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Wicca and Expanding Worship Beyond the Heteronormative*

Is Wicca a Fertility Religion or a Nature Religion?

Historically, Wicca started out heteronormative as part of the original intention by Gardener. As years progressed and Wicca developed, many of our leaders and elders and scholars came in hetero pairs, even if their sexuality was not necessarily straight. This lead to the dogmatic concept that Wicca is a fertility religion celebrating the two progenitive forms of the gods, Male and Female, God and Goddess. Many Wicca Practitioners call upon the God and Goddess, and have the symbolic Great Rite (heterosexual sex), usually done with an atheme and a chalice, during rituals. Groups and Rituals are typically led by both a cis-man and a cis-woman. A few of our holidays revolve around the fertility of the earth and the sexual union of the god and goddess. Even our rites of passage and the archetypes that we celebrate emphasize the fertility cycle i.e: Maiden-Mother-Queen-Crone for women. Youth-Hunter/Father-King-Sage for men. This focus leads to the idea that we are primarily a Fertility Religion. 

When I came to Wicca 10 years ago, I was introduced to it as a poly-theistic Nature Religion, worshiping the cycles and rhythms and diversity of nature, and most often recognized a God and Goddess in ritual to represent the duality and balance within nature. These concepts of stewardship, diversity, and balance were what drew me to the path of Wicca. I liked the concept of Nature as a religion. I liked the concept of diversity and unity and that being a part of nature, which is divine, meant that I was also divine. So, I came to the path as a seeker, and hungry to learn as much as I could.

As I learned more and practiced, I was introduced to my initiating Coven. The Coven is led by a queer couple, where the word “straight” need not apply, ever. Yet the rituals we had and celebrated didn’t celebrate any of the queerness represented by them, or by some of the members. Being queer myself and not really identifying with the whole concept of fertility, and heteronormativity, a feeling of dissatisfaction began to grow with the emphasis and role that fertility held in the practice of the religion, in my readings, discussions, and rites. 

My experience with Paganism and Wicca as a whole is that many of the people practicing are Queer, and they left more restrictive religions for something that represented them better. They turned to the Craft, or Wicca, searching for their own path and acceptance. The heteronormativity of the rites and practices didn’t represent the people who were actually practicing the religion. It didn’t reflect the diversity within the whole of the community. My struggles and dissatisfaction stemmed from this; though I was led by queer-folx, and our group and the greater community was made of and had lots of queer-folx, our religious rituals and expression didn’t reflect that. It didn’t feel like a Nature Religion celebrating all nature had to offer. Rather, it felt like a dogmatic fertility religion with strict gender/sex roles.My dissatisfaction intensified into frustration, and anger, and a pressing need for change.

Anger and frustration are powerful motivators, and I delved into the theories on being a queer witch with the same enthusiasm and hunger that I had as a Seeker. I took these concepts to my leaders leading to some heated debates, passionate discussions of theology, surrounding my disquiet about things as they were and the need to change. These discussions and frustrations continued over the years, and still occur. Sometimes, I felt, in these discussions that I was hitting a brick wall, especially when it came to the Maiden-Mother-Crone narrative surrounding the Mother aspect. Yes, Motherhood is a stage of life, and it is important. However, crucially, it is not the only thing women can do, nor the most important. Furthermore, there are some women who do not have the equipment for giving birth or cannot or choose not to do so, and they are still women regardless of this. I am not a mother, and will not be, for a myriad of reasons. I am cis-female but my expression of my gender and interests fall outside of the societal norms. I am also pan-sexual, and so the experience of only heterosexual sex being ritualized was disconcerting and exclusive.  Disconnected and disgruntled by this I brought it up again with my leaders about the frustrations and lack of representation, I was told that “We are a fertility religion”,” Mother can be a metaphor, not just giving birth”, “Some of our members really identify with the maiden-mother-crone archetypes, do you want to say they are wrong?”. I was incensed, and ashamed. These statements led to feelings of alienation and isolation, and I took no comfort in them, because I wanted my religion to actually reflect me, to represent me, and to reflect the diversity in our community as equal parts.This focus of fertility was telling me I was less important because I was following a different pattern than the tradition. My religion was not meeting my genuine need to be represented in the practice of it. 

The thing that kept niggling at my mind, and rankled was the statement “We are a Fertility Religion”. Were we though? I agonized over this. All the struggles and discussions and theories brought me to the conclusion; We worship Nature, the beautiful and diverse spectrum and the balance of that spectrum. Human nature is just as broad and has such a huge diversity on every freaking level, it didn’t seem right to only venerate the extremes! The Gods don’t care about gender or sex! Many deities presented as an opposite gender and/or sex for various reasons within their mythos. Fertility and the primary care-giver, or birth giver, in some cases is not necessarily relegated to the female in the whole of the natural world. Fertility can be applied to many aspects of life, but the metaphor breaks down and excludes so many other things. The lens is too narrow when putting Fertility first. The realization that the narrow focus and veneration of fertility was an imbalance of the spectrum resonated in my soul. Therefore, I propose an alternate lens: Wicca as the Nature Religion to which I was first called. Nature encompasses the All, not just how we procreate, not just the ability to create, but also the very real beauty of the diversity within the universe at large. Nature recognizes that fertility is a facet, but not the only facet worth venerating.

I didn’t want to throw out the fertility aspect of our religion, which is important and valuable. Rather,  I wanted to expand the narrative to reflect all aspects of nature, widen the scope to see a bigger picture. I personally wanted to broaden the view of what it could be while still honoring the past and traditions. Tradition is important because it shows where we come from, it is a point from which to create and move forward. Being inclusive doesn’t mean we get rid of old ideas-- it just means that we expand them so that our practices actually reflect who we are and what we believe. For example, I like the tradition where we celebrate and lead in pairs as a way to represent balance, and I like the heteronormative great rite ritualized as the farthest ends of the spectrum meeting to have unity. I want to expand it so the duo we have to lead doesn’t have to be a hetero pair, if they can perform the office of Priest or Priestess and move or pull the energy required, it doesn’t matter their gender identity, as I saw in my own priest and priestess. The deities we welcome to our worship space don’t have to be a male-female pairing, it could be any combination of binary and non-binary deities. If we bless wine through the binary gods through the Great Rite, we can bless cakes through the non-binary deities and asexually. Excited, I explored other ways to include these ideas and concepts. The heart of this philosophy is explained thus: The balance in nature isn’t between two extremes, it is the balance of all the things in unison.

