The Year in Apocalypses
December 22, 2017 10:53 PM   Subscribe

"I do not know if I am religious, or what it might mean to be “religious.” I think that when I die I am dead, and to wish otherwise is a strange and distasteful selfishness. The matter I am made of has other work to do; I had my turn. I doubt most people who call themselves “Christian” would call me a “Christian,” and Christ himself said that if an eye or hand causes you to stumble, throw it away; I do not think he would have been wedded to labels. But if I am “religious,” I am so insofar as I believe a moment comes when the crushing weight of my responsibility, or guilt, or even sin, is exceeded. There comes a moment, and perhaps it has come in 2017, when I need to believe something better is coming."
The Year in Apocalypses, by Anthony Oliveira, a beautiful and solemn meditation on 2017 that goes from the Bible, to Hannah Arendt, to Angels in America, to circle around one plea: "Lord, teach us how to pray."

2017 was a year of apocalypses, but we made it through. Or we will, I think.

So, as the clocks all wind down: I forgive you, and hope you forgive me. If I am breadless I hope you’ll feed me; if you are breadless you can share mine. And we can get through our todays together. If there is a tomorrow is not for us to decide. But I hope so.

I bless you: more life.
posted by yasaman (2 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Sorry, but this is a round-up of a pile of things that we've discussed down to the bloody nub in politics post after politics post, after politics post, and no real need to do it all yet again here -- taz



 
Needs a uspolitics tag.
posted by Coventry at 11:13 PM on December 22, 2017


Added a uspolitics tag.
posted by yasaman at 11:27 PM on December 22, 2017


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