tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post2314645155711587429..comments2024-03-24T19:55:32.537-05:00Comments on The View from This Seat: Year of the TigerLKSeathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-65336104200823053212010-01-05T17:25:48.630-06:002010-01-05T17:25:48.630-06:00Happy new year! Greetings from Indonesia. A friend...Happy new year! Greetings from Indonesia. A friend of mine, an American missionary in Bandung (West Java), told me that Christian practice wearing a circle golden ring for married couple is wrong. According to linear worldview, we should wear a golden pin rather than a golden ring. What do you think?<br /><br />God bless us.Ichwei G. Indrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10446009100337012938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-23544194625981530392010-01-02T20:33:53.717-06:002010-01-02T20:33:53.717-06:00I am reminded that the time mentioned concerns the...I am reminded that the time mentioned concerns the chronos (whether it is linear, circular, or spiral). Having said this I am try to look at time in a different fashion, the kairos of time(the exact time right at this moment, the opportune time, living in the moment), or as Paul states, "Anyone in Christ - New Creation". <br /> Kairos then can be applied to any construction of what society deems as plausible, but with kairos the past and the future coincide with each other and defines the past and the future.CJMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15500932784304629153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-16069549473888122682010-01-02T13:55:26.006-06:002010-01-02T13:55:26.006-06:00A very simple analogy of both linear and circular ...A very simple analogy of both linear and circular reality can be seen with the discovery of the wheel being the most efficient means of terrestrial movement either forwards or backwards (generally in a linear direction not in a circular direction).DHJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034507180227927247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-78031714604063210162010-01-02T12:39:54.249-06:002010-01-02T12:39:54.249-06:00I think CT makes several fine points, not least is...I think CT makes several fine points, not least is the recognition of the constructedness of the linear appreciation of time. I wonder, though, what motivates that social construction? I cannot help but think that eschatalogical thinking of late 1st century Jews who felt marginalized by Hellenism and Roman occupation satisfied a needed theodicy: God will someday make all things new: "do not remember the former things, etc." On the other hand, as one scholar's work points out, "newness" in Hebrew thought is not unrelated to "renewal;" a "new moon," is but the "renewal" of a cycle. The notions of "new" (linearity) and "renewal" (cicularity) are not unrelated necessarily.<br /><br />Perhaps CD's notion of a spiral is helpful, too, if I could explicate the metaphor in my own way. In a spiral there is both forward motion (in the metaphors he's used) and cyclical motion. If there is ever such a thing as progress, it only comes through cycles endlessly turning back on themselves thus creating an advancing movement. Concepts of learning and teaching benefit especially from processes of spiraling. Constant review is the basis for both aquiring new information by deeping one's understanding and appreciation of what has been learned once before.<br /><br />There is no question that there are genuine "teloi" (ends) in our lives toward which we rightly press. On the other hand, the advance, progression, growth and maturity toward those teloi are only grasped as we continually circle back appreciating the experiences, knowledge, relationships, ideas we have already folded into and constantly fold into our journeys.<br /><br />This applies to everything but Chiefs football, in which case I adopt the Daoist principal of "wu wei:" action without assertion.<br /><br />Happy New Year, everyone!MPHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02521242032834115882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-7604720153928807402010-01-02T11:03:05.738-06:002010-01-02T11:03:05.738-06:00I cannot think of a more socially constructed &quo...I cannot think of a more socially constructed "reality" than linear time. One philosopher whose book I read recently noted that the Western concept of time and progress is an entirely socially constructed product of the Enlightenment, and, as such, is a prison. We (Westerners) are a product of that "linear" heritage, so, of course, you Leroy and the rest of us Westerners would prefer it, defend it, find value in it, though such preference does not make it correct, right, or better in any way. We cannot speak from a place of objective detachment on the issue of linear time. There is no importance to linear time other than the importance we give it.<br /><br />The cycle of the seasons (or months), rather than linearity, seems more effective in telling us something of importance, whether such telling relates to the time for growing crops and for harvesting, or to remembering some event important to the community (such as the Advent season you reference). Circularity connects the past to the present and to the future. We speak of birth cycles, life cycles, weather cycles, and astronomical rotations and revolutions. Circularity is found in all of nature, that goodness of God's creation. In a linear worldview, looking forward, by definition, means not looking back (and in order to look back back, we must, if only momentarily, stop looking forward). In a worldview that connects all things in the circle of life, looking forward necessarily requires us to circle back and to look at that which came before. We can look back as the back is our forward and the forward is our back.<br /><br />It is in this season (or month) and because of this season (or month) that I am reminded of other similar seasons or months of the past, and know, generally, what I can expect for the same season or month in the future. There is a rhythm and comfort in the seasons and there is a remembering and a connection to God's creation and to the past, present and future that is vital to us as individuals and as a people (again, as an example, thinking of Advent and the upcoming Easter season for Christians).<br /><br />In fact, linearity seems to trivialize our history as something of the past, somehow unconnected with the things of today. Far too often I've heard people claim from a linear perspective, when responding to claims of injustice,"that was then, this is now," even though the crimes of the "then" are found in the "now." As I recall, someone famous said something (in quite circular fashion) about histories that we are doomed to repeat. <br /><br />I hope everyone is enjoying this Winter season, is finding contentment living fully in the moment of this season, is remembering those special moments of seasons past, and is anticipating with joy and hope the possibilities of seasons to come.chris thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-63315226988777387582010-01-02T10:36:45.351-06:002010-01-02T10:36:45.351-06:00Happy New Year, everyone!
I believe in spiral tim...Happy New Year, everyone!<br /><br />I believe in spiral time. The spiral is the shape of our DNA. Also the shape of a perfect football pass. And a confession that the turnings of the seasons are changing for me, and for our larger community and world, too. <br /><br />And now I know I have something else in common with Leroy. While I will not have to worry exactly about "passing" for 60 this year, I will apparently have a special relationship with the Year of the Tiger. Perhaps if Leroy had just warned MU in time, they would have put off for one more day that little game with Navy! And did I mention that there is something of a spiral shape in a Cyclone? Go ISU!Craig Dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00033176451913108084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-27859428259767412322010-01-02T10:10:56.378-06:002010-01-02T10:10:56.378-06:00One of my Thinking Friends (and faithful reader of...One of my Thinking Friends (and faithful reader of this blog) made the following comments about what I wrote about the "church year":<br /><br />"In living out the Lectionary year I was never asked to 'wait' for Jesus during Advent but rather to be intentional at that time of year in watching and looking for God in everyone and everything I encountered. It is about my growth and discipline to bring into being (to conceive, incarnate, gestate, labor and deliver) that awareness; truly an attribute of Christlikeness. Lent was the same for me, once again a chance to be intentional in putting to death some bad habit, understanding my place in relationship to God and bringing to life or resurrecting some saving characteristic or spiritual gift of Christ. In both cases it is an opportunity to become more Christlike while others are doing the same so we can support and encourage one another. It is interesting to note that modern psychology says in order to incorporate a new habit in ones entire life we should force ourselves to practice that habit for six weeks, which is the approximate length of Lent's forty days. I assume it takes a nation forty years to incorporate a habit or form a character."LKSeathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.com