Memorials
World Trade Center Memorial
"Vox Populi, Vox Dei"
Even/Odd/Unlucky Numbers
Working in the PRC Cemetery
Pacemakers
July and August
Dates and Addresses
Profits and Prophets
Book Review
Greenbacks/The Great Seal
Memorials
Memory, the ability to remember past experiences, places and people, is
a wonderful faculty. Every culture has its own customs regarding how
departed loved ones, important people or events are remembered or
memorialized. In some cultures and religious traditions, there are
special places in common homes where deceased members of the family are
remembered through presenting offerings or rituals to express respect
and gratitude. In cemeteries, there are gravestones or monuments in
remembrance or honor of the departed. Some of the famous structures of
the world, including the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal of India and
the impressive statues of historical figures are memorials. In the
national capital of the United States of America, known as Washington, D.
C., or the District of Columbia, there are a number of memorials,
including the Washington Monument, a 170 meter high column in honor of
President George Washington, the Lincoln Memorial, with an image of
President Abraham Lincoln seated on a large armchair and the Jefferson
Memorial, a circular colonnaded structure on the banks of the Tidal
Basin in honor of President Thomas Jefferson. There is also the
Arlington National Cemetery, where members of the Armed Forces have been
buried. There are also memorials honoring veterans of the Korean and
Vietnam Wars. In Japan, it is common to say that Japanese "worship"
their ancestors, but the Bible states that God alone should be
"worshipped' (Exodus 20:3). However, it is finally God alone, who can
determine the sentiment of one standing, sitting, bowing before or
touching a memorial. (600)
World Trade Center Memorial
On September 11, 2001, hijackers crashed two commercial jet planes into
the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City resulting in
the deaths of about 3000 people. Many countries have memorials honoring
servicemen who died in the service of their country, but what kind of
memorial is appropriate for those who died in that attack is a question
now under consideration. More than 13,000 people from 94 countries and
all 50 states of the U. S. A. signed up to submit designs for such a
memorial by June 30th. Now, a jury of 13 architects, artists and family
and community members will examine the proposals and hold public
hearings to make a decision. Not only the size and shape of the memorial
on the site, which has an area of a little less than two hectares, must
be considered but also how the memorial is to be integrated into the
surrounding community. Should part of the memorial be underground?
Should vehicular traffic be permitted to enter the site or even to park
or pass underneath it? How to accommodate the millions of visitors who
will come to view the memorial or to show their respect to those who
died there must also be considered. A public school is just three blocks
away and the effect the memorial will have on the school children who
live nearby or who will pass by it regularly is another concern. Should
the memorial include office space for commercial activities? It is hoped
that a design for the World Trade Center Memorial will be selected
before this fall, less than two years after the tragedy, and that
construction will begin soon afterward. (601)
"Vox Populi, Vox Dei"
Over four years have passed since my wife and I retired from our work in
Japan. However, in order to keep my Japanese language ability from
getting too rusty, I try to listen to a daily short-wave radio broadcast
from Tokyo in Japanese every afternoon Florida time (early morning Tokyo
time) and to read something in Japanese every day. One of the small
paperback books I often carry with me is one of a series of such books
published by the Asahi Newspaper which contain selected articles from a
column that appears every morning on the newspaper's front page. In
Japanese, it is called "Tensei Jingo," which literally means "Heaven's
Voice, Human Language." In this column, which first made its appearance
in 1903, current events, social, political, religious, national,
international problems are treated from the stimulating perspective of
the thoughtful columnist and over the years, readers have always rated
it the most popular part of the newspaper. This Japanese title is said
to be derived from an ancient Chinese document in which it is written
that "A voice in heaven speaks through people," but it is similar to the
Latin expression "Vox Populi, Vox Dei" ("Voice of the People, Voice of
God") which is the title given English translations of these columns.
This Latin expression was first used around 800 in a letter to the
Frankish emperor Charlemagne in which he is advised not to listen to
those who say, "'The voice of the people is the voice of God', for the
turbulence of the mob is always close to insanity." For Jews, Christians
and Muslims, however, the holy scriptures are "heaven's voice in human
language." (604)
Even/Odd/Unlucky Numbers
One meaning of "even" is smooth, flat, having no irregularities or
roughness. Usually, "even" is used in a positive sense and we tend to
approve of something that is "even." "Odd," on the other hand, is often
used to describe something that deviates from what is customary or
accepted. That which is irregular or peculiar may be called "odd." Thus
"odd" often has a negative connotation. In the case of numbers, however,
"even numbers" are those numbers that can be exactly divided by 2, while
"odd numbers" are numbers that cannot be exactly divided by 2. In
ancient Chinese cosmology, odd and even numbers were related to light
and darkness, male and female, positive and negative, lucky and unlucky
concepts. A Japanese preference for odd numbers is indicated by the
traditional Japanese festivals which occur on odd-numbered days of
odd-numbered months: January 7, March 3, May 5, July 7 and September 9.