My Priest and Priestess, they heard me. Some of the traditions have changed, they now call the non-binary deities when performing rituals. They have expanded and changed the way they view the archetypes of the deities to include other forms beyond the traditional Maiden-Mother-Queen-Crone, and Hunter-Father-King-Sage, so people can move to an archetype that speaks to them in their rites of passage. They have thought about new ways to create rites of passage for Trans and Non-Binary people. They have listened to my frustrations, and they have done their best to meet me and the community. They are working on making these changes in positive ways, and they had already started taking huge strides in this direction before I came to the table.

For myself, my practice, and my students, Wicca is a Nature religion where we celebrate the bounty of all nature has to offer, and the diversity of the entirety of the universe through the balance of the spectrum of All. We will continue to expand and develop our traditions to reflect us, and our needs. I also intend to write further on how we can continue this expansion and work of inclusivity, because the “how” of change is as important as “why” of change. Wicca may have started out as a Fertility Religion, but in practice and who is practicing and the way it is evolving has changed it to be a Nature Religion. May Wicca continue to evolve, change, and expand to include those who worship and practice it. Blessed Be.

*This is the beginning of a series of blogs about inclusive Wicca, and how we can grow and change. This series will be tagged as INCLUSIVE WICCABtH.

DO NOT REMOVE TAGS!!!

Welcome to Shormton (Irikshan Chapter 2)

After having landed on the empire’s shores yesterday, Irikshan was escorted to the nearest city to see Colonel Anson. Today the mage Lucile gives Irikshan a tour of the great port city of Shormton.

< Landfall (Chapter 1) | Irikshan | Read on Dragon Press

3177 words

Irikshan awoke to the clapping of footwear on dirt approaching his tent for the umpteenth time since he’d settled in his tent on one of the training fields the previous day. He was regretting setting that enchantment on one of his sheridan crystals to wake him when someone approached. These footsteps were cautious like the rest, but took a more steady approach, were not accompanied by ill-concealed whispering, and were alone. Additionally, instead of peering into the door to catch a glimpse of the ‘sleeping’ dragon, these ones stopped a small distance away.

Curious, Irikshan mentally reached out, encountering a familiar mind that recoiled at the touch of his. “Mage Lucile come in. I am awake.”

She hesitated, then did as instructed. “Good morning, Draco Irikshan. Did I wake you?” She bowed.

“A good day to you too. Yes, you are here earlier than I…” he paused to think of the word in Imaadish.

“Expected?” Lucile offered.

“Yes. But I did ask for you to come as soon as you were ready.”

“I thought it best for us to begin before the streets become crowded.”

Irikshan began packing up his personal effects. While the tent would remain standing for the duration of his stay, he did not want to leave much unattended.

“Tell me, do you know where your crystal came from?”

“One of my ancestors was famed for having slain a dragon to protect a town. While there have not been any mages in my family line until me, the dragon’s crystal was kept as a trophy. When it was discovered that I could see energy, it was only sensible to use it rather than spending a small fortune on another. Does it bother you?”

“To a degree. We do also make use of crystals of dragons, but only if the dragon has assented to it prior to death. It is safe to assume that yours did not, but it is not my place to demand retribution for the actions of your forefathers.” After a pause, Irikshan added, “Judging by its size, the dragon could have been anywhere between one hundred and two hundred years old.”

“That’s a wide range.”

“Diet can affect crystal growth quite drastically. In Tumenzar, we keep some non-intelligent energy-sensitive creatures for their meat, similar to how you humans keep animals. They don’t live as long nor grow as large as dragons, but some do grow crystals like us. I’m not sure what you call them in your language.” He took two relatively small crystals from his bags and showed them to Lucile before putting them back.

Once Irikshan had readied himself, the two left the tent and embarked on their tour. The few people who were on the streets at this time gave the pair a wide berth and either hurried away or stared at Irikshan. Lucile proceeded to give him a tour of important buildings in the city. He could fit through the doors of most buildings – but those that he could not, he observed by peering through doors and windows. Irikshan’s Imaadish was good enough that they weren’t regularly stopping for her to explain the meaning of a word to him.

He was first introduced to the other mages outside the building that served as their study area. Lucile was the second-highest ranked among the local mages. Malcolm Taylor, the highest ranked mage, was standoffish but polite. The others bore the curiosity of children who’d recently made a great discovery. He was, admittedly, also curious about their training techniques and knowledge. They would likely have talked all day long if Malcolm had not reminded Lucile that there was more than one noteworthy building in the city.

Having begun drills as soon as the dragon awoke, the tour of the barracks and training areas was a noisy affair – what with the clanging and shouting. Among things that Irikshan noted were the surprising number of humans in military service, and that humans insulted each other for motivation. Colonel Anson requested that Irikshan visit him in the evening.

The courthouse of the city served a similar function to those in Tumenzar, but on a larger scale. With such a large and short-lived population, they had to put more effort into the organisation and tracking of cases and offenders. Interestingly, the town mayor was also not kept informed of the progress of every single trial that occurred.

By the time they reached the town hall, city life had begun to enter full swing. Here Irikshan encountered some humans too busy to even pay him much heed. The mayor took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Irikshan about his role and responsibilities. The dragon was surprised to learn how little of a say the mayor had on the running of the country and the grand scheme of things. The emperor and the nobles decided what was to be done, and the mayors merely carried out their will.

Irikshan found the library next door somewhat disappointing. He ascribed it to large portions of the population that were dedicated to food and goods production, along with those in military service. Still, the library was nothing to scoff at. After some coaxing, the chief librarian agreed to give Irikshan an overview of many of the noteworthy books. There included histories, philosophies, law books, and studies both magical and mundane. An agreement was also eventually reached that Irikshan would be allowed to withdraw books while he stayed in Shormton, provided he gave the library something in return.

When they left, Irikshan caught Lucile grumbling about the overprotective librarian. When queried, she informed him that the mages were prohibited from reading anything magic-related in the library, and were practically forced to bring their research notes in once a week to be copied.

The church was the first building that had doors big enough for Irikshan to fit through comfortably. The morning service had finished not too long ago, and the priest was happy to help Irikshan. Of course, they spoke of religion, but the priest was also able to offer Irikshan a more personal insight into the lives and concerns of the normal citizens of the city. Something that neither the mages nor leaders could quite do. He spent time with the people – listening, consoling, rejoicing and praying.

