My, my, my, do I like to give myself pain or what? lol
I've been reading WAOD's post about the 11 year old black girl who got gang raped by as much as 20 men and boys. And once again appalled not only at what happened, but also at the reaction by the other women in the courtroom. They couldn't see what was wrong with what happened to the young child! They even blamed her!
Then I went over to DJ Black Adam for more of the same.
Then I stopped over at Pioneer Valley Woman yet more.
(They all had different angles and was worth the read!)
Nevertheless, these things are just way too hard to read. Particularly because I don't have a solution. Yet.
At times (like now, in my devastation) I see the BC like a sunny side down egg! It still contains all the ingredients for high kedusha /holiness... but alot of things seem flipped upside down! Thus, a lot of potential holiness is just missing.
I believe that everything in the physical plane has its corresponding counterpart in the spiritual plane. Sometimes I amuse myself trying to map these things out or just reading from others who have done so already. The Divine Presence -God showing that yes, He does exist- in the world is very diminished, it seems. This is why so many can simply not believe in God -my opinion totally. However, it does exist and what is its physical counterpart?
WOMEN!!!
Women are the physical counterpart of the worldly manifestation of God. So why are they being so oppressed? Why are young girls gang raped even in the good ole U S of A?! Why do some communities care for their women, while others are ready to subject them to all kinds of atrocities --- more specifically the very sexual kinds of assaults?
For example (in a Jewish context), there are two holidays that involves empowering malchut -the Divine Presence of Godliness in the world. Passover and Succot. Passover involves restoring the D. Presence within us. By virtually eating the matzah, we are like taking a "pill" to cleanse, empower the D. Presence inside of us. (To break it down even more, Passover is like a time for faith renewal; for taking the "red pill" like in the Matrix, and recognizing that the world has purpose and a purposeful God. This, Rather than staying with the "green pill" and be in slumber or chasing only after material gains.)
Likewise Succot is also about empowering the D. Presence but around us. In this holiday, we ENTER into a built hut that we made just for the occasion. The purpose is to immerse the whole body into holiness. Also on Succot, we hold various species (lulav, etrog, willow branch, myrtle) and shake it in six directions -left, right, up, down, etc. The purpose of this is to draw empowerment into the D. Presence within us. Keep in mind that the D. Presence is considered female and the powers drawn are considered masculine!
(To break that down even more, its like drawing Godly presence around us so that He -er, in this case She and we are like one. Her Will is our will. Kinda like re-enforcing the teachings of the movie "The Secret" by binding our will with that of the D. Presence's Will).
However, in the black community -a community that I consider instinctually spiritual-
somehow this is translating into gang rape! All the masculines -not empowering, but violently imposing- themselves onto a woman. Where's the holiness there? This is warped!
At times it feels like the very same holiness and godliness that I read about and love, is so hated by some in the world particularly in the BC that they subconsciously try to find the best physical counterpart and bash it as best they can!
Women were not made like man. They were blessed to become living beings made from another living source (Adam's live rib; as opposed to dust). They are very much alive people! Like a portal from heaven, they give forth life, they -for the most part- promote life by nurturing, and many are very self sacrificing. What's not to like???!!!
However, because they represent life ...and for some who can't see another way, life sucks.. so, who else can they get at? They can't shoot an arrow to the Creator (God forbid). Creating another tower of Bavel to get to the Holy One seems not in the picture. They only have women to retaliate against. The one representation of God's Divine Presence in the world.
His Divine Presence ...the manifestation of godliness in the world, is also associated with women, the moon, emotion, the heart, kingship (malchut), the color black, King David, and understanding (not to be confused with wisdom). It is referred to in the feminine (she, her, etc).
So, I asked a rabbi, "Can the Divine Presence defend herself?"
His response: "No. she can only flee. She goes away when there is no harmony, when there is strife, etc"
Me: "But what about King David? He's connected to the D. Presence and he was pretty fierce!"
Rabbi: "Yes, but remember, when he was pursued..as when Shaul pursued him.. he fled. That was all he could do. But when he regrouped and had a group of harmonious men, God fearing, together. King David could attack..and WIN." The strong point was attacking, the weak point was defending. Even when dealing with Goliath, it was in attack form.
