Diogenes and Moses: Tubs & Tablets

Moses with his tablets, in French!     

 & Diogenes with his lamp: he’s found a cow 

and a horse; still looking for a man.

July 16, 2010 

Tubs & Tablets

It is the freedom of the Cynics I continue to admire, especially their freedom from weakness. If only that kind of freedom could be achieved without giving up pleasure. (This is their take.)
     Today I’m thinking particularly of the pleasures of the body — softly seasoned food, what used to be called "girl singers" in front of big bands, hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s, the smell of sage, the twist and turn of wrestling with the opposite sex, riding a merry-go-round, running till you fall down exhausted, empty.  But not free, according to the Cynics, because pleasure makes us weak; and weakness makes us dependent.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God especially of Moses the lawgiver, is not much on freedom.  His “desert fathers” live as the Cynics do without pleasure, but also without being free.  Without freedom of movement: they go where they are told.  Without freedom of expression: they say the words they are given.  Without freedom of thought; only one is allowed, and all others to be banished: “Hear.  The Lord your God, the Lord is One, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind, with all your all.”

* * *

It isn’t fear of death that captures, un-frees, freezes us.  The desert fathers will not let us poor Lutheran and Reformed Christians go.  That is, it is fear of life — marimbas, marmelade, marigolds, merry-go-rounds.  This seems to be the case even for those who believe that desert fathering has little if anything to do with Jesus following.  It may actually be a way of running away from Jesus, to God.

More simpleton theology.  Speaking of which . . .

Here is a simple “Reading for Two Voices,” one echt Deutsch, the other my mid-southern-American.  It’s Goethe’s little verse Genialisch treiben. “The Task of Genius.”  The English is by my friend, Rick Dietrich, less literal than an attempt to catch the playful, if not goofy, spirit of the thing.  Those are his words (playful and goofy), but I’m all in favor of a little more play and, especially, a little more goof.

     We just jump into it, incidentally.  Have your ears ready when you hit play.  (Here’s the link, if there’s no icon below: Genealisch treiben.)

 

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