gingka to realize his bey’s power before his battle with Julian or him advising Tsubasa on overcoming the Dark Power and even making sure Tsubasa gets back to his team. When Fury starts, the audience has a reluctant hope that Ryuga will help- a thought that is promptly and swiftly crushed with a sledgehammer. You’re given a bit of hope again as we explore Ryuga and Kenta’s bonds and are barraged with scenes of Ryuga displaying consideration if not concern for the actual child following him around. But it’s not to be. In a scene that’s actually very similar to Ryuga’s OG battle with Kyoya, Doji taunts Ryuga who allows that taunt to influence his actions and again, it ends badly for him. Not only does he fully revive Nemesis, it ends up leading to his own death.

However, Ryuga does a 180 in death and his affection for Kenta/honour/guilt that this kid’s going to kill himself because he blames himself for your death brings Ryuga back to life (?) to hand the Star Fragment to Kenta. But it’s already too late and Zeus’s barrier doesn’t hold even with a replacement Summer constellation bey. His grand gesture, which is actually super emotional when you watch the entire thing, ends up doing nothing other than prolonging the battle.

But, but, but. In that very last moment when all hope is gone and Pegasus is the only bey left spinning, Kyoya admits what he’s been denying for years- the effect Gingka has had on his life and that he cares for the guy. In a show of trust that Kyoya from even a couple days previous would never have done, Kyoya offers his bey spirit along with that of his precious Leon’s to Gingka. This, of course, prompts everyone else to do the same and Gingka defeats Nemesis and saves the world. But it wouldn’t have happened without Kyoya doing that. One lives, one dies.

Now, Kyoya-Tsubasa. No worries, the rest of this is going to be significantly shorter. Green and Purple, both cool/secondary colours, are on the same side Despite this, Kyoya and Tsubasa kind of end up playing tag throughout the Saga. In Fusion, Kyoya’s the one at Gingka’s side until Doji switches the battle order in Battle Bladers and suddenly, tag, Tsubasa’s the one facing Ryuga. He loses, tag, Kyoya’s turn. In Masters, Tsubasa’s “tagged” and is now the one who travels with Gingka while Kyoya takes off and then there’s a brief pause for the Season Finale™. In Fury, Kyoya gets the star fragment, tag, he’s the one traveling with Gingka now and out of the two, Kyoya’s the one in the limelight for the rest of the season.

On a superficial level, Kyoya and Tsubasa are opposites. Kyoya’s brash where Tsubasa is reserved. Kyoya clashes head on, Tsubasa keeps his cool. Yet, under the surface, they’re alike- moody, antisocial, and emotionally constipated. Jk, that part’s not til later. Really though, they’re pretty alike. Despite Kyoya’s abrasiveness, he’s almost always got some kind of plan in battle (even if they’re occasionally dumb things like let’s start a tornado which could potentially sweep away the helicopter that’s our ride out of here) and Tsubasa is no stranger to winging it -hacking the Dark Nebula without planning it beforehand, anyone?. Their differences balance the other person out. They’re almost foils in a manner.

With these two, Fusion is the place to be. (two pints of Sam Adams and I’m workin on three) Specifically, Tsubasa’s match with Ryuga and Kyoya’s attitude about it.That clip displays it better than I could explain. Tsubasa spends most of the actual battle avoiding El Drago- his plan is to draw out El Drago’s full strength and then attack when Ryuga’s at his weakest. (it makes more sense in the story) Everyone in the stadium is against this- the crowd is booing, even Gingka and the rest of their friends are unsure but Kyoya doesn’t lose faith for a second. He urges Tsubasa to not pay attention to the crowd-to trust his instincts and at that moment, he’s the only person that believes in Tsubasa. His faith is rewarded as Tsubasa becomes the first person to withstand the Dark Move.

Despite having never battled each other, Tsubasa and Kyoya are established as equals in skill, power and intellect. And then the World Championships Qualifiers starts and along with it, Tsubasa and Kyoya’s one and only match.. The episode actually does most of the work for you by reflecting on these two, their skills and personalities. If you hadn’t thought of it already, you have now been spoonfed that Kyoya and Tsubasa are equals. The battle starts and them being equals is hammered in some more as they comment on how they know all of each other’s moves. But they don’t and Kyoya crushes him. Whether Kyoya would still have won if Tsubasa wasn’t possessed is up to debate. But the scales tip, nonetheless, and although Tsubasa overcomes the Dark Power, we’re not given a marker of any sort to tell if Tsubasa got stronger by the end. This is further complicated because in Fusion, Tsubasa never shows the extent of his power, so we don’t know if the Tsubasa that defeated the Dark Power is stronger than the Tsubasa before it. Either way, this battle marks the end of them as Tsubasa stagnates and Kyoya continues to grow stronger.

Next is Tsubasa-Ryuga, also known as my shortest section because there is exactly one thing and one thing only that ties them together- the Dark Power. Initially there are two reasons because it’s Tsubasa’s job to spy on Ryuga but the Dark Power’s more important and they didn’t interact much because of that job, anyway. Although the weakest pairing in this triangle, they have the most significant meetings, a grand total of 4, 1 of which, notably, is not a battle. The first one occurs when Doji attempts to feed Tsubasa’s power to Ryuga once Tsubasa is revealed to be a spy. It ends in a draw because Phoenix saves him from imminent failure. The second one is the Battle Bladers Match-the one where a bit of the Dark Power latches on to Tsubasa’s soul. The third is in Metal Masters. Under instructions from the WBBA, Hyoma tracks down Ryuga who then finds Tsubasa and gives him advice on defeating the Dark Power (while destroying Excalibur for the hell of it) and safely delivers him to Gingka and co. It’s the weirdest episode- plays straight out of an alternative universe. In Fury, they meet for the last time in a completely random tournament while both are searching for Legendary Bladers. They battle, Ryuga wins and again, it’s straight out of an alternative universe because Ryuga’s almost cordial- at least compared to his usual version. Like if you look at his other battles, Ryuga in this clip can even be called nice. If you watch it, you’ll note the exact second Tsubasa determines that Ryuga’s crazy. It’s also got the line “The Dragon Emperor just is The Dragon Emperor” which cracks me up for no reason. Personally, I do think Ryuga’s a smidgen softer on Tsubasa because of the shared Dark Power thing but they don’t interact nearly enough to confirm it.