The central marketplace was crowded and quickly became more so. At first, both Irikshan and Lucile were given a wide berth, the commonfolk seeming fearful of both. Almost no distinct dialogue was audible over the general hubbub. Eventually, a few brave souls came close enough to touch his sides and tail. When he reacted by looking at them and not eating them, the crowd soon pressed in closer. He felt pinches as some of the strange creatures tugged on his scales.

Getting frustrated, he loudly declared “Back away!”, and magically pushed back the humans who were crowding around him. He wanted to kick the ones who’d been trying to take ‘souvenirs’ – but restrained himself, as that could only end badly. Already the crowd did not seem pleased about being pushed around. He and Lucile made a hasty retreat. While they maintained a small following, the majority of the humans returned to what they had previously been doing. Lucile admitted it was probably not the most forward-thinking idea of hers to try to show him the marketplace in action.

Travelling through the more residential-focused areas of the city also drew onlookers, but not near the numbers of those at the marketplace. Most treated him like some dangerous and fantastical beast that was being paraded around town by the mage. They weren’t entirely wrong, but Irikshan found it frustrating how few humans were willing to engage him, or even Lucile, in direct conversation. At least the smaller groups were polite enough to keep their distance.

The docks too were abuzz with activity. Fortunately, shouts and commands to get back to work let the two visitors continue their tour in relative peace. No captains could be convinced to let the dragon onto their ships, but a couple were helpful enough to answer Irikshan’s questions.

By this point, Lucile’s voice had begun to become noticeably hoarse. Irikshan insisted that they return to where they started before she hurt herself more.

At the mage’s building, Irikshan found Malcolm standing with a handful of human juveniles arrayed in an orderly fashion around him. A couple of the other mages could be seen with adolescent humans further away. Despite obvious excitement upon seeing him, even the youngest of the children held formation remarkably well, until Irikshan had neared and Malcolm dismissed them.

“It’s Ikshan!”

The children flocked to Irikshan. Malcolm, the other mages and the adolescents approached at a more measured pace. Irikshan lay down, hoping to appear less threatening and more approachable. “Hello, little ones. Are you learning of magic?”

“We’re learning about dragons!” One cried excitedly.

“Well, you have a living one here. You are welcome to ask questions.”

“Can you breathe fire?”

“Do you really eat magic?”

“You don’t look fifteen to me…”

“Woah, woah. Slowly, little ones. No, I cannot ‘breathe’ fire. But I can create fire at a focus point, and my head can be the focus point. The dragons from long ago did not have great schools of magic like we do now and often had to figure things out for themselves. The ease of use and… uh… vernietigende power of fire made it a favoured weapon by them. This is where your stories of fire-breathing dragons come from. As for your question,” he turned to the second child. “Why do you eat food?”

“So we can grow up to be big?”

“Yes, but also so that your body can keep working. Your body needs energy to keep doing things. And what is magic?”

“Energy!”

“Correct! Dragon’s bodies – and those of other magical creatures – are different to yours. We don’t need to get energy from food, we can get that energy from magic. We eat food to grow.” He then looked at the next child. “I’m not quite sure what you’re asking.”

“Master Taylor said you are seventy-four, but you are like a fifteen-year-old to dragons. You look very big for a fifteen-year-old. How big are dragons?”

“You see, dragons live a lot longer than humans. A lot longer. Just like for you, the world is very dangerous when we are young. Once we’ve grown up and learned how to look after ourselves, we will usually live for well over three hundred years. And since our bodies only need to use the food we eat to grow, we can grow a lot. See how if I stand next to you, my shoulder is about as high as your head?”

“Yeah?”

“Some of the oldest dragons I know are three times as tall as me.”

A chorus of amazement sounded.

“Draco Irikshan,” Malcolm joined the discussion, “Do you mind a demonstration of how magic interacts with your body?”

“Not at all.”

“Thank you.” He handed Irikshan a sheridan crystal. “Now, novices, come closer to him. Remember what I’ve been teaching you. Close your eyes, block out distractions. See the magic. Watch this energy that he takes from the crystal. Do you see how easily he moves it around?”

Irikshan took a small and concentrated pulse of energy from the crystal to make it easier for the children to notice. He moved it from his arm to the other, then back to his chest – where he gathered some energy from his own crystal. He then moved this up his neck and held it briefly in his horns, before moving it towards his mouth. He lifted his head and condensed the energy into heat, creating a burst of flame that he released towards the sky.

“You see how his body is capable of handling these high energies? It is because his blood and horns have lots of the mineral called shiridite in them. That’s also what our sheridan crystals are made of. This means he can use his own body to channel and direct energy.”

“So he doesn’t need a focus?”

“Well done, Adena. I teach you to use those so you have somewhere to gather the energy you are about to use. Unlike dragons, you will hurt yourself if you try to gather the energy in your body. And it takes a lot more practice and concentration to be able to gather the energy in something nonconductive like air. If you lose concentration, even with a focus, things will go wrong. Come now, let’s resume our lessons.” The mage began ushering the children away from the dragon. “Irikshan will still be here for at least a few days.”

Irikshan looked around for Lucile and spotted her talking to one of the adolescents. When he approached, the adolescent came forward and asked, “Do you mind if I come with you two from now on?”

Hesitating, Irikshan looked to Lucile.

“Draco Irikshan, this is my apprentice, Jared. He’s upset because I did not bring him along and instead asked Leo to train him while I’m busy with you.”

“It is up to you, Mage Lucile. But, Apprentice Jared – I do not think I will be doing much of interest to you. I am here to learn about the city, its people and its culture. When I wish to talk of magic, I am certain all the mages will want to be in attendance.”

“I still want to come with you two.”

“Ok,” Lucile rolled her eyes, “fine.”

“Yes!” The human swung a clenched fist into the air. “Thank you!”

Suppressing a chuckle, Irikshan stated, “I would like to speak to Colonel Anson now.”

“Good afternoon, Col- uh. Drew.”

“Ah, Irikshan, come in! You too, Lucile and Jared. How was your tour?”

“Definitely worth my while.”

“Good. Though, I hear you had some trouble in the marketplace?”

“Yes, it seems humans behave somewhat differently in large numbers.”

