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echovar Posts

From “Pure Act”

From the Chapter “A Galapagos of the Spirit”

Robert Lax, Journal Entry

1970

“…what was to be kept going in life was an action: a dance, a song, an act of love. There were not ‘values’ to be remembered; there were not ‘laws’ to be remembered: there was a tone, a way, a kind of action. There were ways of doing things which people (having certain gifts) could compass. There was the wise man’s way and the fool’s way, the fiery man’s way and the slow man’s way. Naturally, the ways were not alike, but each man doing his action in his own way, was doing an action and was doing it in ‘the way’. ‘The way’ was to do it in confidence and love and truth. (And to do the thing, once decided, without hesitation).

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Sonic Cure

Cures must address the soul as well as the body.

Sakamoto said of the performance: “Let’s wash hands. But, we also need to save water. Let’s keep social distance. Stay inside. stay home. And, I hope you enjoy the music.”

Performed by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Filmed and Edited by Zakkubalan
Assistant Engineer – Alec Fellman
Producer – Norika Sora

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Until November

Jack Dorsey has got himself into a fix. He allowed disinformation and damaging tweets from the president to pass into the real-time stream without comment. The idea that “if the president says it, it should be made available to the public” held sway. Surely people will make the appropriate judgements about his statements and act accordingly.

This approach assumes that the statements have no effect on a reader’s ability to judge both the speaker and the statement. This is false. The purpose of military-grade disinformation campaigns is to destroy the readers capacity to distinguish what is true and false, what is moral and immoral. Once our capacity for judgement is damaged, anything becomes permissible.

After the horse had left the barn, Dorsey authorized his team to tag a few of the president’s tweets with fact check links. And then, another tweet with a notice that it violated the company’s policy against fomenting violence.

The president’s statements published through Twitter will continue to escalate as November approaches. The question for Jack Dorsey is whether he will continue to meet the challenge or will he fold and allow the president to execute his disinformation campaign. Jack’s opposite number at Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has already folded. In fact, he’s using his team’s algos to pour gasoline on the president’s disinformation campaign. Mark views this as a business opportunity.

What do you call neutrality in the face of the destruction of our democratic republic?

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American Prayer

From Elizabeth Kaetan’s feed, something worth reading at least twice.

The Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, Lutheran pastor and author (and now podcaster – The Confessional) offered this reflection yesterday, which I think is a perfect response to the “White House Commandment.”

I do not know when we can gather together again in worship, Lord.

So, for now I just ask that:

When I sing along in my kitchen to each song on Stevie Wonder’s Songs in The Key of Life Album, that it be counted as praise. (Happy 70thBirthday, SW!)

And that when I read the news and my heart tightens in my chest, may it be counted as a Kyrie.

And that when my eyes brighten in a smile behind my mask as I thank the cashier may it be counted as passing the peace.

And that when I water my plants and wash my dishes and take a shower may it be counted as remembering my baptism.

And that when the tears come and my shoulders shake and my breathing falters, may it be counted as prayer.

And that when I stumble upon a Tabitha Brown video and hear her grace and love of you may it be counted as a hearing a homily.

And that as I sit at that table in my apartment, and eat one more homemade meal, slowly, joyfully, with nothing else demanding my time or attention, may it be counted as communion.

Amen.

-Nadia Bolz-Weber

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