The DisinfoCast with Matt Staggs: Daniele Bolelli

By Matt Staggs on October 10, 2012 in News, Podcasts 16

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Professor, writer, martial artist and (now) podcaster Daniele Bolelli returns to the DisinfoCast to talk about love, fear and religion. Want more Daniele Bolelli? Visit www.DanieleBolelli.com, and pick up his book 50 Things You’re Not Supposed to Know: Religion.

Daniele Bolelli, Disinfocast, Philosophy, Podcasts, Religion

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http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

around 30:00ish the discussion turns to monotheism,
in distinguishing monotheism from more pantheistic religions
the use of an alphabet is the main distinguishing factor

“And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
generally speaking,
monotheism only originates in cultures that have an alphabet (the Levant & the West)
where the alphabet was invented
as distinct from symbolic writing systems and syllabaries of Asia

how did it turn into only one god?
there can never be only one god in China
their language won’t allow it
the alphabet creates a point of view, linearity and linear historical continuity
the Chinese have no past or future tense in their language
and the way their language is written & spoken
there’s no way to express something with the precision of an alphabetic language
there’s a lot of room for interpretation & punning not available in western languages

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

BTW: I wish god would fix the fucking formatting errors on Disqus!
http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

around 30:00ish the discussion turns to monotheism,
in distinguishing monotheism from more pantheistic religions
the use of an alphabet is the main distinguishing factor

“And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
generally speaking,
monotheism only originates in cultures that have an alphabet (the Levant & the West)
where the alphabet was invented
as distinct from symbolic writing systems and syllabaries of Asia

how did it turn into only one god?
there can never be only one god in China
their language won’t allow it
the alphabet creates a point of view, linearity and linear historical continuity
the Chinese have no past or future tense in their language
and the way their language is written & spoken
there’s no way to express something with the precision of an alphabetic language
there’s a lot of room for interpretation & punning not available in western languages

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

BTW: I wish god would fix the fucking formatting errors on Disqus!
- Calypso_1
  
  Even the Semitic languages, utilizing a consonantary alphabet (or abjad) in the written form, are open to levels of interpretive meaning that produce the esoteric underpinnings of much Kabbalah and Sufic thought. With the introduction of full alphabets used in written Greek even this nuance was lost. (However, this did emerge through the schools of neo-platonism into the West)
  
  Ein-Sof:
  The Kabbalist’s God
  perfectly simple and infinitely complex,
  nothing and everything,
  hidden and revealed,
  reality and illusion,
  creator of man and created by man,.
  As Ein-Sof evolves it is progressively revealed as “nothing whatsoever”
  (Ayin), the totality of being, the Infinite Will ,
  Thought and Wisdom, the embodiment of all value and significance the wedding of male and female, and ultimately the union of all contradictions.
  Ein-Sof is both the totality of this dialectic and each of the points along the way.
  Ein-Sof must be constantly redefined, as by its very nature, it is in a constant process of self-creation and redefinition. This self-creation is actually embodied and perfected in the creativity of humanity, who through practical, ethical, intellectual and spiritual activities, strives to redeem and perfect a chaotic, contradictory and imperfect world.
- Calypso_1
  
  Even the Semitic languages, utilizing a consonantary alphabet (or abjad) in the written form, are open to levels of interpretive meaning that produce the esoteric underpinnings of much Kabbalah and Sufic thought. With the introduction of full alphabets used in written Greek even this nuance was lost. (However, this did emerge through the schools of neo-platonism into the West)
  
  Ein-Sof:
  The Kabbalist’s God
  perfectly simple and infinitely complex,
  nothing and everything,
  hidden and revealed,
  reality and illusion,
  creator of man and created by man,.
  As Ein-Sof evolves it is progressively revealed as “nothing whatsoever”
  (Ayin), the totality of being, the Infinite Will ,
  Thought and Wisdom, the embodiment of all value and significance the wedding of male and female, and ultimately the union of all contradictions.
  Ein-Sof is both the totality of this dialectic and each of the points along the way.
  Ein-Sof must be constantly redefined, as by its very nature, it is in a constant process of self-creation and redefinition. This self-creation is actually embodied and perfected in the creativity of humanity, who through practical, ethical, intellectual and spiritual activities, strives to redeem and perfect a chaotic, contradictory and imperfect world.
  - http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin
    
    Right, the abjad is the transition between symbolic & alphabetic language. Interestingly, modern Arabic also is an abjad alphabet.
    
    But even the abjad is more precise than something like Chinese writing, which is probably a factor in why the Chinese always had a plethora of gods and never took gods to be literally true. The best they could say was: if you can name it , it’s not it.
  - http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin
    
    Right, the abjad is the transition between symbolic & alphabetic language. Interestingly, modern Arabic also is an abjad alphabet.
    
    But even the abjad is more precise than something like Chinese writing, which is probably a factor in why the Chinese always had a plethora of gods and never took gods to be literally true. The best they could say was: if you can name it , it’s not it.
    - Calypso_1
      
      Oh, I don’t disagree with you at all, simply wanted to extend the thought stream.
  - Fionn Earwicker
    
    `When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `
    it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’
    
    `The question is,’ said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.’
    
    `The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master – - that’s all.’
    - Calypso_1
      
      One of my favorite quotes.
      Well selected sir
      most forget old Lutwitdge and his professional expertise
      the Matrixes.
    - Calypso_1
      
      One of my favorite quotes.
      Well selected sir
      most forget old Lutwitdge and his professional expertise
      the Matrixes.
- BunkersTrust
  
  It’s not just the alphabet, it’s the languages too. It turns out that all the alphabet languages are also Indoeuropean. Except for India, whose native dialects use a syllabary.
  
  Alphabetic languages tend to emphasize the structure of the sentences while Asiatic languages tend to focuses on tone and nuance. Indoeuropean languages spell everything out, while Asiatic languages tend to give a sign. The West has long considered the Oriental to be inscrutable for that very reason.
  
  The Chinese Empires in no way resembled the Roman Empires for a lot of subtle reasons, but in both cases, their writing systems and languages played a big part in shaping their culture and their thoughts about god, government and life in general. .
- BunkersTrust
  
  It’s not just the alphabet, it’s the languages too. It turns out that all the alphabet languages are also Indoeuropean. Except for India, whose native dialects use a syllabary.
  
  Alphabetic languages tend to emphasize the structure of the sentences while Asiatic languages tend to focuses on tone and nuance. Indoeuropean languages spell everything out, while Asiatic languages tend to give a sign. The West has long considered the Oriental to be inscrutable for that very reason.
  
  The Chinese Empires in no way resembled the Roman Empires for a lot of subtle reasons, but in both cases, their writing systems and languages played a big part in shaping their culture and their thoughts about god, government and life in general. .
- Fionn Earwicker
  
  Jute.– Oye am thonthorstrok, thing mud.
  (Stoop) if you are abcedminded,
  to this claybook, what curios of signs (please stoop),
  in this allaphbed!
- Fionn Earwicker
  
  Jute.– Oye am thonthorstrok, thing mud.
  (Stoop) if you are abcedminded,
  to this claybook, what curios of signs (please stoop),
  in this allaphbed!
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