"The God and The Universe Conversations". Week Twenty Three.

"The Sacrifice of Isaac"

CONCLUSION


Ideas are more powerful than guns.
We would not let our enemies have guns,
why should we let them have ideas?
Joseph Stalin




"There is the Would"© 2004
Watercolor and Gesso on Paper

and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’
Genesis 22, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989

"Know We Have Them on the Run"© 2004
Watercolor and Gesso on Paper

From the Editor: So here we are. Our Hero has passed the test. The dogs have been called off, and now it is time for the bestowing of the treasure. Because isn't that what sacrifice is about? You exhibit your willingness to give up something.....let's even say something big. And in return? A little acknowledgement would be nice. But Abraham gets that and wins the bonus round! He will be the beginning of an entire peoples. Constellations and galaxies of beings. And that which might deny him access? The gates of his enemies? The gates of his enemies will not prevail, and he will be blessed because he obeyed without question.

Well, today (in this moment), I am going to accept Abraham's blessing. I am going to have as many creative ideas as there are stars and I am going to share them with God. I am going to be involved in as many positive interactions as there are grains of sand at the beach and God will think that is cool. I am going to recognize the impediments to being my authentic self and saunter through those gates that I have constructed. I will listen to the words of Lao Tzu, "Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself." And the results of my involvement will continue to fascinate and encourage me, for I would have participated fully.

I will draw nearer. That's my plan.

"Sshoe Violins"© 2004
Watercolor and Gesso on Paper

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.
Martin Luther King, Jr.



This concludes Week Twenty Three of

"The God and The Universe Conversations".

All art and writing by Tom Schulz unless otherwise noted, or unless it is so cool
he will try to get away with claiming it as his own."The God and The Universe Conversations" are based on Tom's protracted reading of Process and Reality, by Alfred North Whitehead.

The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to
sacrifice what we are for what we could become.
Charles Du Bos

"Courage and Acceptance"

"Some people confuse acceptance with apathy, but there's all the difference in the world. Apathy fails to distinguish between what can and what cannot be helped; acceptance makes that distinction. Apathy paralyzes the will-to-action; acceptance frees it by relieving it of impossible burdens."

Arthur Gordon

I'm not sure that I am able to speak directly to issues of courage and acceptance. What I can do is write a bit about my process of making art. Or of living. The boundaries get blurred in the distinction.
It's a side door approach to the topic. But then, many riches often dwell in the periphery .
As a young man, I aspired to paint a masterpiece, supposing that I, along with the painting, would obtain some historical significance in the completion. And I wasn't overly concerned about the painting's success, if you catch my drift. I became hobbled by the desire, and wandered about in what (at the time) I considered to be an aimless way.

Now I have come to understand that I was gathering information and experience. Eventually, I learned that I had to let go of that adolescent drive before I could even begin to implement that material into what I make as art.

So what does that mean? It means that I have to relinquish control during the process of the making. Which is funny, because my sense of control is primarily illusory. This is not to say that I throw up my hands and submit to some other controlling agency. I respond to beckoning, but most often rail at being lead.
What I prefer is dialogue. Exchange.

Acceptance, then, becomes an active performance of engagement. It calls out for investment. Once a situation or a canvas, an interaction or an armature has been recognized, then acceptance can format itself as a type of surrender into the moment. This is when I become available to participate in the marvelous, especially when the 'conversation' steps beyond the limitations of my preconceived notions.

That participation is a choice.

And if that has anything to do with courage, I'll accept that.

Images:

1. "Water Labyrinth #11"© 2010

Watercolor on paper

2. "Towards Sheryl's House - 7:30 AM"© 2010

Watercolor on paper

Paintings by Tom Schulz

Press Arrow to Play Video.

"Courage to Accept"© 2010

Video Sketch

From "The Systemic Amazement Factorial"©


"The Art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

NEXT: "COURAGE AND PATIENCE"