Do you know the name of G’d?

I really like unusual people. Passionate people.

I met Heather Morgan four years ago on a fourty-five minute plane ride, and we have stayed in touch ever since. At the time – for those fourty-five minutes – we had a very intense discussion about the importance of knowing which god is ‘real’. In her opinion, if you don’t know the name of Jesus Christ as god, you will, unfortunately, not go to heaven. Also, even if you were a very bad person, if on your deathbed you accept him as your saviour – you go to heaven. I have real problems with that. I don’t think god would begrudge if you didn’t know his name. What’s more, I think it’s one of god’s little tricks to have given himself many names to see if we would fight over them.

One of the things that really impressed me about Heather was that two weeks after our meeting, I got in the mail a book called “Christian Dialectics”, which passionately discusses the importance of her reasoning. Really impressed me that she did that. She really is a love.

I got an email from her today that I enjoyed.

This happened today so I thought I would share it with you.
It was Giannina´s (my assistant) turn to teach Bible today in Spanish. The story was about Jesus healing the 10 lepers and only one coming back to tell Him thank you. You never know exactly how much 3-year olds are actually comprehending, but at the end of the day I was reminded again that they are understanding and paying attention (although at times they appear to be out near the moon). Back to the story…. When my kids were leaving this afternoon, only 2 were left when one little girl came up to me and said, “Mrs. DeLand, Gracias por la clase.” (Thank you for the class)
This really encouraged me. Hope you are doing well.
Heather

Heather is now married, and is a missionary in Honduras with her husband.
As a jew, I am not supposed to say the name of god, nor write it. Many jews write g’d to express god. I’ve always been a bit confused by that. Where does holiness begin and respect end? Where does sanctity begin, and where does it end? I’m glad Heather and I are still in touch.

Form Follows Function

‘Form follows function’ is a principle associated with modern architecture and industrial design in the 20th Century. The architect Louis Sullivan created the maxim while figuring out principles for the construction of skyscrapers.

Form follows function, as Sullivan defined it, states that the shape of a building or object should be predicated by or based upon its intended function or purpose. With buildings, that means/meant that there is a relationship to the human beings inside, the earth, the sky, and the surrounding air. I think certain applications exist toward the creation of dances. According to Sullivan:

“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law.”

Sullivan was the teacher of another famous architect – Frank Lloyd Wright. The statement above comes from “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered”,” published in Lippincott’s Magazine (March 1896). You can see the entire article here.

Two quotes

My girlfriend is on vacation in California right now… so I’ve spent more time reading online than I usually do. I found this quote in an article off of the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest website….

Jennifer Freyd:

“Ridicule is often a response of those in power when they have little to say in defense of a challenge to the status quo.”

Then last night – while watching The Colbert Show – a guest spoke some words that I know must be someone famous. The guest was talking about the Federalist Papers, but I don’t know if this is Madison or whom:

A nation must protect itself from its own ambition.

Happy 4th of July!!!