(When I say last time, I do mean face to face confrontations, and not them just happening to be at the same place)

Between the three of them, they’ve got this complicated push-pull dynamic despite very limited interaction between them. They’ve also got a long list in common; from personality traits:prickly, hard-working, skilled, smart, mistrustful/suspicious, pessimistic, confident if not overconfident, antisocial, habits: most at home in the wild, unusually strong connections to their beys, and the weirdest of all; Yu who has idolized all three of them right around the time of their biggest self-crisis; Ryuga, Tsubasa and Kyoya in that order.

#beyblade #metal saga #beyblade metal saga #beyblade metal masters #beyblade metal fury #beyblade metal fusion #metal masters #metal fury #metal fusion #gingka hagane #kyoya tategami #tsubasa otori #tsubasa beyblade #ryuga #beyblade ryuga #ryuga beyblade #meta

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redorblue · 6 years

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4 3 2 1, by Paul Auster

Can you hear me ripping out the last few pages of this book in the distance? If so, you’re witnessing me trying to keep on loving it. I really liked this book for the longest time, even loved it occasionally, but the ending is, at least to me, a huge disappointment. The good thing is, that part is the easiest one to ignore, especially if it comes in the form of a sort-of epilogue (I didn’t literally rip out the pages, I’d never do that to a book, but, you know, metaphorically, that’s the part where you could do it without missing much of the story). To me, it just felt incredibly superfluous, and destroyed much of its appeal and mystery by trying to explain itself. But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s start with why there’s mystery in the first place.

The setup, the basic premise, is what first drew me to this book, and what had me coming back to see it in the bookstore for months before finally buying it. The book starts with a short exploration of the lives of the protagonist’s parents up until the point where the protagonist himself (Archie Ferguson) is born. From that point on, it splits into four versions of Ferguson’s life story that progress in a more or less parallel fashion and allow the reader glimpses into his life: Ferguson at six, Ferguson at nine, Ferguson at twelve and so on. It’s the same main character with the same basic personality traits, but different family situations, different economic backgrounds, places lived, people in his life etc. There’s some crossovers between the different versions of one boy’s life, like how one way or another another main character named Amy Schneiderman enters and shapes every version of Ferguson’s life, but in general the stories are autonomous and could stand alone as books in their own right (they’re definitely long enough, my paperback version has 1070 pages). All this plays out before the background of America in the 1950s and 60s, with the war in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement at home as major influences on the young (white, Jewish, I might add) Ferguson.

So basically, this book is about some of the Big Questions: Is it nature or nurture that decides who we are, and who we become? Is there such a thing as fate, or can we exercise what is euphemistically called “free will”, with all its social, political, economic, mental, physical etc. restrictions? If you’re looking for a definite answer to these questions, this is not the book you need, because it doesn’t give them. As I read it, and this is purely personal interpretation, it takes a position in the middle. Nature definitely is important as is obvious when looking at the four Fergusons who all share certain traits. They are all rather introverted, tend to immerse themselves fully into one project and then develop a bit of an obsession with it, they all love stories and art (be it movies, books, poetry, and be it by watching/reading, translating, or writing), they all have a tendency towards weltschmerz (what an amazing word that is. It means something like world-weariness; withdrawal and hopelessness because of the state of the world)... You see what I mean. But there’s also traits that distinguish them, like how one of the Fergusons is bisexual. Just as a disclaimer, I don’t mean to imply that bisexuality is a “lifestyle” or something that’s instilled at a young age, and I don’t think Paul Auster implies that kind of BS either. But it seems to me that here bisexuality is part of nature that needs to be uncovered by nurture. As I mentioned, one of the Fergusons is openly bisexual (he calls it “being a two-way person” because he's not familiar with the concept) and from my admittedly biased view, I dare say that another one at least displays biromantic tendencies, although it’s not clearly stated. But for the other two, I really don’t think so. One of them dies pretty early, so it’s hard to tell, but among the remaining three there’s one bisexual, one unclear, and one who’s thoroughly straight, which leads me to the conclusion that it’s something to be uncovered, and recognized as such, by circumstance, nurture.

As I read the book, it doesn’t give a clear either-or answer to the question of fate vs. free will either. It seems to have an approach that’s similar to Doctor Who: some fixed points have to happen, and the interchangeable rest freely arranges itself around those fixed points. Fixed points in Ferguson’s personal life are things like a close relationship with his mother, no close blood relatives, meeting Amy and falling for her, reading and sports, a career in writing, and a trip to Paris at one point. Then there’s the historic events that shape his life, like Kennedy’s assassination, the conflict between black and white Americans, the Vietnam war and the constant threat of being drafted... Honestly there’s not much space for Ferguson’s lives to go in an entirely different direction between those two factors, and even those influences that differ between the different versions of his life don’t entirely change its course. So I guess the book leans more toward fate than free will, and even in those cases when Ferguson exercises free will, this free will is so heavily qualified by external factors outside his control that it’s hardly free. At the same time though the story doesn’t assume the existence of a god who directs people’s lives. There’s mentions of several gods every time one of the Fergusons dies (they all die, except for one), but to me it feels very metaphorical, and even if it’s supposed to be taken literally, it’s explicitly stated that they don’t care. So, no divine providence, no destiny, but a more or less clear-cut path that is largely pre-determined by historic events and other people crossing one’s path.