“That they do. Probably would have been smarter to not visit the crowded marketplace in the first place.”

Lucile apologised.

“Not to worry.” The man looked back at Irikshan. “What are your plans for your remaining time here?”

“I convinced the librarian to let me borrow books. I have quite some reading to do. I will also be spending some time with the mages. Finally, I would like to do something with your approval.”

“I’m all ears.”

“What?”

“I’m listening.”

“Oh. I would like to speak to the people as a person. Or, should I say, an illusion of a person. The whole day, I have been the centre of attention. This is not what I desire. In a way, I am here to learn about how humans behave in their… natuurlike omgewing… natural environment.”

“I understand. You may do so. But how will you mask your accent? It will be obvious that you are not from around here.”

“I do not mind if they see me as a foreigner. Only that they do not see me as a dragon. I’ve found that even at home, humans behave differently around dragons if they haven’t spent many years living with them. This brings me to my next query. I’ve had mixed reactions to my presence – more so than I expected. I have been trying to figure out the general population’s attitude towards dragons, but now I’m not even sure they know. Your lieutenant who brought me in yesterday was at first hostile towards me. He later mentioned some troubles with the dragon states that are in the empire’s territory. But you especially stand out as the only one who seems truly relaxed in my presence. Can you explain this to me? What is the empire’s relation to my kin in the north and those in the west?”

“Several years ago, the Emperor Malchestor came to power and changed the empire quite drastically. Before this, I was a senior officer at the state of the Scrivens in the north. They were a sort of protectorate underneath us. They could handle internal affairs and run themselves, but within fairly restrictive boundaries and supervision put in place by previous emperors – may he rest in peace. I had daily dealings with the dragons, particularly the elders. I came to know and trust many, as they did me. Even managed to stretch the rules on their behalf here and there. They mostly behaved themselves but were still kept in line.

“The Ostrocas in the west were another matter entirely. Actively defying the empire, even though the late emperor and his predecessors took measures to make sure they posed no real threat. For many years, any dragon that strayed from that territory without an escort was open game for hunters.”

“I was not aware that it was that bad.”

“Chances are that Emperor Malchestor did not find see it as beneficial to share this information with the Tumenzarians.”

“I must admit that we Tumenzarians do not pay much heed to the outside world, and do not get caught up in human affairs. I was not even aware of the empire’s existence until word spread that our human neighbours had called for aid against a threat from across the sea. The elders declared we would not get involved in human conflicts. We ended up providing shelter and work for many refugees. Despite this, I’ve gotten a generally good impression of the empire from home: your diplomats respect us, your mages and scientists make worthy contributions, and you’ve had lenient policies towards refugees that either want to return to their homes or leave the empire’s territory.”

“Yes, Emperor Malchestor was in power for that campaign. He’s been quite different to his predecessors. He believes the empire is here to serve the people, not the other way around. At least that is what he claims. But I must say there was a radical shift in governance method. And, as always, the empire continues to expand – bringing civilization to the uncivilized.”

“Interesting. What of the dragon states?”

“Oh, of course. They have been integrated. The dragons are now treated as citizens of the empire, with the rights and privileges that come with that. I was relocated here just before the new policies were implemented, but from what I’ve heard – it’s worked like a wonder. The emperor himself visits the dragons a few times a year. The Scrivens even named their new school after him. Even the Ostrocasians are now proud to be part of the empire. Most of them. I’ve heard reports of some splinter groups that have left their land and are still causing trouble for the empire. ”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. Some of the human citizens have also had a hard time adjusting to the changes, which might be why you might be feeling a mixed sentiment towards you. Do you have any other questions?”

“Not for now. I will remain here in Shormton for some time but eventually head north. I wish to visit the Scrivens. I will inform you before I leave.”

“Ok, I will see you tomorrow then. Goodbye, Irikshan. Goodbye, Lucile and Jared.”

Freedom- Limits of Restraint

August 2018 was charged with many memories. These memories were cutting in ways that I didn’t put them in my diary because I believed their intensity would never die off….

First week of August…., I had an interview with the admission committee of the department of Theoretical and Applied Biology at KNUST for a position in their master’s program. At the interview, I met one of smartest girls I know. She was easy-going, smart and pretty. Getting along with her in such a short time marked the genesis of me moving out of my reticence. Many people had complained about my reserved nature, so I was happy to get out of it finally. Interestingly, another friend I cherish would bring out how I talk too much later. Different persons engrave their barometers, shaped mostly by their own experiences and expect you live by those brands. These individual level standardization aggregate to form the societal constraints on the macro level. These constraints may aptly be a class of factors that affect life’s ‘navigability’ as described by the American Legal Philosopher Cass Sunstein in his book ‘On Freedom’.

Can humans be absolutely free? There are always structures which limit the freedom of humanity. In my own life, I have not been free, to say the least. I have always wanted to be a researcher. After my bachelor’s degree, I began working at the University Hospital of KNUST as a lab scientist, or ‘labman’. Some of my co-workers could attest that I was almost always absent-minded because I kept thinking of ways to generate hypothesis from the results I get from each patient’s sample. I made certain mistakes due to my inattentive disposition. My job as a laboratory scientist constrained me from doing what I love to do. My job was to find what and how, not ask why I am getting the results. To be free, I applied to grad school, where I could be trained to pursue a career in academia.

In academia, I would be able (or supposed to be able) to think freely, at least. Free thought has been the bedrock for scientific innovations and discoveries. Free thought has its roots to the Socratic Dialectical method. Socrates lived from about 470 BC to 399 BC, in a highly hierarchical society. At that time, his proposition of a critical free thought involving the use of reason, mind, senses to evaluate and challenge, in order to arrive at the truth was met with hostility from society. He was imprisoned and finally put to death. Critical free thought perpetuated, as evidenced by scientific innovations today. What needs further exploration is his imprisonment and subsequent death.

Academics  are immured by structures we call laboratories. Activities in a laboratory are regulated or monitored by others in different buildings who measure the works of researchers. These people are sometimes called administrators. Administrators use metrics to rate the performance of academics to determine who needs to be tenured, deserving a raise or needs firing for being unproductive. Upon digitization of life, these metrics which measure a researcher’s output, are likely to be found in the clouds. As delineated by Justin E.H. Smith, cloud based, algorithm driven measurement of  researchers’ efficiency by social-media-like platforms like GoogleScholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu potentially divert the researcher’s attention. In the long run, they would focus on building their profiles (e.g by faking a smile behind the camera to use as a profile picture or hiring an algorithm to boost the visibility of their article in the cloud). Academics who do not live up to these metrics, are deprecated (imprisoned) or fired (death).

