Kairos

Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning 'the right moment', or 'the opportune'.

"The two meanings of the word apparently come from two different sources. In archery, it refers to an opening, or "opportunity" or, more precisely, a long tunnel-like aperture through which the archer's arrow has to pass. Successful passage of a kairos requires, therefore, that the archer's arrow be fired not only accurately but with enough power for it to penetrate. The second meaning of kairos traces to the art of weaving. There it is "the critical time" when the weaver must draw the yarn trough a gap that momentarily opens in the warp of the cloth being woven."

Kairos

In rhetoric, for example for Aristotle, it is the time and space context in which proof will be delivered. The other elements of context are 'the audience', the attitude of those who will receive the proof, and 'to prepon', the style in which the proof is clothed. Kairos is the goal of effective communication with the audience, taking advantage of changing circumstances.

To my audience:

The tracker reports a daily average of 25-30 visitors. I have always valued quality above quantity and I appreciate your loyalty to this piece of communication with the universe. Even when I don't receive feedback, I know you're there. Thanks. I had prepared a speech for my birthday party but the context did not permit giving it, so here it is:

When we're born, we're small and helpless and we need others. When we're dying, we're small and helpless, and need others. But the secret is: we need others between those two moments, too.

This is the last post for some time as I'm going to my hometown to study the ascetic practice of internet-free life. This is a critical time:) Circumstances change and we must adapt. A gap opens momentarily in the cloth of time, and beauty, truth, and love pour in. I don't know if my arrow has enough power but I will give a definition of falling in love in the strongest language available to me. This is the moment of the amazing transition from 'I want to f**k your brains out' to 'I just want to hold you'. Call it love.

And not to forget, in theology kairos is 'the appointed time in the purpose of God'.

Politics of Truth

Sometimes an image is worth a thousand words.

Edit: Being a creature of language, here's something vaguely political. I will try to stay within 1000 words.

Ikew and I once discussed the troubling paradox of me being cool and a Christian. I told him I'm a lame Christian which probably explains why I'm cool, but I'd rather be a lame Christian than a leet atheist. In fact, I'd rather be a lame Buddist, Muslim, Taoist, Hindu etc. than a leet atheist. On second thoughts, if I had to be a Jew, I'd rather be a leet Jew. You have to be a leet Jew, it's part of the self-identification. They are the chosen people, after all.

The first Christians were Jewish, and the relationship between the two religions has always been problematic, starting from the Letter to Romans by the apostle Paul (part of the New Testament for the ignorant;):

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

And of course one of my favorite quotes:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In other words, even the early Church felt the ambiguity of the Jewish roots of their religion, especially when Christ repeatedly emphasized that the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament for the ignorant;) are an integral part of his teaching. I found this enlightening quote in Wikipedia:

...the very presence of the Jewish people in the world, continuing to believe in the faithfulness of God to the original covenant ... puts a great question against Christian belief in a new covenant made through Christ. The presence of this question, often buried deep in the Christian mind, could not fail to cause profound and gnawing anxiety. Anxiety usually leads to hostility.

William Nicholls
Christian Antisemitism: A History of Hate

On antisemitism I can't help quoting this, especially moving when said by Al Pacino.

“I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.”

W. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

(Revenge is a powerful meme in the memetic pool of humanity, but it is a dirty word in politics so I'll leave it out.)

The antithesis of antisemitism, so to speak, is Christian Zionism. This is the political 'arm' of the theological belief that at the end of times before the Second Coming, certain events have to take place. These events are inferred from the Book of Apocalypse (part of the New Testament;), a frightfully complex, symbolic, metaphorical, and poetic work. A number of interpreters have suggested various scenarios, some laughable, others less so. One of the notable 'fulfilled prophecies' we are painfully reminded of in the last 57 years, is the restoration of Israel. USA played an important role in the creation of the state of Israel, one motive being precisely the Christian Zionism. It features prominently in neo-conservative ideology to the present day, although disguised in different wording. The rest is history, as they say. It is being written even now, in Lebanon and Israel.

The sentiments of the Jews about Eretz Yisrael are a different story altogether. After all, their leetness is deeply interwoven with this tiny bit of land. I already understand patriotism, although I don't feel it. Now I'm interested only in the Christian attitude to the issue, and the part of the creed that says: "and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end." I believe in the end of history, as we know it. I however firmly disbelieve in attempts to arrange history to suit someone's political agenda, claiming that this is God's will.

In the words of Jesus: No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, but only the Father.

Finally, I was scolded by some friends for not having an opinion, and this time I am happy to announce I do have an opinion. It coincides with the Catholic view on the topic:D

On July 20, the Holy See Press Office issued a declaration on the Lebanon crisis.

“Facing the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East, the Press Office of the Holy See has been authorized to communicate the following:

1. The Holy Father is following the fate of all the populations involved with great concern, and has indicated the next Sunday, July 23, as a special day of prayer and penance, inviting pastors and faithful of all the particular churches as well as all believers in the world to implore God for the precious gift of peace.
2. In particular, the Supreme Pontiff hopes that prayer will be raised to the Lord for an immediate cease-fire between the parties, that humanitarian corridors will immediately be created to bring help to the suffering populations, and that rational and responsible negotiations will begin for bringing an end to the objective situations of injustice which exist in that region, as already indicated by Pope Benedict XVI in his Angelus of last Sunday, the 16th of this month.
3. In reality, the Lebanese have the right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected, the Israelis have the right to live in peace in their state and the Palestinians have the right to have a free and sovereign nation.
4. In this painful moment, His Holiness addresses an appeal to charitable organizations to help all the populations struck by this bitter conflict."

Hint: Praying can be done anytime, anywhere.

It's A Kind of Magic

My battery powered best friend is back on track. Yep, the red one;)
Peugeot 106.

With a new battery, new oil, air, and petrol filters, and a lot of luck. The mechanic asked me: 'How did you get here at all? You have only 300 g motor oil. No leaks. The motor is running perfectly without too much smoke.'
I thought a bit, and answered: 'It's a kind of magic'.
From now on, I will check the motor oil level with the gauge, as I was told 2 years ago.

Note to self: Your luck is running out. Check it regularly. Use the appropriate tools.

Conclusion: If you don't look, it's not there. In some cases, like motor oil, not-being-there can be devastating.

I know, I'm wiser than usual today. It's all this Chinese food:)

Can't Bring On A Substitute

"Before, when people had secrets they didn't want to share, they'd climb a mountain. They'd find a tree and carve a hole in it, and whisper the secret into the hole, then cover it up with mud. That way, nobody else would ever discover it.

I once fell in love with someone. After a while, she wasn't there. I went to 2046, I thought she might be waiting for me there. But I couldn't find her. I can't stop wondering if she loved me or not, but I never found out. Maybe her answer was like a secret, that no one else would ever know."

"Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."

"When you don't take "no" for an answer, there is still a chance you'll get what you want. "

"Do you remember you asked me if there was anything I wouldn't lend? I've given it a lot of thought and now I know there is one thing I'll never lend to anyone."

I might as well quote the whole script. This movie haunts you and claims you. It's as ephemeral and colorful as a peony bloom, as slow and sumptuous as a Chinese meal. One of most penetrating moments for me was when the female android made a circle with her thumb and forefinger and said: 'I'll be your tree'. I didn't want to cry while I was watching it, over and over again.

All memories are traces of tears.