And those other people make the story just as fascinating as these philosophical musings. Much as I like Ferguson, after having spent more than 1000 pages in his head, he can’t be my favourite character anymore. That spot’s been taken since the beginning anyway, namely by Rose Adler, Ferguson’s mother (I love Amy too, I totally understand that each Ferguson fell for her, but this is too long already, so let’s stick with the amazing Rose). On the one hand, she’s everything one could ever wish for in a mother, doting, understanding, fierce when she needs to be, and the relationship between the Fergusons and Rose are in my opinion the most beautiful aspect of this book. It’s rare to see such a close mother-son bond in literature that on the one hand feels very natural, but on the other hand embodies everything the relationship between a parent and a child should be. What’s especially great about it is that not only does Rose love Ferguson, he also loves her back openly and unashamedly no matter his age. It would have been easy for the author to stop there and only show this side of her, especially since the story is told from Ferguson’s perspective, but no: apart from her role as a mother, she has a life of her own. In two versions of the story she builds a new relationship with another man, and in every version she’s a gifted photographer who builds herself a career in photography in one way or another and is admired and recognized for it. This is exactly the kind of character that could, and should, be put on the pedestal of a feminist icon: a woman who’s a recognized professional on the one hand, but isn’t expected to sacrifice her private life and loves for it; a woman who is strong and knows how to get what she wants, but isn’t portrayed as a stonehearted robot with no personal relationships. In short, I love Rose, and I’d read another 2000 pages with her life’s versions.

So you see, I really did like this book, even loved it sometimes, although it’s really long and has remarkably little tension, or suspense. It really just flows along most of the time, but for some reason it worked for me anyway. Until the very end. Because in the end it is revealed that this book about Ferguson, the writer, is written by Ferguson, the writer, who imagines how his life would have been had event X and Y not happened. I don’t know, I just found this so incredibly... lame? And pointless? I didn’t need an explanation for this intriguing setup, and definitely not such a flat one. A fictional author character who writes a piece of fiction on himself... what an uncreative ending for such a creative story. I read somewhere that Paul Auster used some autobiographical elements in the plot, so I guess one could say that it’s really the author who writes about different versions of his life, but that’s still not remotely satisfying for me. This assessment is obviously very subjective, but I was hugely disappointed when I read that there’s a logical explanation to this setup because it robs the story of its mystery, and quite frankly of its relevance concerning the above-mentioned questions. If he had just left out this reveal, I’d have understood it as a parallel-universe-thing where each version was equally possible and split off the main path because of slight variations, only to result in huge differences between this version of the story and the others. But this kind of reasoning doesn’t work with the author’s explanation. It limits the paths to the ones that Ferguson/Auster can imagine, and it makes it clear that every version but the last one were nothing but a figment of the author’s imagination anyway - instead of a different, but equally possible biography. Honestly, I feel robbed. But as I said, it’s one the last four pages. 4 pages out of 1070 - I can ignore that. And I will, because no matter how stupid and unsatisfying I find the ending, I intend to love the rest of the book anyway.

#4321 #paul auster #book review #2017 #feminism

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mrhotmaster · 4 years

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Prime Video: Best Movie Series In India (March 2020)

Best All-Time Amazon Prime Video Movie Series In India Of March 2020

With the brand new profiles function introduced in March, Amazon Prime Video is all of sudden a far higher streaming provider for buddies and households. More so in India, wherein a Prime club runs at just Rs. 999 per yr. Unlike Netflix, Amazon additionally does not make you pay more for HD or 4K. Yes, we admit Prime Video's collection catalog isn't any match for Netflix — it's less than a third of its overall — however there is nevertheless a whole lot of proper TV to be determined right here. It would not assist that Amazon does not do an awesome activity of surfacing hidden gems, however, hello, that is in which we come in. Below, you'll discover a bunch of big names (The Big Bang Theory), Amazon originals (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and stuff you've probable by no means heard of (Spaced).

To choose the satisfactory TV suggests on Amazon Prime Video, we started with Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and IMDb scores to draw up a shortlist. Considering the shortcomings of review aggregators in that department, the last of them is needed for non-English programming. Also, we used or rejected our editorial judgment. This listing can be up to date once every few months if there are any worthy additions or if a few TV shows are eliminated from the service, so bookmark this web page and preserve checking in. Here is the pleasant collection currently to be had on Amazon Prime Video in India, sorted alphabetically.

➔4 Blocks (2017 – Present)

Set inside the Berlin borough of Neukölln, this German-language crime drama follows the leader of a Lebanese drug cartel who desires to leave in the back of the violent manner of life for a non-violent life along with his wife and their daughter, however, is reluctantly pulled in after a police operation threatens the entirety. Set for a third and final season in 2019.

➔The Adventures of Tintin (1991 – 1992)

A co-manufacturing between three nations — Belgium, Canada, and France — this animated variation of cartoonist Georges Prosper Remi's maximum famous work ran for 39 1/2-hour episodes across three seasons, handing over nearly dozen adventures that had been praised for his or her faithfulness, every so often lifting comic panels to the screen precisely as they seemed.

➔The Affair (2014 – Present)

A schoolteacher and budding novelist (Dominic West) begins an extramarital affair with a younger waitress (Ruth Wilson) seeking to piece collectively her life in this somber drama, which brought two robust seasons of the deep and psychological statement earlier than a slight dip added by using plot struggles in the 0.33 season.

➔The Big Bang Theory (2007 – 2019)

This long-lasting sitcom, loved and hated in the same degree, is ready for the physicists and their neighbor pretending to act and nerd friends: the aerospace engineer and the astrophysicist. It brought two women — a neuroscientist and a microbiologist — because it went on. Seasons two through six have been the best years.

➔Bosch (2014 – Present)

Adapted from the novels he wrote, writer and writer Michael Connelly offers us Los Angeles Police detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch (Titus Welliver), a Gulf War and Afghanistan veteran who solves inscrutable instances — the murder of a boy many years in the past to a high-quality civil rights lawyer — whilst handling non-public struggles. The slow first season, however it soon delicate itself.

