LL-L "Symbols" 2005.07.06 (09) [E]

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From: "Global Moose Translations" <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Symbols" 2005.07.06 (03) [E]

>  Not too harp, but in most Christian theologies, Christ is considered at
> once both wholly human and wholly divine, Gabriele. More than likely, if
you
> believe He was divine and omnipresent, you also believe He was human.
>  Beannachdan,
> Uilleam Ã'g mhic Sheumais

Thanks, Uilleam, I am fully aware of that - in theory. But the mere
existence of so many "Christian theologies" already indicates that matters
are a lot more complicated than that. But let's not open that can of worms
here, or I know for certain that I will get myself in trouble for voicing
some... let's call them hearty disagreements with certain attitudes from
certain cultural backgrounds. So let us not go there, the last thing this
list (and the rest of the world) needs is another religious debate.

I hold with the German playwright Gotthold Ephraim Lessing who, in his play
"Nathan the Wise", told the Parable of the Ring (actually an adaptation of a
concept by Boccaccio). Nathan, a Jewish sage, is asked by the sultan Saladin
which of the three great monotheistic religions - Christianity, Islam, od
Judaism - he thinks is best (meaning to corner him, of course). This story
is probably the wisest thing that has ever been said about religion
anywhere, and therefore I'd like to quote it here, even if it is a bit on
the long side (I found a decent English version on the Web).

My Three Sons

>>From Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim. Nathan the Wise. trans. Ellen Frothingham
(New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1873), 113-119.

NATHAN.
In gray antiquity there lived a man
In Eastern lands, who had received a ring
Of priceless worth from a beloved hand.
Its stone, an opal, flashed a hundred colors,
And had the secret power of giving favor,
In sight of God and man, to him who wore it
With a believing heart. What wonder then
This Eastern man would never put the ring
>>From off his finger, and should so provide
That to his house it be preserved forever?
Such was the case. Unto the best-beloved
Among his sons he left the ring, enjoining
That he in turn bequeath it to the son
Who should be dearest; and the dearest ever,
In virtue of the ring, without regard
To birth, be of the house the prince and head.
You understand me, Sultan?

SALADIN.
Yes; go on!

NATHAN.
>>From son to son the ring descending, came
To one, the sire of three; of whom all three
Were equally obedient; whom all three
He therefore must with equal love regard.
And yet from time to time now this, now that,
And now the third, --as each alone was by,
The others not dividing his fond heart, --
Appeared to him the worthiest of the ring;
Which then, with loving weakness, he would promise
To each in turn. Thus it continued long.
But he must die; and then the loving father
Was sore perplexed. It grieved him thus to wound
Two faithful sons who trusted in his word;
But what to do? In secrecy he calls
An artist to him, and commands of him
Two other rings, the pattern of his own;
And bids him neither cost nor pains to spare
To make them like, precisely like to that.
The artist's skill succeeds. He brings the rings,
And e'en the father cannot tell his own.
Relieved and joyful, summons he his sons,
Each by himself; to each one by himself
He gives his blessing, and his ring--and dies. --
You listen, Sultan?

SALADIN (who, somewhat perplexed, has turned away).

Yes; I hear, I hear.
But bring your story to an end.

NATHAN.
'Tis ended;
For what remains would tell itself. The father
Was scarcely dead, when each brings forth his ring,
And claims the headship. Questioning ensues,
Strife, and appeal to law; but all in vain.
The genuine ring was not to be distinguished; --
[After a pause, in which he awaits the Sultan's answer]
As indistinguishable as with us
The true religion.

SALADIN.
That[sic] your answer to me?

NATHAN.
But my apology for not presuming
Between the rings to judge, which with design
The father ordered undistinguishable.

SALADIN.
The rings? --You trifle with me. The religions
I named to you are plain to be distinguished--
E'en in the dress, e'en in the food and drink.

NATHAN.
In all except the grounds on which they rest.
Are they not founded all on history,
Traditional or written? History
Can be accepted only upon trust.
Whom now are we the least inclined to doubt?
Not our own people--our own blood; not those
Who from our childhood up have proved their love;
Ne'er disappointed, save when disappointment
Was wholesome to us? Shall my ancestors
Receive less faith from me, than yours from you?
Reverse it: Can I ask you to belie
Your fathers, and transfer your faith to mine?
Or yet, again, holds not the same with Christians?

SALADIN.
(By heaven, the man is right! I've naught to answer.)

NATHAN.
Return we to our rings. As I have said,
The sons appealed to law, and each took oath
Before the judge that from his father's hand
He had the ring, --as was indeed the truth;
And had received his promise long before,
One day the ring, with all its privileges,
Should be his own, --as was not less the truth.
The father could not have been false to him,
Each one maintained; and rather than allow
Upon the memory of so dear a father
Such stain to rest, he must against his brothers,
Though gladly he would nothing but the best
Believe of them, bring charge of treachery;
Means would he find the traitors to expose,
And be revenged on them.

SALADIN.
And now the judge?
I long to hear what words you give the judge.
Go on!

NATHAN.
Thus spoke the judge: Produce your father
At once before me, else from my tribunal
Do I dismiss you. Think you I am here
To guess your riddles? Either would you wait
Until the genuine ring shall speak? --But hold!
A magic power in the true ring resides,
As I am told, to make its wearer loved--
Pleasing to God and man. Let that decide.
For in the false can no such virtue lie.
Which one among you, then, do we love best?
Speak! Are you silent? Work the rings but
backward,
Not outward? Loves each one himself the best?
Then cheated cheats are all of you! The rings
All three are false. The genuine ring was lost;
And to conceal, supply the loss, the father
Made three in place of one.

SALADIN.
Oh, excellent!

NATHAN.
Go, therefore, said the judge, unless my counsel
You'd have in place of sentence. It were this:
Accept the case exactly as it stands.
Had each his ring directly from his father,
Let each believe his own is genuine.
'Tis possible your father would no longer
His house to one ring's tyranny subject;
And certain that all three of you he loved,
Loved equally, since two he would not humble
That one might be exalted. Let each one
To his unbought, impartial love aspire;
Each with the others vie to bring to light
The virtue of the stone within his ring;
Let gentleness, a hearty love of peace,
Beneficence, and perfect trust in God,
Come to its help. Then if the jewel's power
Among your children's children be revealed,
I bid you in a thousand, thousand years
Again before this bar. A wiser man
Than I shall occupy this seat, and speak.
Go! --Thus the modest judge dismissed them.

SALADIN.
God!

NATHAN.
If therefore, Saladin, you feel yourself
That promised, wiser man--

SALADIN (rushing to him, and seizing his hand, which he holds to the end).

I? Dust! --I? Naught!
O God!

NATHAN.
What moves you, Sultan?

SALADIN.
Nathan, Nathan!
Not ended are the thousand, thousand years
Your judge foretold; not mine to claim his seat.
Go, go! --But be my friend.

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