Hubris from Revelation: the Social Engineering of Ultimate Truths [Monday, Period 2]

[atreideslioness]

"Last week, we covered Eid ul-Fitr," Ghanima began as people began taking their seats today. "However, this isn't only a holy time of year for Islam. Today is Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, which is one of the holiest days of the year for the Hebrew people. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with an approximately 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days."

"Yom Kippur is the tenth day of the month of Tishrei. According to Jewish tradition, God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into a "book" on Rosh Hashanah and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. During the Days of Awe, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God, known as bein adam leMakom, and against other human beings, or bein adam lechavero," she continued, pronunciation perfect. "The evening and day of Yom Kippur are set aside for public and private petitions and confessions of guilt. At the end of Yom Kippur, one considers one's self absolved by God."

"Now, Leviticus 23:27 decrees that Yom Kippur is a strict day of rest and of fasting," Ghanima said, moving to write on the board. "Five additional prohibitions are traditionally observed, as detailed in the Jewish oral tradition; Mishnah tractate Yoma 8:1."

1. No eating and drinking
2. No wearing of leather shoes
3. No bathing or washing
4. No anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions
5. No marital -- or non-marital sexual -- relations

"Total abstention from food and drink usually begins 30 minutes before sundown," she noted as she turned back to the class, "and ends after nightfall the following day. Although the fast is required of all healthy adults, it is waived in the case of certain medical conditions. Now, virtually all Jewish holidays involve a ritual feast, but since Yom Kippur involves fasting, Jewish law requires one to eat a large and festive meal on the afternoon before Yom Kippur, after the Mincha afternoon prayer. Wearing white clothing, and for men a Kittel, is traditional to symbolize one’s purity on this day."

"Today I'd like us to discuss the concepts of atonement and repentance as a group, and once class is over, I ask that you use the rest of the day for self-reflection. Last week was about joy and goodwill towards your fellow man; today is about being a better person."

[the ocd is in the house!]

Comments

Sign-In

[atreideslioness]

Repentantly

Re: Sign-In

[trigons_child]

Raven

Re: Sign-In

[endsthegame]

Andrew Wiggin

During the Lecture

[atreideslioness]

Take notes, pass notes, talk quietly with your classmates...

Re: During the Lecture

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

One day, Jonas would stop being so surprised that there were so many different sets of ideas in the world. Today was not that day. Having lived so long thinking that one set of ideas was all there was, finding out differently still jarred him.

He was taking quick notes, careful to catch important parts and leaving space to write comparison notes later on.

Re: During the Lecture

[trigons_child]

Raven had spent much of the weekend in solitude due to the lingering emotional impact of the preceding days. She was quiet and listening attentively to the lecture, keenly interested in atonement.

Re: During the Lecture

[bitten_notshy]

It was almost ironic that Jack had given himself dispensation to take a 90 minute break from services to come to class, and found that class was about the holiday itself.

He had also bathed. He wasn't always such a good Jew.

He figured he didn't need to take notes this week, but he was curious to see how the discussion would go.

Re: During the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was more intently focused on the lecture than she probably had any reason to be; it wasn't like she had something huge to atone for.

Could you even atone for something you hadn't done yet, and might not even do in your own reality?

Re: During the Lecture

[endsthegame]

It was an interesting topic, if one Ender was more than intimately familiar with. At Ghanima's last request, his mouth quirked up for a moment.

Re: During the Lecture

[momslilassassin]

Ben took careful notes, occasionally glancing at Ender and Tahiri when he didn't think they were looking.

Because they were the only ones with guilt issues here. Really.

Re: During the Lecture

[solo_sword]

How did this class keep making Jaina all thoughtful? It was a little strange to realize that while she'd given herself plenty to atone for, she'd just moved on from it. Certain things she still hadn't even admitted to...

Class Discussion: Atonement

[atreideslioness]

"From the dictionary," Ghanima said, writing on the board again. "Atonement:

1. the act of atoning
2. satisfaction given for wrongdoing, injury, etc.; amends; expiation
3. Obsolete agreement or reconciliation."

"What does atonement mean to you? Is it a concept you believe in? I'd like to hear your opinions."

[Class discussion, so as always, ping to anyone anywhere anytime!]

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[trigons_child]

Raven was very familiar with atonement, though she wasn't sure how much she should reveal openly in class. "There is one from my world," she said, keeping things vague, "who has caused a great deal of harm to others. Each time I heal someone, I think in some small way I am atoning for what he has done." Or what she could possibly do in the future.

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[weetuskenraider]

"Can you do that?" Tahiri asked, sending a curious glance Raven's way. "Do you think it's really possible to make up for someone else's wrongs?"

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[endsthegame]

"Atonement is about the self, I believe," Ender said, thoughtfully; not that he'd spent an awful lot of time on this topic. "Recognition of your own sins - even if everyone else around you chooses to be apologist about them - and working, constructively, to do something of equal value or more into the other direction." A pause. "Although it's not so clinical that there are scales, of course. But, to make a long story short..." His mouth pulled up. "I'd like to think it exists. It's in the intent."

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"It's never been as complex as it seems to be presented here," Jonas said, latching onto the second definition because it's the one that he'd experienced. "Where I'm from, it was just apologizing and that was considered enough to be absolved of whatever you'd done wrong."

Of course, if you didn't learn your lesson, the punishments were progressively worse until you just didn't exist anymore. It was frightening to think about.

"Once you apologized, you were forgiven and you went on with your day," he continued. "You tried not to make that mistake again, though."

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[bitten_notshy]

"It means you let God and your community know that you're aware that you did wrong and you repent," Jack offered thoughtfully. "I believe in it to a point, but I think the true test is if you do it again. Otherwise, it's just words."

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"I believe ..." Elena hesitated, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts. Of how much to reveal. "I believe that you can never really undo the things you may have done. You can be sorry, and you can make what amends you can -- and you should, if you're sorry -- but I'm not sure there's any way to balance that scale. You could do a thousand good deeds, and it's not going to make someone you killed come to life again."

Talk to the TAs

[atreideslioness]

If they're here.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[rocksthescarf.livejournal.com]

If Chuck spent his whole day reflecting on himself it would be a very depressing day indeed. So maybe he'll just skip out on that part.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was here and still writing things down from the lecture---and maybe reflecting a bit too much.

Talk to Ghanima

[atreideslioness]

She's around, before and after class.

Re: Talk to Ghanima

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

Elena ... wasn't sure why she was doing this, exactly, but she failed to talk herself out of it.

"Lady Ghanima?"

The OOC

[atreideslioness]

Sanity Day from work! I'm around, but may vanish as I do laundry and other such errands.

Re: The OOC

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

I'll be back to doing things on time next week. This is the last week of Year End hell. :)