➔The Boys (2019 – Present)

Far from perfect, this gory superhero-obsessed-tradition antidote, based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comedian collection, follows a bunch of nobodies (Karl Urban amongst them) seeking to take down a corrupt group of superheroes who've chosen capitalism over charity. In short, the superheroes are the supervillains.

➔Casual (2015 – 2018)

A newly-divorced female and successful therapist — and her teenage daughter — movements again in along with her more youthful brother and relationship site co-founder in this candy li'l comedy-drama. The two educate each other through the pains and tribulations of the dating global, even as together raising the girl.

➔Deutschland 86 (2018)

This sequel to the hit authentic — Deutschland 83, which is regrettably no longer on Amazon — is ready within the titular 12 months either aspect of the Iron Curtain, because it explores existence in each West and East Germany thru the standpoint of an undercover secret agent, who navigates love, own family, and secrets and techniques. Renewed for a 3rd season, titled Deutschland 89.

➔Doctor Who (2005 – Present)

David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and — the first-ever girl Doctor — Jodie Whittaker provide their take at the time-traveling, galaxy-hopping alien in the modern-day revival of the long-lasting British sci-fi show. Seasons 1 – eleven are to be had. Seasons two, three, four, and five are usually considered the high-quality of the lot, with the closing of them generally highlighted.

➔Dororo (2019)

Born without any frame components because of his strength-hungry father, a younger guy — blind, deaf, and more — made from prosthetics units out to reclaim what's his from 12 demons on this anime. Along the way, he befriends the titular orphan boy.

➔Downton Abbey (2010 – 2015)

A post-Edwardian generation period drama set within the English countryside, managing the aristocratic Crawley circle of relatives and their domestic servants, and the way the terrific activities of the 1910s and Twenties affected their lives and the British social hierarchy. I went through a dip in excellent inside the center to past due years however recovered for the final season. The follow-up 2019 movie is on iTunes.

➔The Expanse (2015 – Present)

Hundreds of years in the future, mankind that has colonized the Solar System is at the threshold of warfare and it's up to a crew of various origins — Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt — to show the best conspiracy of all.

➔Fleabag (2016 – Present)

Phoebe-Waller Bridge created and starred on this comedy-drama out of her one-female play, approximately a young, sexually-liberated, dry-witted irritable woman who navigates contemporary lifestyles in London at the same time as coming to phrases with a recent tragedy.

➔Forever (2018)

Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen megastar in and govt produced this comedy-drama approximately a married couple who've lived the identical lifestyles — the same conversations, the equal meals, and the identical lake-residence vacation — for 12 years. But after the spouse proposes to shake matters up, the two locate themselves in a whole new global.

➔Fringe (2008 – 2013)

This sci-fi collection counts J.J. Abrams as a co-creator and follows an FBI agent (Anna Torv) who is forced to paintings with an institutionalized scientist taken into consideration this era's Einstein and his estranged son to make the experience of unexplained phenomena, which ties into parallel universes and trade timelines.

➔The Good Fight (2017 – Present)

A spin-off sequel to the severely-acclaimed The Good Wife follows Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) after she's forced out of the law organization wherein she becomes an accomplice, and has to enroll in a high-profile regulation corporation in Chicago. The criminal/political drama has greater than held its own unlike most spin-offs and has been praised for its examination of topical social issues.

➔Good Omens (2019)

Michael Sheen and David Tennant megastar as an angel and demon with an unlikely century-spanning friendship on this Neil Gaiman-led version this is responsible for sticking too close to the book he co-wrote (among some different faults). Having grown content with existence on Earth, the two attempt to save you a drawing close Armageddon.

➔The Good Wife (2009 – 2016)

After a humiliating sex and corruption scandal puts her husband behind bars, his spouse — a former kingdom's attorney — must go back to work to offer for her own family, at the same time as battling the undesirable highlight. Known for its unique criminal cases, top-notch performances, and turning in always on all fronts at some stage in its lengthy seven-season cable run.

➔The Grand Tour (2016 – Present)

The former Top Gear trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May persevered to do what they did at BBC — overview supercars, excursion the arena, however mostly make amusing of every other — for three seasons, before switching to specials-only with the fourth season.

➔The Handmaid's Tale (2017 – Present)

Elisabeth Moss stars in the lead of this prescient and unflinching version of Margaret Atwood's dystopian traditional novel, set in a global where a totalitarian army dictatorship has overthrown America authorities and subjugates ladies inside the call of declining fertility quotes. Two high-quality seasons followed by using a dip in the 1/3.

➔Homecoming (2018 – Present)

In her first collection of ordinary positions, Julia Roberts performs a caseworker who enables US veterans to transition again to civilian existence, and a waitress returned in her fatherland who has trouble remembering her earlier existence throughout periods. As an auditor digs into her past, she realizes she changed into being misled. A mental thriller directed by way of Mr. Robot's Sam Esmail.

➔House (2004 – 2012)

For 8 long years, Hugh Laurie played the misanthropic and unconventional titular doctor who regardless of reliance on pain remedy and a cane — it simply introduced to his acerbic character — led a team at a fictional New Jersey health center, and made notable use of his out-of-the-field wondering and instincts to diagnose sufferers.

➔Laakhon Mein Ek (2017 – Present)

Biswa Kalyan Rath's anthology collection offers a have a look at unlucky souls — a teen caught at an engineering coaching institute, or a young health practitioner published to a rural cataract camp — preventing in opposition to prejudices, the gadget, and extra. And generally failing.

➔Lodge forty-nine (2018 – 2019)

Overlooked using most, which led to its cancellation after seasons, this splendidly weird comedy-drama follows a disarmingly optimistic former surfer who by hook or by crook arrives at a rundown fraternal hotel after the demise of his father and disintegrate of the family enterprise, hoping to find his manner again to the life he had.