I do not intend to censure structures that restrain researchers’ activities or free thought. To be clear, unrestrained free thought can be very detrimental to science and society in general. A society with absolutely free living citizens may eventually crash because no one would appreciate the limit of their freedom, engendering chaos and wars. That is why there are always freedom-limiting structures to ensure living in harmony.

Life’s restraints

Even without structures, man is inherently endowed with values that control their activities.  Some of these values include the desires( affections, love), will and conscience, as described by John Abercrombie (not the guitarist) in his book ‘The Philosophy of Moral Feeling‘. Man is a moral being and these values which constitute man’s morality can either be edified or corrupted. Corrupted values are despised and individuals with corrupted values are outcast from society. Edification of values, on the other hand is favored and usually citizens are encouraged to cultivate such values. Institutions are therefore created to either punish individuals with unworthy values or provide guidelines for edification of values. One institution that has served this latter purpose for eons is religion.

The influence of religion in modern life cannot be understated. I grew up a Pentecostal. Unlike others who were ‘forced’ into their denominations or religions, mostly by their parents, I was ‘free’ to choose which denomination, and religion for that matter. Up till now, I do not know my mother’s church, my father may be a traditionalist. Regardless of the religion, the main focus of religion as an institution is to shape man’s moral values.

Shaping man’s values has also been at the center of ethics, the branch of philosophy that deals with morality.  Many philosophers of ethics have tried to conflate ethics, religion and humanity. Descartes mind-body dualism was an attempt to bridge humanity and ethics. David Hume’s philosophy in particular, was a kind that tried to connect religion and secularism. His was the kind that we need today, as secularism is on the rise.

Living freely- The end of restraint

Secularism is worldwide, especially in the highly cosmopolitan cities such as New York, Paris, LA or Miami. Last winter break, I took the tri-rail from Boynton Beach to Miami Airport, sitting close to the window pane where I could gaze through the moving land and ponder over my pain. I was travelling to New York for the winter break. The winter break was needed after a very daunting three months of academic work (As you may not know, I accepted an offer from Biomedical Science department of FAU ahead of offer from Theoretical and Applied Biology of KNUST for obvious reasons I don’t want to get into). The first semester was very difficult for me because I was in a new environment, experienced the cultural shock, struggling to blend in with my Asante accent, and many other constraints I intend to write about in another setting.  Miami is a beautiful city. It is the first city in the US I saw. As you might be aware, the US has very nice cities which are highly adorned and painted to the outside world as heaven, but I was a bit disappointed when I first got to Miami. After all, right after getting out of the plane, I Ubered to Boca Raton, how could I see all the beauties of Miami.

Indeed, in the course of the Fall semester, I visited Miami a couple of times with new friends I made in my new environment. The first time was to South Beach, my first time being at the beach (I come from Kumasi, a very reserved and land-locked city). We went at sun set so that the girls we went with could take pictures with the sun kissing their foreheads. Approaching South Beach, I got scared because of the tall buildings that seem to have been built on water bodies. Part of the road leading to South Beach was built on water as well and I couldn’t stop imagining scary things. When we got closer to South Beach, I saw things I couldn’t imagine. The extent of hedonism was indescribable. There were two males kissing on the streets ( TF? y’all should get a room ffs). Well, I was supposed to ‘enjoy’ the fleeting moment and continue my walk. So I took pictures with my friends.

  As we were taking the pictures a couple of well-wasted Mexicans decided to join us. One of them gave me his instagram for me to follow him.I followed him and any update from him would be him displaying a new drinking bar or holding a bottle of whiskey.

Well, that’s the whole point of taking pictures now. I mean the point is to show people that we are ‘enjoying’ life to the fullest.

The next time I went to Miami was when I was travelling to New York. I was excited to be seeing NYC. When I told my friend in Hong Kong, he was so happy for me. He told me he couldn’t wait to see NYC himself (Later, he told me he visited Paris, and I told him I couldn’t wait to see Paris myself). The point of telling others about the places we’ve been is to let awaken their interest in visiting these places.

I got to LaGuardia around 9pm and I was greeted by the windy, chilling weather. This was so unlike the usual Florida weather I was accustomed to (similar to the weather I have known all my life in Ghana). I could not get out of the airport until the cab was ready to pick me. I was ushered into my new place, on the fifth floor in one apartment complex in Merriam Avenue in The Bronx.

  Exploring New York was fun, partly because I did not explore alone. I was almost always with my bestfriend, Nana Aba. She was the first person to wish me on my birthday. The first time we met in New York, she had to come all over to The Bronx because she said I would get lost if I went to see her. Well, I got lost a couple of times though. Sometimes, I got on the wrong bus or train. Trains in New York are not like South Florida trains. Trains in New York are usually congested and it’s not unusual to find people standing in them.  They can be found underground (subways) and they run 24/7,  serving as bedroom for some homeless people, I learnt. The trains in South Florida are spacious; there are even spaces for bicycles, where people (like me) who love the planet and do not want to burn fossil to kill it can place their bicycles. Also, the seats are arranged such that you can stare into the space outside and clear your thoughts. Well, the disparate transport systems in the two locations depict the lay out of the two locations.

One day, I took the subway from The Bronx to meet my best friend at Manhattan. I met her at 59th Street, Columbus Circle after. We hired a tour guide (paid 60 dollars) to take us around Central Park. He showed us all the nice places. One particular place I enjoyed was the Bow Bridge. We witnessed about 4 proposals in the space of the three or four minutes we spent on this Bridge. As expected, I took advantage of the scene and took pictures of her. So here is my best friend at the Bow Bridge….

And if you want to see the entire Bow Bridge, I got you ( I know you could google it but its more fun if you see it here)

After touring Central Park, we went to a cinema at Broadway to watch a movie. Someone had suggested the Greenbook to me so I went to watch it with her. Imagine being the only two black people in the midst of whites, in the same room, watching GreenBook!!! Well, if you have not watched the movie, you might not get the point I’m trying to convey. It’s a good movie that you should watch.

