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Ali 
"Those aren't pillows."
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 Posted - 04/22/2008 : 12:10:44
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I have been asked to do a reading at a friend's wedding next month. What do you think of this one?
From Plato's Symposium
Humans have never understood the power of Love, for if they had they would surely have built noble temples and altars and offered solemn sacrifices; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to be done, since Love is our best friend, our helper, and the healer of the ills which prevent us from being happy.
quote:
To understand the power of Love, we must understand that our original human nature was not like it is now, but different. Human beings each had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces looking in opposite directions. There were three sexes then: one comprised of two men called the children of the Sun, one made of two women called the children of the Earth, and a third made of a man and a woman, called the children of the Moon. Due to the power and might of these original humans, the Gods began to fear that their reign might be threatened. They sought for a way to end the humans� insolence without destroying them.
It was at this point that Zeus divided the humans in half. After the division the two parts of each desiring their other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind.
Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. Those whose original nature lies with the children of the Sun are men who are drawn to other men, those from the children of the Earth are women who love other women, and those from the children of the Moon are men and women drawn to one another. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other�s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 04/22/2008 : 12:17:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
I have been asked to do a reading at a friend's wedding next month. What do you think of this one?
From Plato's Symposium
Humans have never understood the power of Love, for if they had they would surely have built noble temples and altars and offered solemn sacrifices; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to be done, since Love is our best friend, our helper, and the healer of the ills which prevent us from being happy.
quote:
To understand the power of Love, we must understand that our original human nature was not like it is now, but different. Human beings each had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces looking in opposite directions. There were three sexes then: one comprised of two men called the children of the Sun, one made of two women called the children of the Earth, and a third made of a man and a woman, called the children of the Moon. Due to the power and might of these original humans, the Gods began to fear that their reign might be threatened. They sought for a way to end the humans� insolence without destroying them.
It was at this point that Zeus divided the humans in half. After the division the two parts of each desiring their other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind.
Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. Those whose original nature lies with the children of the Sun are men who are drawn to other men, those from the children of the Earth are women who love other women, and those from the children of the Moon are men and women drawn to one another. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other�s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.
Well, that's very beautiful, Ali ... though, of course, it doesn't cover The Children of the Ice wherein one is a man named Sean and the other is a penguin.
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duh 
"catpurrs"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 01:47:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
I have been asked to do a reading at a friend's wedding next month. What do you think of this one?
From Plato's Symposium
Humans have never understood the power of Love, for if they had they would surely have built noble temples and altars and offered solemn sacrifices; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to be done, since Love is our best friend, our helper, and the healer of the ills which prevent us from being happy.
quote:
To understand the power of Love, we must understand that our original human nature was not like it is now, but different. Human beings each had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces looking in opposite directions. There were three sexes then: one comprised of two men called the children of the Sun, one made of two women called the children of the Earth, and a third made of a man and a woman, called the children of the Moon. Due to the power and might of these original humans, the Gods began to fear that their reign might be threatened. They sought for a way to end the humans� insolence without destroying them.
It was at this point that Zeus divided the humans in half. After the division the two parts of each desiring their other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind.
Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. Those whose original nature lies with the children of the Sun are men who are drawn to other men, those from the children of the Earth are women who love other women, and those from the children of the Moon are men and women drawn to one another. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other�s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.
Appropriately poetic and romantic and beautiful.
The truth, for this occasion, would be inappropriate: that much of the time, they'll have to resist the urge to strangle each other.  |
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 11:57:47
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True.
The vicar's gay, apparently, so he is very keen on the passage, too.
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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 14:14:53
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Listen, Ali - whatever you say will be fine. All we really care about is seeing a YouTube video of you dancing afterwards!
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 14:31:29
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It's on a school night, unfortunately, so I might not be as inebriated as I otherwise would be.
Oh, who am I kidding?
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Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 14:53:03
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So ask Mum for a sick note for next day. 
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Montgomery
"F**k!"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 15:29:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
quote:
To understand the power of Love, we must understand that our original human nature was not like it is now, but different. Human beings each had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces looking in opposite directions. There were three sexes then: one comprised of two men called the children of the Sun, one made of two women called the children of the Earth, and a third made of a man and a woman, called the children of the Moon. Due to the power and might of these original humans, the Gods began to fear that their reign might be threatened. They sought for a way to end the humans� insolence without destroying them.
It was at this point that Zeus divided the humans in half. After the division the two parts of each desiring their other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind.
Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. Those whose original nature lies with the children of the Sun are men who are drawn to other men, those from the children of the Earth are women who love other women, and those from the children of the Moon are men and women drawn to one another. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other�s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.
Wasn't this thought all handled in a "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" song?
EM :) |
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Montgomery
"F**k!"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 15:33:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
I have been asked to do a reading at a friend's wedding next month. What do you think of this one?
From Plato's Symposium
Humans have never understood the power of Love, for if they had they would surely have built noble temples and altars and offered solemn sacrifices; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to be done, since Love is our best friend, our helper, and the healer of the ills which prevent us from being happy.
If you use just this quote (which is shorter, therefore better), you could conclude that the reality is we do build temples for love. Not the brick and mortar kind. But, we marry and build lives together and that is our temple and altar to love and we offer solemn sacrifices daily to each other -- as your friends will no-doubtedly have to do to make their marriage work. The second part of the quote is correct, those who marry their friends and help each other and heal ills, ultimately are happier in their lives together.
Am I watching too much Oprah? 
EM :)
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 15:43:46
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I just want to refer to homosexuality in a church, to be honest, and applaud it.
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 15:59:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
I just want to refer to homosexuality in a church, to be honest, and applaud it.
Well, good luck with that!
(I personally think its a great idea to be honest and applaud people for being whatever they are and feeling secure enough to celebrate that in public. But do be mindful that some churches aren't as liberal as you would like them to be.)
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 16:04:54
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This one is. The vicar's gay.
It's all good, baby.
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Whippersnapper.
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 17:35:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
I just want to refer to homosexuality in a church...
Is this a new George Michael story?
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/24/2008 : 18:36:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali
This one is. The vicar's gay.
It's all good, baby.
Cool!
But you know, I can't help thinking that this must be one of the rarest things around - a gay church in Turkey.
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 04/25/2008 : 05:44:43
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Yeah - pretty cool. The vicar has a partner and all. |
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Wedding Reading