➔The Looming Tower (2018)

Lawrence Wright's Pulitzer Prize-prevailing ebook of the same name is adapted into a ten-element miniseries, exploring how the clash and contention between the FBI and CIA inside the early 2000s may additionally have inadvertently brought about America's biggest tragedy, September 11. Powerfully written and strengthened through exceptional acting, which includes Jeff Daniels, with a directing tone set by way of Alex Gibney.

➔Luther (2010 – Present)

Idris Elba stars as a committed and tremendous British detective who attempts to preserve a grip on his private existence while managing the mental fallouts of the crimes he is tasked to remedy.

➔Mad Men (2007 – 2015)

Set in New York in the 1960s, a slow-burn theory that provides an insight into a fictionally produced advertising agency, specializing in one of all its exceptionally talented managers (Jon Hamm). It offered brilliantly crafted characters and a subversive, sensible have a look at the American workplace, while in no way losing in fine throughout seven seasons.

➔Made in Heaven (2019 – Present)

From the minds of Gully Boy duo Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, a drama approximately the excesses, hypocrisies, and darkness hiding in the corners of huge, fat Indian weddings, instructed thru the eyes of two wedding planners looking to stability their personal and professional lives. It has many faults, no longer as excellent as others in this listing, however, it is the high-quality of what Amazon has produced in India.

➔Malgudi Days (1987 – 1988)

R.K. Narayanan's collection of quick stories approximately unique faces of existence in a fictional South India metropolis are selectively tailored for the display screen, thanks to his cartoonist brother R.K. Laxman, actor-director Shankar Nag, and manufacturer T.S. Narasimhan.

➔The Man within the High Castle (2015 – 2019)

Philip K. Dick's famous change history novel of the identical name, in which the Axis powers won World War II and divided the USA to be ruled by using Germany and Japan, opened in engrossing style and multiplied itself in powerful methods in its 2d year, however, changed into in the end permit down by using its unwieldy plot.

➔The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 – Present)

Arguably Amazon's high-quality authenticity so far, the ideal existence of a Jewish housewife (Rachel Brosnahan) in overdue 1950s New York City crumbles after her husband confesses he's having an affair, which leads her to a surprising discovery: she has a knack for stand-up comedy.

➔The Mindy Project (2012 – 2017)

Fresh off her success with The Office, Mindy Kaling created and starred in her show, a rom-com about an OB/GYN (Kaling) seeking to balance her professional and private existence. After three appreciated seasons with a few faults, it moved to stream in which it similarly delicate itself and ended with the 117th episode and six seasons.

➔The Missing (2014 – 2016) This two-season anthology thriller is about lacking youngsters — a five-yr-old boy in France, and a woman who turns up eleven years later in Germany — and the way it impacts their families as they undergo the disaster. Always uses dual timelines shifting in parallel to construct suspense. Tchéky Karyo's lead detective is the simplest common detail. ➔Mozart within the Jungle (2014 – 2018) Inspired by oboist Blair Tindall's 2005 memoir, this 4-season long comedy-drama concentrated on a formidable oboist (Lola Kirke) who develops a robust bond with the new conductor (Gael García Bernal) of a fictional New York symphony orchestra, with escapades in Mexico and Italy across seasons. ➔Mr. Bean (1990 – 1995) Rowan Atkinson's famous character, whom he defined as a toddler in a grown man's frame, has appeared anywhere from the London Olympics establishing ceremony to an interview on Japanese television, always pronouncing little. He was given his start with this iconic collection that produced a paltry 14 episodes over 5 years but gave us enough laughs to closing an entire life. ➔The Night Manager (2016) Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Colman lead the way with robust performances in this six-episode miniseries model of the 1993 John le Carré novel, approximately a former British soldier and luxury motel manager (Hiddleston) who turns into an undercover operative to infiltrate the internal circle of a worldwide arms supplier (Laurie). ➔The Office (2005 – 2013) This American remake of Ricky Gervais' BBC sitcom mockumentary lasted some distance longer — 201 episodes over 9 seasons — as it observed the pretty-often beside the point and awkwardly-hilarious lives of the employees of a suburban Pennsylvania paper employer. Suffered in later seasons but returned to form in the very last season after the return of creator Greg Daniels. ➔One Mississippi (2016 – 2017) In this shifting -season comedy, a girl (Tig Notaro) returns home after the sudden death of her mom and struggles to adjust to life as she battles her fitness issues, and her dysfunctional circle of relatives and discovers extra about her mom's beyond. Notaro is also a co-author. ➔Parks and Recreation (2009 – 2015) Amy Poehler starred as an always-constructive public authentic in an Indiana city's parks department for seven seasons, surrounded via an ensemble cast as eccentric as the following one. Co-created by way of Daniels (The Office) and Michael Schur, the show made adjustments after a poorly-received debut season and by no means appeared again, as it blossomed into one of the best sitcoms of this century. ➔Penny Dreadful (2014 – 2016) An explorer, a gunslinger, a scientist, an immigrant, and a mysterious and powerful girl (Eva Green) team up to combat supernatural threats that draw upon nineteenth-century Gothic fiction — assume Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll — London in Victoria. Green's entity and its overall success were praised. ➔Person of Interest (2011 – 2016) Before Westworld, Jonathan Nolan explored AI as a supercomputer that profits sentience, which enables its reclusive billionaire programmer and a presumed-dead ex-CIA agent to keep lives by giving them the identities of those involved in imminent crimes. A process that became an invasive serial account and mediation of the ethics of artificial intelligence regulation. ➔Planet Earth II (2016) Yes, it's a documentary, but it is also the top of BBC's potential to craft storylines out of the lives of animals that proportion the planet with us, and the dangers we gift to them. And to top off its wonderful pics that span islands, mountains, jungles, deserts, grasslands, and towns, David Attenborough's voice courses us through all of it. ➔Preacher (2016 – 2019) After a supernatural occasion imbues him with a present, a preacher teams up with his trigger-happy ex-girlfriend and a hard-ingesting Irish vampire searching for answers and God. Based on the comedian series of the identical call, the show has gore and offensive amusing aplenty, however, it can lack in narrative recognition. Ran out of steam inside the final season. ➔Psych (2006 – 2014) After conning the law enforcement officials into believing he has psychic abilities, a hyper-observant guy with eidetic reminiscence turns into a contract consultant for the nearby police branch, launching a faux psychic enterprise with his formative years' satisfactory pal. Improved after a no longer-so-correct first 12 months and has caused TV movies because its 8-season run ended. ➔Queen Sugar (2016 – Present) Ava DuVernay and Oprah got here together to create this drama based totally on Natalie Baszile's 2014 novel, approximately the lives of the estranged Bordelon siblings who move back to Louisiana after their father's loss of life to run the family's struggling sugarcane farm. ➔Seinfeld (1989 – 1998) Scores and important success for the duration of its run, this sitcom about a stand-up comic (Jerry Seinfeld) and his neurotic New York friends (Julia Louis-Dreyfus amongst them) butting heads over trivial questions remains a hallmark in television history, albeit some episodes and characters have not aged properly in any respect. Seinfeld and David are co-creators. ➔Shameless (2011 – Present) Based on the lengthy-jogging hit UK collection also from writer Paul Abbott, the American remake — now in its 9th season itself — is about inside the south side of Chicago and centers on a perpetually-drunk single father of six with the children mastering to attend to themselves. Several stumbles in the latest seasons. ➔Shaun the Sheep (2007 – Present) Before it spawned a feature movie that earned Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations and where the titular clever, assured and mischievous sheep talked, this forestall-movement lively youngsters collection was recognized for its bite-sized episodes, with Shaun leading the crowd on adventures and walking jewelry across the sheepdog. Four seasons are to be had.