New York was fun, in every hedonistic aspect of the word fun. I remember walking the Brooklyn Bridge in the cold. I remember going to a Korean restaurant, spending 15 dollars and being forced to eat all the food by ‘madam’ (I call my best-friend madam sometimes and you don’t have to know why). Oh! I nearly forgot when we spent all the night at Times Square enjoying the bright city lights and walking from 42nd Street to 57th Street. But like they say, all good things must come to an end so on the 31st of December, as the year was ending, I booked a ticket to go back to South Florida.

Dominance- The end of Freedom.

On my way back to Florida, I opened iBooks to read Why Nations Fail. In this book, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson argued that nations fail because of factors when the economy is less inclusive or more extractive. Botswana, for instance is prospering more than the Rhodesian countries (Zambia and Zimbabwe) because the former has built a more inclusive economy.  One particular event is apparent throughout the book: that the trans-atlantic slave trade was a critical juncture that would influence the economic growth of most countries in West Africa. Slavery, generally is a depiction of the quest of humans to dominate. The scenarios surrounding the success of the slave trade corroborates this assertion. Kings captured people from other tribes during wars and sold them as slaves, in exchange for gun and gun powder, that would be used to make them powerful. This would help such tribes in territorial dominance, the same way as dominating trade, commerce and industrialization was the motive of the Europeans who engaged in this barbaric act.

Even though Why Nations Fail make the case for how slavery has contributed to the current economic and political inequalities around the globe, it failed to outline how it has contributed to what Elizabeth Currid-Halkett termed Inconspicuous consumption.  Inconspicuous consumption are obviously the intangibles, things we cannot see. These include knowledge, culture and to some extent technology. These are the spheres that humans are fighting dominate now. Regardless of tangibles or not, dominance is a human character which restrains others freedom. Others fight for their freedom by overcoming dominance.

Overcoming Dominance- Silver Spoon and Gold Medal

Different people have different things dominating their lives. To be free, they need to overcome these dominance. Some are born into well-to do families, where they are provided with everything they can think of. For such people, they need to overcome being fortunate. Others never get what they need. To get them, they need to break great bonds. Most of the people I know start breaking them after their Silver Jubilee. Others break them later in life. As we travel through this life, whether you were born on a silver spoon or wooden ladle, there is one motive; going for the gold medal. What is your gold medal. Mine is perhaps to write this for you. Find yours.

Till I write again……

Life After Silver… Freedom- Limits of Restraint August 2018 was charged with many memories. These memories were cutting in ways that I didn’t put them in my diary because I believed their intensity would never die off….

St Gallen goalkeeper Ati-Zigi talks about life, family, career and rave about him

Fourth floor in the St. Gallen Kybunpark. The Ghanaian Lawrence Ati Zigi (23) appears in his apple-green work dress for the interview appointment.

In addition to the neon-coloured clothes, he wears yellow studded shoes and holds his yellow gloves in his hand. The greeting handshake is surprisingly gentle for a goalie. Zigi’s fingers could be that of a concert pianist. Only the little finger of the right-hand shows a noticeable bend. The consequences of a break say Zigi in English.

VIEW: Lawrence Ati Zigi, over 50 different languages ​​are spoken in your home country Ghana. How many do you master?

Lawrence Ati Zigi: Four or five. In addition, English, French and German.

If Zigi’s story had continued as usual in the past month, he would enjoy his day off on Sunday in the French workers’ town of Sochaux. Two days earlier, he would have sat 90 minutes as the number 2 goalie in the away game of second division FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in Valenciennes on the Belgian border. But at the beginning of the year, everything suddenly turns out differently for Zigi (and the FCSG).

January 8th. The FCSG is preparing for the second half of the season in the training camp in La Manga, Spain. And suddenly stands there without a goalkeeper. Regular goalie Dejan Stojanovic (26) changes bang on case to English second division side Middlesbrough. Transfer fee: CHF 1.2 million. St. Gallen’s mammoth problem: The two substitute keepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Nico Strübi are long-term injuries. The FCSG would have to bet on number 4, the only 17-year-old Armin Abaz. Panic in the training camp!

The search for a Stojanovic successor is in full swing. Trainer Peter Zeidler remembers Zigi. He trained the student of the Red Bull Academy Ghana at Salzburg’s FC Liefering branch, later also in Sochaux. FCSG goalie coach Stefano Razzetti watches application videos all night. There are three candidates to choose from. Zeidler: «The day after, Razzetti said like Pep Guardiola once:‹ The one or none! ›»

Three days later, Zigi is at the gate of St. Gallen for the first time in a friendly against Urs Fischer’s Union in Berlin. In the championship, the new one quickly became the fans’ favourite. “Zigi, Zigi!” – calls echo through the stadiums. The FCSG climbs to the top with Zigi. Last Sunday, he saved the three points in St. Gallen with four brilliant parades. Trainer Zeidler: “I was so calm, nothing can happen to Zigi.” On Sunday, Zigi will stand between the posts during the away game in Lucerne. By the way: Zigi is a real bargain for the FCSG. The transfer amount? “Ned six digits,” says Zeidler in his Swabian dialect.

Mr. Zigi, take a look at the white hills behind the stadium roof. Do you love snow as an African?

It’s nice to look at. But it doesn’t suit me so much to be inside.

When was the first time you saw snow in your life?

First on TV. Then in Austria.

When you were transferred from Red Bull Academy in Ghana to Red Bull Salzburg in 2015 …

No, I almost forgot. Before I came to Austria, I played with Red Bull Ghana at a tournament in France. That was in winter, I really saw snow there for the first time.

When you talk to your loved ones back home in Ghana, what do you tell them about St. Gallen?

You don’t really know the team.

We meant the city of St. Gallen, the mountains, the snow.

My problem is: I haven’t really been able to go into town since I’ve been here. We almost always had training.

Where do you live?

Like Musah near the stadium.

Your compatriot Musah Nuhu comes from Accra like you. You both don’t speak the same language, do you?

Yes, in my family we speak “Ewe”, Musah doesn’t understand that. I talk to him in «Twi».

How was the first day in Europe for you?

I think it was a little difficult. Because of the language. When we arrived in Austria we couldn’t speak German. I was very young then.

Only 15?

Yes, but luckily other players from the Academy in Ghana accompanied me.

Have you been a victim of racism in Europe before?

I’ve seen forms of racism, some people who have behaved racially, but I’ve never been a victim myself.

