Brahmanism
This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.
Buddhism
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
Christianity
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law of the prophets.
Confucianism
Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you.
Islam
No one of you is a believer until he desires
for his brother that which he desires for himself.
Judaism
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowmen. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.
Taoism
Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.
Zoroastrianism
That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
The Tie That Binds
Hallelujah! My handsome husband and I have a date on Saturday night. We're going to a friend's 40th birthday "prom." Having never been to a prom (wouldn't Laestadian Prom make a great name for a movie?), I'm not QUITE sure what to wear, but that won't stop me. Maybe I'll shellac my hear and don glasses and a whistle and be a chaperone.
The party is a few blocks away in the Masonic Temple, a pale blue building where we held our wedding reception many years ago.
What exactly are the Masons? I seem to remember that in the OALC, a former Mason (name escapes me) wrote the words to the hymn "Keys Are Given to the Christians." Anyone remember that story? I grew up thinking that the Masons were kind of freaky. (Actually, I still think that. They rent their hall for $200 when it could easily bring them more.)
Another OALC memory is "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." The internet tells me that the lyrics were written by a BAPTIST minister. Heaven forfend. I must have sung it at a lot of funerals, because it still makes me sad.
When I mention this to the adorable husband, he laughs and says "Oh, we sang that song in high school in a production of Our Town." Funeral versus musical. Well. That pretty much sums up our respective childhoods.
The party is a few blocks away in the Masonic Temple, a pale blue building where we held our wedding reception many years ago.
What exactly are the Masons? I seem to remember that in the OALC, a former Mason (name escapes me) wrote the words to the hymn "Keys Are Given to the Christians." Anyone remember that story? I grew up thinking that the Masons were kind of freaky. (Actually, I still think that. They rent their hall for $200 when it could easily bring them more.)
Another OALC memory is "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." The internet tells me that the lyrics were written by a BAPTIST minister. Heaven forfend. I must have sung it at a lot of funerals, because it still makes me sad.
When I mention this to the adorable husband, he laughs and says "Oh, we sang that song in high school in a production of Our Town." Funeral versus musical. Well. That pretty much sums up our respective childhoods.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Snow
This morning when I saw the outdoors blanketed in snow, I thew a wool coat on over my pj's and wandered out to enjoy the unique hush that comes to our neighborhood with this rare (for Seattle) weather. This is one of my favorite trees on Boston Street. It is older than the houses around here, which are nearing the hundred-year mark.
No church today. We'll take the kids sledding, build a snowman, have cocoa, read from their new book about penguins, make soup, listen to Prairie Home Companion. Abundant life indeed!
No church today. We'll take the kids sledding, build a snowman, have cocoa, read from their new book about penguins, make soup, listen to Prairie Home Companion. Abundant life indeed!
Friday, January 07, 2005
Gula Gula (Listen Listen)
Taking advantage of my restored health, I went the library today and checked out "Gula Gula" a CD by Mari Boine, a Sami joik singer who was raised in a Laestadian family. (Joiking is traditional Sami singing. You can listen to samples by clicking on the link above.)
This is from an online article about Boine:
"Joiking smelled of pantheism to members of the Scandinavian revivalist Laestadian Lutheran movement, who moved into Sámiland (AKA Lapland) in the 19th century and discredited native customs and art forms as they began making Christian converts. When Boine was a teenager in the small village of Gámehhisnjárga in the 1970s, the Laestadian Sámi community discouraged her interest in joiking not only because her assertiveness defied the Laestadian view of a woman's subordinate place in society, but also because her music asserted the worth of Sámi culture."
What a coincidence! I too was a teenager in a small village in the 1970s. Boine had Laestadian parents; so did I. She sang folk songs; I sang in a jazz choir. Her first song was John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" -- I sang Lennon and McCartney's "Let it Be" for a talent show. She left the church. Ditto. She went on to record with the likes of Peter Gabriel. I went on to, um, sing in the shower.
Oh well. Wonder if she tours. Would be fun to meet her.
This is from an online article about Boine:
"Joiking smelled of pantheism to members of the Scandinavian revivalist Laestadian Lutheran movement, who moved into Sámiland (AKA Lapland) in the 19th century and discredited native customs and art forms as they began making Christian converts. When Boine was a teenager in the small village of Gámehhisnjárga in the 1970s, the Laestadian Sámi community discouraged her interest in joiking not only because her assertiveness defied the Laestadian view of a woman's subordinate place in society, but also because her music asserted the worth of Sámi culture."
What a coincidence! I too was a teenager in a small village in the 1970s. Boine had Laestadian parents; so did I. She sang folk songs; I sang in a jazz choir. Her first song was John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" -- I sang Lennon and McCartney's "Let it Be" for a talent show. She left the church. Ditto. She went on to record with the likes of Peter Gabriel. I went on to, um, sing in the shower.
Oh well. Wonder if she tours. Would be fun to meet her.
Monday, January 03, 2005
In the World
The OALC in particular and Laestadians in general would make fascinating documentary subjects. Perhaps the reason PBS hasn't come knocking is because, well, who would agree to be interviewed or filmed?
Apparently Laestadian reticence did not stop Pia Andell, a Finnish film director, who made a lovely short film called Maailmassa (In the World) in 2002 using actors. I stumbled upon the title in a web search and requested a copy from the production company, then had it transferred to VHS (fortunately it already had subtitles in English).
What a discovery! The movie is beautifully photographed and its story deftly told through the voices of two men, Mikko and Sakari, both of whom were raised in large Laestadian families. Mikko remains in the faith, becomes a massage therapist and preacher, gets married, has 9 children and stays in the country. "Too curious" Sakari leaves, is rejected by his family, becomes a photographer and lives alone in Helsinki.
The translation into English is sometimes clumsy, but many of the phrases are pitch-perfect Laestadianese. Even the title is a familiar phrase. "In the world" is the equivalent of "unsaved."
Hearing the men explain their decisions, one feels compassion for both of them. It is easy to see why Mikko stayed and why Sakari left. (But how I wanted to reach out to Sakari, to alleviate his loneliness!)
I found myself dreaming of a new movie, with a similar story but from the point of view of two women: one who stays, marries at 17, has a dozen children. The other who leaves, goes to college, has a career, marries and has two children. Sisters, perhaps.
Hmmm. Anyone know a producer?!
Apparently Laestadian reticence did not stop Pia Andell, a Finnish film director, who made a lovely short film called Maailmassa (In the World) in 2002 using actors. I stumbled upon the title in a web search and requested a copy from the production company, then had it transferred to VHS (fortunately it already had subtitles in English).
What a discovery! The movie is beautifully photographed and its story deftly told through the voices of two men, Mikko and Sakari, both of whom were raised in large Laestadian families. Mikko remains in the faith, becomes a massage therapist and preacher, gets married, has 9 children and stays in the country. "Too curious" Sakari leaves, is rejected by his family, becomes a photographer and lives alone in Helsinki.
The translation into English is sometimes clumsy, but many of the phrases are pitch-perfect Laestadianese. Even the title is a familiar phrase. "In the world" is the equivalent of "unsaved."
Hearing the men explain their decisions, one feels compassion for both of them. It is easy to see why Mikko stayed and why Sakari left. (But how I wanted to reach out to Sakari, to alleviate his loneliness!)
I found myself dreaming of a new movie, with a similar story but from the point of view of two women: one who stays, marries at 17, has a dozen children. The other who leaves, goes to college, has a career, marries and has two children. Sisters, perhaps.
Hmmm. Anyone know a producer?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)