➔Sneaky Pete (2015 – 2019) Bryan Cranston co-created this crime drama wherein a con man (Giovanni Ribisi) assumes the identity of his cellmate to keep away from a dangerous gangster whom he once robbed. But residing with the fake-family — which has no motive to suspect who he is, due to the fact he changed into long lost — presents challenges of its personal. ➔Spaced (1999 – 2001) Before they gave us the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg directed and co-created, respectively, this sitcom approximately the misadventures of twenty-something London strangers (Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, fellow co-writer) who pose as a married couple to get a flat in the English capital. ➔Star Trek: Picard (2019 – Present) Patrick Stewart returns as Jean-Luc Picard on this follow-as much as the lengthy-walking Star Trek: The Next Generation — available on Netflix — nearly a decade and a half of after he retired, after a young girl with feasible connections to his beyond seeks his assist. It is probably too sluggish for a few and it would not attempt hard enough to take on new fans. ➔Supernatural (2005 – Present) Over two and a half of many years when they lost their mother to a demonic supernatural force, two brothers — introduced up with the aid of their father as soldiers with knowledge of the mystical — roam throughout the again-alleys of the united states and hunt down each evil they stumble upon. Eric Kripke ran the show for five seasons, and the darkish myth series is about to finish with its upcoming fifteenth. ➔The Terror (2018 – Present) This supernatural horror anthology takes actual-life events — British Royal Navy Captain Sir John Franklin's lost day trip to the Arctic in the mid-nineteenth century, and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II — and spins terrifying tales, presenting ghosts, cannibalism, demonic polar bears, and Japanese folklore. ➔This Is Us (2016 – Present) This heartstrings-tugging circle of relatives drama jumps via time to depict the lives of three siblings (Sterling K. Brown among them) and their dad and mom, who appear to be mysteriously related to each other in methods beyond their shared birthday. ➔Transparent (2014 – 2019) A dysfunctional Los Angeles family unearths their past and destiny unraveling following an admission from the elderly father (Jeffrey Tambor) that he identifies as a girl. Winner of numerous awards which includes the Golden Globe for the first-class collection for its poignancy and empathy. Finale turned into middling though. Tambor turned into fired over sexual harassment allegations.

➔Undone (2019 – Present) From the makers of BoJack Horseman, a more lifestyles-like lively series about a 28-year-vintage woman (Rosa Salazar) who discovers she has a brand new relationship with time after moving into a vehicle coincidence, after which makes use of that to solve the mystery of her father's (Bob Odenkirk) loss of life. But her exploits positioned her relationships and fitness in critical jeopardy. ➔A Very English Scandal (2018) Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw lead this three-component miniseries based totally on a real story and John Preston's book of the same name, following the upward thrust of British Member of Parliament Jeremy Thorpe (Grant) and the scandal that could cease his lifestyles, concerning the tried murder of his ex-homosexual lover (Whishaw). ➔Vinland Saga (2019) Set in large part in Danish-managed 11th-century England, this anime follows Thorfinn, a young man introduced up by Vikings who murdered his own family and invariably desires vengeance. They are soon stuck in a conflict of succession between Danish princes, at the same time as Thorfinn desires of a non-violent land that his father pointed out. Adapted by way of Hiroshi Seko (Ajin, Attack on Titan). ➔Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro director Kundan Shah and satirist Sharad Joshi came collectively to deliver this sitcom that deftly poked fun on the Indian center magnificence, specializing in a poker-confronted husband, his vivacious office-going spouse, and her unmarried brother. It benefited from the chemistry of its 3 leads (Shafi Inamdar, Swaroop Sampat, and Rakesh Bedi) and the sheer versatility of Satish Shah. ➔Yes Minister (1980 – 1984) Together with its 1986-88 sequel — Yes, Prime Minister — the two short-lived British series are reigning kings of the political satire, following a newly-appointed branch minister suffering to carry out reforms and later, his surprising elevation to the best workplace inside the land.

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sharionpage · 5 years

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Nondenominational Mormonism: an interview with David Ferriman of The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is deliberately distancing itself from the label “Mormon.” Current The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson recently taught that the words “Mormon” and “LDS” are offensive to God when referring to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Perhaps this will present an opportunity for other religious communities that trace their origins to Joseph Smith and accept the Book of Mormon as scripture (such as the Community of Christ and The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) to creatively take greater ownership of the labels “Mormon” and “Mormonism” to apply more particularly to a broader and more inclusive umbrella of religious communities, denominations, cultures, theologies, and peoples. According to the 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey, about 6% of all Americans identify as “nondenominational Christian.” What might a parallel “nondenominational Mormonism” look like?