Never?

No, but I don’t really deal with such things either.

But they are very religious. Is this common in Ghana?

It depends on the circumstances under which you grow up. I grew up in a Christian family. We always pray, we have this belief in God.

Do you pray every day?

Yes.

One or two times?

It can also be more.

Do you also pray for a victory?

Yes. You pray for everything in life.

On Facebook, you wrote, “Lord Thank you for the victory”.

Yes.

It also says: «In the same boiling water, potatoes become soft and the eggs hard. It’s not the circumstances that count, but what you’re made of. Stay humble. Respect!”

Yes, that’s motivating for me.

Everyone raves about Zigi

“Zigi is a really, really good goalie,” says ex-YB and -GC manager Ilja Kaenzig, who works for VfL Bochum today. It was Kaenzig who transferred Zigi to FC Sochaux in summer 2017 at the request of today’s St. Gallen coach Zeidler. Kaenzig on SonntagsBlick: “African goalies always have the wild component with them. Not so with Zigi. His incredible bounce, the reflexes, everything was great. I’ve wondered a few times why no one brought him. It is a bargain for St. Gallen. A very exciting story in perspective. If things go well, the FCSG will do big things. » St. Gallen Sports Director Alain Sutter: “I am extremely happy that we managed it that way, Zigi was my absolute dream.” The Swiss ex-international Philipp Degen, who has been Zigi’s advisor for three years: “I am convinced that if Zigi stays on the ground, he will really get started in his career.”

How does it feel to be the darling of the fans at the first game? They played their way into the hearts of the green and white fans in their first appearance in the St. Galler Dress.

It was a very good feeling for me. I joined a new team in the middle of the season, with new players, a new game philosophy. And received such support from the start. The reception by the St. Gallen fans was very warm. It was great, really, really nice for me. I couldn’t imagine what to expect.

In your first game, away from Union Berlin, you were the darling of the St. Gallen appendix.

I agree.

It’s incredible, isn’t it?

Yes. I believe in God. And behind everything is God.

They also wrote on social media: You give me more than I deserve, thankful sir.

Yes, that’s my opinion.

What conditions did you live in Ghana? Was your family rich or poor?

We were neither rich nor poor. We were happy with our situation.

What did your father do?

He was a farmer. But he died when I was 12.

How old was he?

Only 44.

Surely a big blow for a 12-year-old?

It was difficult, but it did happen.

Zigi then grew up with his mother, two sisters and a grandmother.

Are you sending money home to your family?

Yes, from time to time. If you need anything.

Let’s talk about football. How important is trainer Peter Zeidler to you? You worked under him in Liefering and Sochaux.

For me he is an important person, he is really very good to me and he is also a very good coach. He is like a father to me. He loves to support the players. He is always there for his players. He is really very good to me.

With St. Gallen you have been leaders in the championship for two weeks. Do you believe in the possibility of winning the title?

We still have some games to play. We cannot decide what will happen. We just have to focus on every game now. Game by game. And then we see what comes out.

How much do you rate the Super League compared to the Austrian or French championship?

I’m still relatively new here in this league. But I know FC Basel and YB from the Champions League. These two clubs have some good players. The league is a bit tougher because there are only ten teams.

Have you already tried a St. Gallen veal sausage?

No not yet.

But if you had to catch up soon, this sausage is very famous in St. Gallen.

How is it done? With pork?

Yes, it also has a small amount of pork in it. But veal must be more than 50 percent.

I do not eat pork.

Why?

It is our family’s custom. In our religion, there are people who eat pork, but not in our family.

What are you eating here in St. Gallen?

What the players get at the buffet. And at home, I sometimes try to prepare Ghanaian food.

The specialty is called Jollof Rice, isn’t it? Spicy rice with vegetables and tomato sauce.

Yes exactly.

Are you a good cook?

It works. But I keep trying. When I’m cooking, I often have to call one of my two sisters or my mother. And then they tell me what to do and how to do it. I’m not that good after all.

You don’t drink alcohol either, why?

Because it’s not good for health.

But do you know what Schützengarten means? The lettering is on the upper arm of the games.

No.

That is the name of a St. Gallen brewery.

(Press chief Daniel Last explains to Zigi that Schützengarten also produces non-alcoholic beer).

And cigarettes? You now know very well that “Zigi”, your surname, is the reduction form of cigarette in Swiss German.

Yes, I know that. And no, I don’t smoke.

About Zigi

Lawrence Ati Zigi was born on November 29, 1996, in Accra, Ghana, to a farmer. The goalie is trained in the Red Bull Academy in Sogakope. He left Africa at 18 and joined Salzburg’s FC Liefering farm team in 2015. There, as at Sochaux, he worked with today’s St. Gallen trainer Peter Zeidler. He has been under contract with FCSG as the successor of Dejan Stojanovic since January 2020 and was number 1 for the first time in his career. In 3 games he celebrated 3 victories. He played5 caps for Ghana.

Credit: Blick

source: https://footballghana.com/

THE BIG INTERVIEW: In-form St Gallen goalkeeper Ati-Zigi talks about life, family, career and rave about him