Well, that was an interesting conversation. Again, I don't have an answer. I"m leaning more towards saying that women need to come together respectfully despite our differences and be on the attack, but what does that mean? And what to do with the traitors from proverbs, those sad women who side with melancholy and evil?
What do I think it means? I'm not sure yet. I know that in the story of Abraham and Sarah, Sarah decided that Ishmael -who was kind of a wild guy- just could not be raised properly with Abraham who is almost 100% kindness. Abraham needed some sternness in order to deal with Ishmael properly. So, she took the initiative and made the hard stance of asking Hagar and Ishmael to leave.
Another example, Devorah the prophetess realized that her people could not constantly put up with the constant attacks by Sisera and his legions. So, instead of waiting to be on the defense, they headed a frontal attack and defeated them.
King David, his example is above.
Yael, who saw the fleeing Sisera near her neighborhood, did not defend herself. Instead she subdued him and when the opportunity was right, she knocked him upside his head w/a hammer and nail. An attack.
But what of the traitorous women who promote the values that encourage the men to violate women? For this I would need to go to the Book of Proverbs.
Just thinking out loud....
I've been reading WAOD's post about the 11 year old black girl who got gang raped by as much as 20 men and boys. And once again appalled not only at what happened, but also at the reaction by the other women in the courtroom. They couldn't see what was wrong with what happened to the young child! They even blamed her!
Then I went over to DJ Black Adam for more of the same.
Then I stopped over at Pioneer Valley Woman yet more.
(They all had different angles and was worth the read!)
Nevertheless, these things are just way too hard to read. Particularly because I don't have a solution. Yet.
At times (like now, in my devastation) I see the BC like a sunny side down egg! It still contains all the ingredients for high kedusha /holiness... but alot of things seem flipped upside down! Thus, a lot of potential holiness is just missing.
I believe that everything in the physical plane has its corresponding counterpart in the spiritual plane. Sometimes I amuse myself trying to map these things out or just reading from others who have done so already. The Divine Presence -God showing that yes, He does exist- in the world is very diminished, it seems. This is why so many can simply not believe in God -my opinion totally. However, it does exist and what is its physical counterpart?
WOMEN!!!
Women are the physical counterpart of the worldly manifestation of God. So why are they being so oppressed? Why are young girls gang raped even in the good ole U S of A?! Why do some communities care for their women, while others are ready to subject them to all kinds of atrocities --- more specifically the very sexual kinds of assaults?
For example (in a Jewish context), there are two holidays that involves empowering malchut -the Divine Presence of Godliness in the world. Passover and Succot. Passover involves restoring the D. Presence within us. By virtually eating the matzah, we are like taking a "pill" to cleanse, empower the D. Presence inside of us. (To break it down even more, Passover is like a time for faith renewal; for taking the "red pill" like in the Matrix, and recognizing that the world has purpose and a purposeful God. This, Rather than staying with the "green pill" and be in slumber or chasing only after material gains.)
Likewise Succot is also about empowering the D. Presence but around us. In this holiday, we ENTER into a built hut that we made just for the occasion. The purpose is to immerse the whole body into holiness. Also on Succot, we hold various species (lulav, etrog, willow branch, myrtle) and shake it in six directions -left, right, up, down, etc. The purpose of this is to draw empowerment into the D. Presence within us. Keep in mind that the D. Presence is considered female and the powers drawn are considered masculine!
(To break that down even more, its like drawing Godly presence around us so that He -er, in this case She and we are like one. Her Will is our will. Kinda like re-enforcing the teachings of the movie "The Secret" by binding our will with that of the D. Presence's Will).
However, in the black community -a community that I consider instinctually spiritual-
somehow this is translating into gang rape! All the masculines -not empowering, but violently imposing- themselves onto a woman. Where's the holiness there? This is warped!
At times it feels like the very same holiness and godliness that I read about and love, is so hated by some in the world particularly in the BC that they subconsciously try to find the best physical counterpart and bash it as best they can!