To help answer that question, I recently reached out to David Ferriman of The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship. According to its website, the Fellowship is “a branch of the Latter Day Saint Restorational movement (Mormons) started by Joseph Smith Jr. We are a nondenominational Mormon branch of the Christian faith.” As of the time of writing, the Fellowship has about 5,000 Facebook followers and a several hundred supporters in North America, Africa, Australia, and Great Britain. I asked David to share more about his views on what the word “Mormon” means, his view of nondenominational Mormonism, and The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship. — BK

——————————————————————

In brief, what is “The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship”?

The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship, or the Fellowship, is an online ministry. It is a place of hope, peace, and love for those looking for an inclusive form of Mormonism. Because of our inclusively we consider ourselves a nondenominational Mormon ministry where all Latter Day Saints are welcome to fellowship.

Could you clarify what you mean by “online ministry”? Is the Fellowship a formal, licensed religious organization? Are there formal members and/or formal meeting places?

The nature of the organization at this time is “unorganized.” It is not yet licensed and no one other than myself is authorized to speak for the movement. My top priority is changing this. Currently people seem to enjoy learning from the website and worshiping on their own, but none other than myself have felt called by the Holy Spirit to take on roles that would help us organize into a legally recognized entity.

We do not have any physical locations. Members meet in their homes, or the homes of friends and families. Some are still members of the Latter-day Saint Church, and/or worship with Community of Christ while studying and/or practicing Mormon Kabbalah in their homes.

What does it mean to say that the Fellowship is a “nondenominational Mormon” community?

A nondenominational Mormon is one who identities as a Christian Restorationist and a Latter Day Saint. They’re individuals with a testimony of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon who do not identify with any of the organized Latter Day Saint denominations. This also includes those who belong to one or more Latter Day Saint denominations or who sympathize with multiple doctrinal theologies.

What is the relationship of the Fellowship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the wider Restorationist/Mormon religious family?

Much like the original restorationaists went back to the Book of Acts to restore what they saw as the original Christian church, the Fellowship is seeking to restore a more fundamental, yet relevant and modern, form of worship in Mormonism. We’re going back to the writings of the original Church of Christ to its ending in 1844. An easy way to describe it would be to say, we’re trying to move forward where Joseph Smith Jr.’s church ended. What would it look like today, had it continued?

The Fellowship teaches that all Latter Day Saint denominations are sisters in Zion, and that the Lord has gathered Saints in various parts of the vineyard to help people meet God where they are and grow in Grace from there.

What do you think of the efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to promote their full name over more common names such as “the LDS Church” or “the Mormon Church”?

The naming style of various Latter Day Saint denominations have changed over the years. The Fellowship identifies as a Mormon faith because of our belief in the Book of Mormon as Holy Scripture. Joseph Smith Jr. identified as a Mormon, as he was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, we too are Mormons. We also see ourselves as LDS because we are Latter Day Saints.

What does the term “Mormon” mean to you?

To the Fellowship, a Mormon is a Christian that has accepted the New and Everlasting Covenant of Jesus Christ. Personally, I see anyone that regards the Book of Mormon as scripture as a Mormon, but understand that some denominations accept the scripture, not the term.

What are some of the key similarities and differences between the Fellowship and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in terms of belief?

The quick and easy way to answer this question would be to compare the 13 Articles of their Faith to the 14 Articles of our Faith, the similarities and differences are easy to see.

We also have an additional book of scripture: the Book of Avahr, which we invite all to read prayerfully and ask God to confirm the truth of what it teaches. “The purpose of the Book of Avahr is show the Book of Mormon coming forth, and to guide others to follow the prophet Joseph in seeking the Lord and gaining their own sacred experiences.”

Beyond that, we see all places of worship as temples, encourage members to dedicate an area in their homes to be temples, women and members of the LGBTQ community are fully integrated and may enjoy active service in the Priesthood. We follow Joseph Smith Jr.’s teaching of ordaining women. We seek revelations from the Lord to guide us, expanding what will be our version of the Doctrine and Covenants. We also accept revelations from other Latter Day Saint denominations as scripture, though official adaptation will need to be put to a vote at some point in the future. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible. We follow the teachings of the Book of Mormon in that we believe in one Heavenly Church with a number of earthly churches, all with portions of the truth. In other words, we do not believe we are the “one true church” or that such a thing exists upon the earth.

What are some of the key similarities and differences between the Fellowship and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in terms of practice?

Like the Latter-day Saints, Christ is the center of our worship. We share many of the same priesthood ordinances and practices. Some of these have slight variations. We practice a restored version of the temple ceremony that is given to those that join the ministry, with each endowment given as one grows in their duties rather than all at once. Our temple services are not for salvation, nor are they secret. They also do not ask for compliance from women to their spouses per the Second Article of Faith, “We believe that men and women will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam or Eve’s transgressions.”

What is your role in the Fellowship?

I am the founder and First Elder; the prophet, seer, revelator, and translator. At this point, my role is to help people draw closer and maintain their relationship with Jesus Christ. I also strive to move the Fellowship and its ministry forward as moved by the Holy Spirit.

How did you come by this role in the Fellowship? What things happened to lead you to this particular path?

I was raised LDS, as they were known at the time. I was an Elder when I left. I was ordained a High Priest by the angel Raphael, given all they keys needed to organize this movement.

I know it sounds crazy; I doubt I would believe it myself had I not seen him, shaken his physical hand, and felt his hands upon my head ordaining me. I was still in the LDS Church at that time, I didn’t know why I was given those keys then. I was told to go to my bishop and talk to him about becoming a High Priest. He told me I’d have to receive a Stake calling or become a grandfather to become one. When I went to the Lord to seek further instructions, he sent an angel to do the job. I did feel called to a ministry but thought it would be in the LDS Church.

