"Nourishment For The Spirit" #2

by hillary_step 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  hillary_step

  Hello,

  Max, excuse the plagiarism of your thread heading. Royalties on the way!

  A few weeks ago Maximus began a thread which he named ‘Nourishment For The Spirit’ which resulted in a most interesting discussion of books that we had read and that meant much to us as individuals, some acknowledging that the books had added much to their lives.

  Now I would like to ask a question.

  Have any of you read or viewed a piece of art, read a poem, or heard a piece of music that actually changed an ethic in your life or adjusted a previously held viewpoint? The question is asked strictly focused on the above noted media.

  I am really interested to hear what works of art changed your thinking or altered your ethic?
  HS
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  hillary_step

  I have heavily edited the above post to make a little more sense.

  Apologies for the verbal chaos of the original.

  HS
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  Moxy

  hey hillary. verbal chaos or not, that was a cool story. please put it back up in some form somewhere.

  still trying to think of an example for your question tho.

  mox
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  Had Enough

  Hello hillary-step:

  I wish I could tell you something about your question, but I've had a bit of a backwards reaction. Because of my changing of my life due to having my eyes opened about the borg, I have changed my own viewpoints on certain things.

  In particular, I love classical music but as a JW, I always felt "Ave Marie" was taboo for me to even listen to given its religious flavour. Now that my eyes are opened, I feel free to open my ears to new "ticklings". I listen to it many times when I'm on the computer as my son has given me a CD with many of my favourites on it and included "Ave Maria" not knowing how much I secretly liked it.

  Just thought I'd throw this "monkey wrench" into your survey. Hope you don't mind.
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  Had Enough

  Just an added thought. I said I "liked" Ave Marie. Actually, it gives me goosebumps to hear it sung so hauntingly. I love it!
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  Francois

  I never COULD take that Kingdom Melodies shit. Sounded like a bad mixture of elevator music and high school band. As for a work of art, I'll have to think about it.

  But the first time I saw a composite picture of the Milky Way galaxy, something fell into place inside me like the tumblers on a combination lock. I even heard something go "click."

  The forth movement of the Beethoven Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, always makes something inside me quicken. Same as his 9th symphony, forth movement.

  Francois

  NOTE TO GOVERNING BODY: You've been challenged to a debate, boys. Dont you have ANY balls?
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  COMF

  Welcome back to the board again, Hillary_Step! Good to have you back with us again.

  Your question: oh, dear, there are so many! How do I dare pass over one in favor of another?

  Here's a start, anyway:
  -------------------------------------

  Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"

  And he answered saying:

  You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
  You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
  Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
  But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
  And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
  Love one another but make not a bond of love:
  Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
  Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
  Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
  Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
  Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
  Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
  For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
  And stand together, yet not too near together:
  For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
  And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
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  hillary_step

  Moxy -

  Thank you, as ever, your legendary kindess is appreciated!

  HadEnough

  I am so pleased that your exit has widened your musical tastes. Try, if you have not already Thomas Tallis 'Fantasia On A Theme'. I think that you will enjoy it, but watch out for the goosebumps!

  Francois

  Understood and agreed with. It always amazed me that the WTS has in its hands some wonderful musicians and produces such low grade music. I guess the lyricists have to be Pioneers to qualify! I concur with your choice of Beethoven and note the interesting effect that it had on you.

  COMF Thank you for your kind welcome. Ahh! Gibran, I always feel as if his words were written in silk.

  HS
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  ozziepost

  It was a Christian hymn that changed the way I looked at things, I hope forever.

  Mrs Ozzie and I heard choristers sing "Christ the Lord Has Risen Today" one Easter-time. During the singing I turned to Mrs Ozzie and exclaimed "That's It!". The 'it' of course was recognition of Jesus as Lord in my life. Never been quite the same since!

  That certainly made a change for this JDub of almost 50 years membership in the 'troof'.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "Evil is the absence of empathy"
  Movie (2000), Nuremberg
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  larc

  I like the same music that Francois mentioned. I also like Finlandia, which I understand is a national piece of music in Finland that they played during the Russian occupation.

  When I was in trasition from JW to leaving, the song from West Side Story, It ain't necessarily so (the things that you liable to read in the Bible) had a major impact on me.

  Robert Frost's poem, Departmental (about ants, but really about organizational life) is important to me. Also, his poem, Mending Fences, which is realy about not putting a fence between ourself and others was important to me as well.

  An obscure song by Bob Dylan about hypocracy is strong in my mind - "It's all right Ma I'm only bleeding."