Women were not made like man. They were blessed to become living beings made from another living source (Adam's live rib; as opposed to dust). They are very much alive people! Like a portal from heaven, they give forth life, they -for the most part- promote life by nurturing, and many are very self sacrificing. What's not to like???!!!
However, because they represent life ...and for some who can't see another way, life sucks.. so, who else can they get at? They can't shoot an arrow to the Creator (God forbid). Creating another tower of Bavel to get to the Holy One seems not in the picture. They only have women to retaliate against. The one representation of God's Divine Presence in the world.
His Divine Presence ...the manifestation of godliness in the world, is also associated with women, the moon, emotion, the heart, kingship (malchut), the color black, King David, and understanding (not to be confused with wisdom). It is referred to in the feminine (she, her, etc).
So, I asked a rabbi, "Can the Divine Presence defend herself?"
His response: "No. she can only flee. She goes away when there is no harmony, when there is strife, etc"
Me: "But what about King David? He's connected to the D. Presence and he was pretty fierce!"
Rabbi: "Yes, but remember, when he was pursued..as when Shaul pursued him.. he fled. That was all he could do. But when he regrouped and had a group of harmonious men, God fearing, together. King David could attack..and WIN." The strong point was attacking, the weak point was defending. Even when dealing with Goliath, it was in attack form.
Well, that was an interesting conversation. Again, I don't have an answer. I"m leaning more towards saying that women need to come together respectfully despite our differences and be on the attack, but what does that mean? And what to do with the traitors from proverbs, those sad women who side with melancholy and evil?
What do I think it means? I'm not sure yet. I know that in the story of Abraham and Sarah, Sarah decided that Ishmael -who was kind of a wild guy- just could not be raised properly with Abraham who is almost 100% kindness. Abraham needed some sternness in order to deal with Ishmael properly. So, she took the initiative and made the hard stance of asking Hagar and Ishmael to leave.
Another example, Devorah the prophetess realized that her people could not constantly put up with the constant attacks by Sisera and his legions. So, instead of waiting to be on the defense, they headed a frontal attack and defeated them.
King David, his example is above.
Yael, who saw the fleeing Sisera near her neighborhood, did not defend herself. Instead she subdued him and when the opportunity was right, she knocked him upside his head w/a hammer and nail. An attack.
But what of the traitorous women who promote the values that encourage the men to violate women? For this I would need to go to the Book of Proverbs.
Just thinking out loud....
2 comments:
I'm back Miriam. Thanks for caring. My computer has been under the weather. I think that it came down with a virus.
I agree with what you have said here. What happened to the young girl is appalling beyond words. And for others to justify what happened to her is beyond comprehension.
As humans we're three part beings--physical, mental, and spiritual.
This is what happens when people are body-centered, with undeveloped minds and spirituality. All too often they surrender to their basest instincts.
What they did to that young girl is how we believed Neanderthals might have behaved--with total disregard for her humanity, and focused on their lowest physical needs.
Who failed here?
One, our educational system both within the home, and at school.
This system is charged with the responsibility of creating thoughtful, reasoned, and intellectual beings.
Two, our religious community. It is charged with the responsibility of evoking spirituality, and the Golden Rule.
And three, the society within which we live. It is charged with the responsibility of modeling the values that it wishes others in society to embrace and express--especially our children.
Any culture obsessed with violence (in music, movies, and videos, etc.) and quick to disrespect womanhood (by calling women ho's and bitches, and other demeaning words), create an environment where this kind of thing can occur.
This does not let the individual off the hook, however. It's my belief that the Golden Rule is written on every heart.
"What you don't wish to have done to you, don't do to another."
So, in a sense, no one is blameless. Those who did those atrocities to this young girl would not want it done to them.
That was their guide, and their direction, but they ignored it, so intent were they on satisfying a selfish impulse without regard for the pain and the suffering of the young girl.
Thanks for sharing the story and your thoughtful reaction to it.
Hi Domino!
I wish your computer a speedy recovery!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I'm so glad to see you back!
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