When I found out that children of same sex couples couldn’t get baptized in the LDS church, I knew I was to start the Fellowship, though it didn’t yet have a name. I felt a peace come over me, and a voice spoke to me, saying: “It is time.” And I understood what I was to do. From there, prayer and revelation moved me and the movement forward. It’s been rather amazing. I’ll need something done, and people will just show up when the time is right, do that task, then move on. So it’s not all me doing the work.

More information on my personal background is on the Fellowship’s website here: http://cjccf.org/category/learn-more/history/page/2/

What is your vision for the Fellowship?

My vision for the Fellowship is merely for it to be everything God needs it to be to help people, myself included, grow a stronger relationship with the Lord and grow in their spiritual gifts. My hope is to see active participation grow so that a full council and First Presidency can be established, and we can fully organize as a church.

The concept of “Mormon Kabbalah” figures prominently into the CJCCF website. The term “Kabbalah” often refers to Jewish mysticism. What is “Mormon Kabbalah”? What is its relationship with other types of religious mysticism, including Christian contemplation and Muslim sufism?

Mormon Kabbalah is a shorter way of saying “The Book of Mormon + Kabbalah” to set it apart from other Kabbalistic schools or philosophies. Kabbalah was the original Israelite religion that took a backseat around 600 BC, after Lehi left and Israel was conquered. Christ’s teachings in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon are clearly Kabbalistic. It is my belief that Lehi, Daniel, and Jesus, among many others, were Kabbalists. The first seeds of Joseph Smith Jr.’s religious experience were Christian folk magic and Hermetics. Mormon Kabbalah is a way to both get back to the magical world view that started the movement, and move the movement forward, propelling Mormonism into the future. It is a part of the restoration of all things. I’m not sure that Mormon Kabbalah has anything to do with Christian contemplation and Muslim sufism.

For those who are interested in the Fellowship, what do you recommend in terms of practice/belief/worship, etc.?

If one feels God directing them to the Fellowship and they wish to stay in their current denomination, I would recommend they pray on how to do this, and follow the revelation or inspiration they receive. If they need an idea to pray on, they might wish to either fast from their current denomination one Sunday a month to do home worship and do a home study of some sort once a week. For example, a Latter-day Saint could use Fellowship resources for Family Home Evening.

For those looking to make the Fellowship their main or only denomination, I recommend they reach out to me to see if there is an active role they can take. If they do not feel comfortable with this, we have instructions on our website for home worship. Anyone baptized in a Latter Day Saint denomination does not need re-baptized, likewise those ordained to the priesthood do not need to be re-ordained.

To those in either group, I would love to chat with them to see how the Fellowship can meet or is meeting their spiritual needs. The movement gets better the more others contribute.

If anyone reading this feel the Spirit directing them to join or participate in the Fellowship, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Nondenominational Mormonism: an interview with David Ferriman of The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship published first on https://bitspiritspace.tumblr.com/

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theotherpages · 5 years

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Alzheimer's as a Villanelle

I visit the theme of memory often in my writing, and since medical events are written into the plotlines from time to time, I have sometimes had the unsettling experience of reliving a scene I’ve written. Perspective can also shift with time, our stage in life, or our position in a relationship.

In Ion, book six of The Republic of Dreams (not yet released), during a scene intended to evoke memories and the emotions they carry, Sparrow observes to Meredith that, “. . . much of life is spent revisiting the same events, over and over, from different viewpoints.”

I recently travelled north to Ohio and Michigan, and had an opportunity to visit with Ms. Elizabeth Papps, my AP English Literature teacher from high school. It has been four decades, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she is still around. In recent years she suffered a stroke, and her body is a pencil-thin version of the person she used to be. Her memory, and her attention span, likewise, are thin slivers of what they used to be, making conversation challenging. Challenging, but not impossible.

I explored things she might remember from teaching, from childhood, from travel, and especially on the topic of food. Food memories are rich from a sensory standpoint, and I guessed correctly that childhood memories of her favorite foods would be a good topic. She grew up in a Greek household, and the savory and sweet dishes are the kinds of things that have unique tastes and textures and fill a home with inviting aromas: avgolemono (lemon-chicken soup), pastitsio (a lasagna-like dish with a bechamel sauce and cinnamon), kourabiethes (walnut-sugar cookies that melt in your mouth), baklava (flaky pastry with honey and cinnamon). Food led to places she had been, people she had been with, things she had done.

The doorway to memory opened and closed repeatedly. She remembered travel to Greece, Israel, and Egypt in detail, but could not remember them twenty minutes later. She would correct me on the pronunciation of a Greek word, and forget the word ten minutes later. She remembered fondly Patricia Osborne, who taught English in an adjacent classroom for many years. She remembered only two students: Beth Perkins and Jim Calhoun. She didn’t remember me (even without the stroke, it’s been forty years).

Her favorite book to teach was A Tale of Two Cities, because she liked how the storylines paralleled and contrasted with each other. Her favorite play to teach was Hamlet, because, similarly, he stood in two worlds: his outward public life, and his tortured inner life.

I think the concept of a villanelle prepares us for the fact that the same ideas, subjects, and specific questions will repeat themselves, and that with patience, we can still communicate on some level. It may be a recursive conversation, and the content may be more in emotions, than in words, but in truth, in most one-to-one personal conversations, isn’t that the important part?

If you are not familiar with a villanelle, here are a few examples:

Robinson: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/…/44…/the-house-on-the-hill Bishop: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47536/one-art Thomas: https://wikilivres.org/…/Do_Not_Go_Gentle_into_that_Good_Ni… Plath: https://hellopoetry.com/poem/664/mad-girls-love-song/

-- Steve

#alzheimer's #memory #memory loss #autism #communications #poetry #villanelle #the other pages #theotherpages.org

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