Some numbers in Japanese have identical pronunciations of certain words
and the number 4 is disliked because it has the same pronunciation as a
word meaning "death." To relieve the fears of superstitious people, some
hospitals and hotels, in the past, have not had rooms or floors numbered
4. The first telephone number we received in Japan had evidently been
refused by others to whom it had been offered because of its negative
meaning, but when I was asked if I was willing to accept that number, I
did so without hesitation. The number was 9242, kyuu-ni-shi-ni, which
means "sudden death," and people who heard our number never forgot it.
There is a difference between superstition and a healthy faith. (605)
Working in the PRC Cemetery
One of the characteristics of the Penney Retirement Community (webpage
address: http://www.penneyretirementcommunity.org) is the volunteer
activities that all residents participate in. Both my wife and I
regularly serve in various capacities every week. On Monday mornings, I
join a group of men who meet in the cemetery a couple of kilometers east
of the community to try to keep it looking beautiful. We usually work
there for two hours, from 8:00 to 10:00, from March to November. Some
men drive motorized lawn mowers around the cemetery, where all the grave
markers are flat--level with the ground, and thus are not obstacles that
mowers must avoid. Although most of the graves contain coffins in which
bodies of the deceased have been placed, in recent years, some residents
have chosen to be cremated, so urns containing their ashes are buried in
smaller plots. One man uses a motorized weeder to cut grass or weeds
around the metal markers. Lawn mowers which are pushed by hand are used
for cutting the grass closely around trees and bushes. It is my regular
task to trim the trees and bushes that are scattered around the cemetery.
As I trim the bushes, I recall the Japanese proverb that emphasizes
communal harmony rather than independent individuality: "The post that
sticks up gets pounded down." By my actions I make clear to the bushes
that "The twig or branch that sticks out gets cut off." And I sometimes
think the bush would like to talk back to me, but I realize that even if
it did, I would not be able to understand for I have come to realize
that I cannot comprehend "Bush language."(603)
Pacemakers
There are various kinds of "pacemakers" noted in my dictionary. One kind
is "one who sets the pace in a race;" a second is "a leader in any
field." And a third is "a miniaturized and surgically implanted
electronic device used to regulate the heartbeat." Although I may not be
a pacemaker, I recently joined the growing group of residents in this
community who have a pacemaker. On Monday morning last week, following
my two-hour bush-trimming activity in the community cemetery, I felt
pains in my chest. After returning home and taking a shower, I stopped
at the nearby clinic to have the doctor check my heart. My heartbeat was
irregular so he called an ambulance to take me and my wife to the
Emergency Ward of a hospital, about half-an-hour away. There we stayed
for a few hours until I was admitted to a hospital room on the 4th floor.
My wife returned home and, although my chest pain was gone, my heartbeat
was being monitored. On the following day, I underwent a number of tests,
supervised by a cardiologist, who advised that a pacemaker be inserted
into my chest to regulate my irregular heartbeat. My wife and I agreed
and on Wednesday morning that surgery was completed while I was fully
conscious. On Thursday evening I returned home and was able to attend
the Independence Day ceremony at the flagpole on Friday morning, the 4th
of July. During my four days in the hospital, I was carefully cared for
and was without pain. I am now back at home, thankful to God, to my wife
and to the skillful medical crew. I expect to be back on the tennis
court and aboveground in the cemetery next week. (607)
July and August
July and August are the hottest months of the year in the northern
hemisphere and in this southernmost state of Florida, some residents go
north to cooler areas during these hot and humid months. July and
August are also the two months in the Gregorian calendar whose names
have been derived from historical figures, both of whom were important
leaders in the Roman Empire. This seventh month of the year is named
July in honor of Julius Caesar, the Roman statesman, military leader and
writer who died in 44 B.C.E. Naming a month in his honor was the result
of the influence of the Roman orator, Mark Antony. Although Antony, a
kinsman of Caesar, was unsuccessful in his attempt to persuade the
Romans to make Caesar emperor, he did induce the senate to change the
name of the month of Caesar's birth. In certain other areas in the east,
it was customary to name a month after a living ruler, but this was the
first such example in the Roman calendar. It was Julius Caesar who
revised the ancient Roman calendar and introduced what is now called
"leap year" following three successive "common years." This calendar
was called the Julian calendar. In 27 B.C.E., Octavian, the first Roman
emperor, was granted the title "Augustus," meaning "venerable" or
"reverend" by the Roman senate. This designation was adopted by all
succeeding Roman emperors, but it was the first Augustus who decided
that the eighth month of the year would be named after him. It is also
said that Augustus took a day from another month to add to his month so
that it would not have fewer days than that of July. (608)
Dates and Addresses>
In a dictionary, one may find different meanings of the word "date." One
kind of "date" is "the sweet, oblong edible fruit of the date palm,
containing a narrow, hard seed." This kind of date may be eaten raw or
as an ingredient in such pastries as cookies, cakes or pies. Another
kind of "date" is "an appointment, especially an engagement to go out
socially with a member of the opposite sex." Last month, I had a date
with my wife when we went out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. A
