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

"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!]

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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.

"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?"

"The wrongs cannot be undone," Raven said quietly. "But a simple act of good can help restore balance."

Oh, balance. A concept Tahiri was starting to spend a lot of time contemplating.

"To you," she said carefully, "is that the most important part? Restoring balance, regardless of whether it actually does anything to absolve you or that other person?"

"I cannot absolve the other person," Raven said, shaking her head. "Not when he is unrepentant and continues to harm those around him. I can only help where I can and try to undo some of the damage he has done."

Tahiri gave her a tiny, brief flicker of an understanding smile. "Why do you do it, then? And I don't mean that to sound like I don't think you should bother. I just want to know, if it doesn't do a thing to affect their history of wrongdoing, do you do it just because it's right? Or because you feel obligated?"

"I do feel some obligation," Raven admitted, squirming just a little because she didn't want to exactly admit why. "But I would help others regardless."

Tahiri understood the squirming; she'd be doing some of that herself if the question had been directed at her. "So in terms of atonement -- since that's what we're talking about here -- the important part to you isn't so much the record of wrongdoing, then, as long as you can do something to balance it out? Where's the real atonement lie? In how well you balance that out, or in your intent to do so?"

"My intent, I believe," Raven said. "As long as it is an honest intention. Which it is."

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

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Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

weetuskenraider - 2009-09-29 00:29 (UTC) - Expand

Elena was too intrigued -- for personal reasons -- not to chime in on that matter.

"What if ... it's more complicated?" she asked. "If you stand with someone, as family, or as an associate ... then in some senses, it may seem as though you condone what they have done. In that case, maybe there's some degree to which you have to atone, too, even if you weren't in the least responsible in the first place."

An odd sort of smile quirked the corners of Tahiri's mouth at that. "I tend to expect it to be about that complicated, if not more, actually. Being associated with something or someone who's done a lot of horrible things is pretty rough, especially if they've done enough that people will automatically react badly to just hearing their name." She reached one hand up and ran it through her hair, smoothing it down over her forehead. "In that case, I think it's less about atoning for their wrongs as . . ."

She was thinking of her conversation with Firekeeper yesterday. "Being able to form some kind of bridge, I think. Some kind of common ground between the two where forgiveness, or at least understanding, can start to happen."

"Does that work?" she asked. "I've been trying mostly to ... amend what's gone wrong, make up for it, without anyone knowing it's anything to do with ... what came before. I didn't really think anything would make them think well of ... those who did things before."

It was hard to have this conversation and be this vague, but she couldn't be more specific, either. Especially not in class. Dammit.

"I don't know," Tahiri admitted, not wanting to get much more specific in class either. "It's only something I've been thinking about in theory so far. And I don't know if this is the sort of thing where results will be anything near immediate anyway. I kind of doubt that."

"If you could, long-term, get people talking again -- across different groups? That'd be pretty impressive," Elena admitted.

"~~Well, according to canon it sort of happens in about a hundred years.~~ It's a start, isn't it?" Tahiri asked. "Although there's the problem of feeling like it isn't enough."

Re: Class Discussion: Atonement

findingelena.livejournal.com - 2009-09-29 03:47 (UTC) - Expand

"Do you feel like you make progress in that respect?" Sam said, keeping things vague too, for her sake. "I mean, I understand the idea, but it only works if you feel like someday, you'll have healed enough people to fully atone for him."

"I hope to make a difference," Raven said, shaking her head, "but no, I do not think I have the power to atone for all he has done. I wish that I could, but I do not think it truly possible."

"I guess every little bit helps though?" Sam said. "And it's certainly better than nothing. It establishes what kind of a person you are."

Raven gave Sam a small smile. "Yes," she said. "I know oftentimes when people are from the same, unfamiliar world, people may assume they are alike, but I wish to be nothing like that person."

"Hey, there's lots of people from my world that I wouldn't want to be like," Sam said. "Distancing yourself can be good. And healing is a pretty universal sign of goodness."

"Is he someone close to you?" Elena asked. "I'm curious if you feel a sense of responsibility, or guilt, for what he's caused the world. If the atonement is personal."

"We have a connection," Raven said vaguely. "My world is very small."

"I shouldn't have pried," Elena said, quickly. Still sticking her foot in her mouth. "I ... know the feeling, that's all."

Her world wasn't small, but she had connections to people that most of the population would happily throw rocks at. 'Messy' did not begin to cover it.

Edited 2009-09-29 00:19 (UTC)

"Please do not feel bad," Raven said. "I brought the matter up, so it is only natural that you would have questions."

Elena offered a wry smile. "I'm usually very good at bringing things up that I shouldn't," she said. "I hope ... it all works out well."

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