third meaning of "date" is "the time stated in terms of the day, month,
and year." In Japan it is common to state the date in the order of year,
month and day: 2003/7/8, for example, but in the United States, it is
more common to indicate the date in the order of month, day and year:
July 8, 2003. Another traditional difference in order between these two
countries is related to names and addresses. Addresses on mail in the
United States usually begin with the name of an individual followed by
the names of the street, city, state and country. In Japan, however, the
order of names is completely reversed, with the larger areas listed
before the smaller ones and the name of the individual written last. In
both of these cases, I think the Japanese order is more logical, but
there is probably a reason for the order common in the U. S. A. I would
be happy to receive the suggestion of readers who may have an idea or
explanation regarding this or who have suggestions or comments regarding
other messages or regarding this webpage in general. You may write to me
by activating the "Mail to Clark Offner" or "Guestbook" box on the title
page. (602)
Profits and Prophets
"Homophones" are words that have the same pronunciation but differ in
spelling, origin and meaning. Today's message is related to a couple of
homophones. The one spelled p-r-o-f-i-t, denotes a benefit received from
a business or financial transaction, but other kinds of benefits may
also be called "profits." Businessmen and manufacturers must make a
profit to continue their work, but, at times, they might benefit from
the message of a "prophet," spelled p-r-o-p-h-e-t. This word is derived
from a Greek word meaning "to speak" preceded by a prepositional prefix
which may mean "forth" or "before." Many people consider a "prophet" a
person who speaks before an event occurs and thus foretells or predicts
what will happen. In the Bible, however, although prophets sometimes did
predict the future, the basic meaning is a spokesman for God, one who
speaks forth God's word. A basic section of the Old Testament consists
of the books by prophets. The words of Biblical prophets, whether spoken
or written, are considered to be the words received from God, which the
prophet speaks forth rather than words the prophet himself chose to
speak on his own. It is for this reason that, in the Old Testament books
called "prophecies," there are many affirmations that the words written
therein are the words of the Lord or truths received from God. The final
(66th) chapter of the book of Isaiah begins with these words: "This is
what the Lord says: 'Heaven is my throne and the earth is my
footstool.'" The following words make clear that God does not dwell in a
temple, shrine, church or mosque made by human beings. (612)
Book Review
When traveling through a scenic area, we may view many different kinds
of beautiful sights. Such "views" may include mountains, valleys,
rivers, waterfalls, lakes or oceans. But another meaning of "view" is a
particular observation, interpretation or opinion about something. When
we read a book or watch a movie, we will develop a certain "view" of its
contents and a critical examination of it may be called a "review." In
the retirement community where my wife and I reside, it is customary to
have Book Reviews given by residents during the summer months and I was
asked to give the Book Review for the month of July. The book I chose
to review was A New Religious America by Diana Eck, Professor of
Comparative Religion at Harvard University. In this book, the author
reveals the results of the study she and her students made related to
how the religious situation in the United States of America has changed
over the past couple of decades as the number of immigrants has
increased, especially from Asian countries. Now the landscape is
changing and we may view the architectural characteristics of Hinduism,
Buddhism and Islam as well as of Christianity in the scenery of this
land. Dr. Eck advises us not to ignore these newcomers who have brought
their cultural customs with them but to seek to understand them and
welcome them into our peculiar society with its tradition of religious
freedom. Many of the earliest immigrants to this North American
continent were seeking religious freedom and we should maintain that
tradition and respect the religious beliefs and customs of others. (613)
Greenbacks/The Great Seal
Everyone in this country, citizens or visitors, long-term residents or
illegal aliens, makes use of paper dollars, but most people do not look
at them closely and would be unable to tell what pictures or symbols are
on these "greenbacks." Taking bills from my billfold, I find that on the
back of a $20 bill is a picture of the White House, the official
residence of the President; on the back of a $10 bill is a picture of
the U. S. Treasury and on the back of a $5 bill is a picture of the
Lincoln Memorial. On the greenback of the most commonly used $1 bill,
however, there is not a picture of a government building. Rather, there
are two circles showing opposite sides of the Great Seal of the United
States, which was approved by Congress in 1782. On one side is an
unfinished pyramid with an eye above it, symbolizing a structure still
being constructed under the eye of Providence. On the other side is a
bald eagle holding arrows of war in one talon and an olive branch
symbolizing peace in the other. Its beak holds a ribbon on which the
Latin phrase "E pluribus unum," meaning "One out of many," is written.
Very careful viewers will notice that there are 13 stars above the head
of the eagle, 13 stripes on the shield covering its breast, 13 arrows in
one talon and 13 leaves on the olive branch in the other, symbolizing
the original 13 colonies of the U. S. A. The American bald eagle is not
really "bald," but appears to be so because of the white feathers on its
head. It was chosen as a symbol of the U. S. A. because of the qualities
of strength and wisdom that it seemed to represent. It is not afraid of
storms but soars above them. (606)
03/07/01
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