Fourth floor in the St. Gallen Kybunpark. The Ghanaian Lawrence Ati Zigi (23) appears in his apple-green work dress for the interview appointment. In addition to the neon-colored clothes, he wears yellow studded shoes and holds his yellow gloves in his hand. The greeting handshake is surprisingly gentle for a goalie. Zigi's fingers could be that of a concert pianist. Only the little finger of the right hand shows a noticeable bend. The consequences of a break, says Zigi in English. VIEW: Lawrence Ati Zigi, over 50 different languages ​​are spoken in your home country Ghana. How many do you master? Lawrence Ati Zigi: Four or five. In addition, English, French and German. If Zigi's story had continued as usual in the past month, he would enjoy his day off on Sunday in the French workers' town of Sochaux. Two days earlier, he would have sat 90 minutes as the number 2 goalie in the away game of second division FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in Valenciennes on the Belgian border. But at the beginning of the year everything suddenly turns out differently for Zigi (and the FCSG). January 8th. The FCSG is preparing for the second half of the season in the training camp in La Manga, Spain. And suddenly stands there without a goalkeeper. Regular goalie Dejan Stojanovic (26) changes bang on case to English second division side Middlesbrough. Transfer fee: CHF 1.2 million. St. Gallen’s mammoth problem: The two substitute keepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Nico Strübi are long-term injuries. The FCSG would have to bet on number 4, the only 17-year-old Armin Abaz. Panic in the training camp! The search for a Stojanovic successor is in full swing. Trainer Peter Zeidler remembers Zigi. He trained the student of the Red Bull Academy Ghana at Salzburg's FC Liefering branch, later also in Sochaux. FCSG goalie coach Stefano Razzetti watches application videos all night. There are three candidates to choose from. Zeidler: «The day after, Razzetti said like Pep Guardiola once:‹ The one or none! ›» Three days later, Zigi is at the gate of St. Gallen for the first time in a friendly against Urs Fischer's Union in Berlin. In the championship, the new one quickly became the fans' favorite. "Zigi, Zigi!" - calls echo through the stadiums. The FCSG climbs to the top with Zigi. Last Sunday, he saved the three points in St. Gallen with four brilliant parades. Trainer Zeidler: "I was so calm, nothing can happen to Zigi." On Sunday, Zigi will stand between the posts during the away game in Lucerne. By the way: Zigi is a real bargain for the FCSG. The transfer amount? "Ned six digits," says Zeidler in his Swabian dialect. Mr. Zigi, take a look at the white hills behind the stadium roof. Do you love snow as an African? It's nice to look at. But it doesn't suit me so much to be inside. When was the first time you saw snow in your life? First on TV. Then in Austria. When you were transferred from Red Bull Academy in Ghana to Red Bull Salzburg in 2015 ... No, I almost forgot. Before I came to Austria, I played with Red Bull Ghana at a tournament in France. That was in winter, I really saw snow there for the first time. When you talk to your loved ones back home in Ghana, what do you tell them about St. Gallen? You don't really know the team. We meant the city of St. Gallen, the mountains, the snow. My problem is: I haven't really been able to go into town since I've been here. We almost always had training. Where do you live? Like Musah near the stadium. Your compatriot Musah Nuhu comes from Accra like you. You both don't speak the same language, do you? Yes, in my family we speak “Ewe”, Musah doesn't understand that. I talk to him in «Twi». How was the first day in Europe for you? I think it was a little difficult. Because of the language. When we arrived in Austria we couldn't speak German. I was very young then. Only 15? Yes, but luckily other players from the Academy in Ghana accompanied me. Have you been a victim of racism in Europe before? I've seen forms of racism, some people who have behaved racially, but I've never been a victim myself. Never? No, but I don't really deal with such things either. But they are very religious. Is this common in Ghana? It depends on the circumstances under which you grow up. I grew up in a Christian family. We always pray, we have this belief in God. Do you pray every day? Yes. One or two times? It can also be more. Do you also pray for a victory? Yes. You pray for everything in life. On Facebook you wrote “Lord Thank you for the victory”. Yes. It also says: «In the same boiling water, potatoes become soft and the eggs hard. It's not the circumstances that count, but what you're made of. Stay humble. Respect!" Yes, that's motivating for me. Everyone raves about Zigi "Zigi is a really, really good goalie," says ex-YB and -GC manager Ilja Kaenzig, who works for VfL Bochum today. It was Kaenzig who transferred Zigi to FC Sochaux in summer 2017 at the request of today's St. Gallen coach Zeidler. Kaenzig on SonntagsBlick: “African goalies always have the wild component with them. Not so with Zigi. His incredible bounce, the reflexes, everything was great. I've wondered a few times why no one brought him. It is a bargain for St. Gallen. A very exciting story in perspective. If things go well, the FCSG will do the big things. » St. Gallen Sports Director Alain Sutter:"I am extremely happy that we managed it that way, Zigi was my absolute dream." The Swiss ex-international Philipp Degen, who has been Zigi's advisor for three years: "I am convinced that if Zigi stays on the ground, he will really get started in his career." How does it feel to be the darling of the fans at the first game? They played their way into the hearts of the green and white fans in their first appearance in the St. Galler Dress. It was a very good feeling for me. I joined a new team in the middle of the season, with new players, a new game philosophy. And received such support from the start. The reception by the St. Gallen fans was very warm. It was great, really, really nice for me. I couldn't imagine what to expect. In your first game, away from Union Berlin, you were the darling of the St. Gallen appendix. I agree. It's incredible, isn't it? Yes. I believe in God. And behind everything is God. They also wrote on social media: You give me more than I deserve, thankful sir. Yes, that's my opinion. What conditions did you live in Ghana? Was your family rich or poor? We were neither rich nor poor. We were happy with our situation. What did your father do? He was a farmer. But he died when I was 12. How old was he? Only 44. Surely a big blow for a 12 year old? It was difficult, but it did happen. Zigi then grew up with his mother, two sisters and a grandmother. Are you sending money home to your family? Yes, from time to time. If you need anything. Let’s talk about football. How important is trainer Peter Zeidler to you? You worked under him in Liefering and Sochaux. For me he is an important person, he is really very good to me and he is also a very good coach. He is like a father to me. He loves to support the players. He is always there for his players. He is really very good to me. With St. Gallen you have been leaders in the championship for two weeks. Do you believe in the possibility of winning the title? We still have some games to play. We cannot decide what will happen. We just have to focus on every game now. Game by game. And then we see what comes out. How much do you rate the Super League compared to the Austrian or French championship? I'm still relatively new here in this league. But I know FC Basel and YB from the Champions League. These two clubs have some good players. The league is a bit tougher because there are only ten teams. Have you already tried a St. Gallen veal sausage? No not yet. But if you had to catch up soon, this sausage is very famous in St. Gallen. How is it done? With pork? Yes, it also has a small amount of pork in it. But veal must be more than 50 percent. I do not eat pork. Why? It is our family's custom. In our religion there are people who eat pork, but not in our family. What are you eating here in St. Gallen? What the players get at the buffet. And at home I sometimes try to prepare Ghanaian food. The specialty is called Jollof Rice, isn't it? Spicy rice with vegetables and tomato sauce. Yes exactly. Are you a good cook? It works. But I keep trying. When I'm cooking, I often have to call one of my two sisters or my mother. And then they tell me what to do and how to do it. I'm not that good after all. You don't drink alcohol either, why? Because it's not good for health. But do you know what Schützengarten means? The lettering is on the upper arm of the games. No. That is the name of a St. Gallen brewery. (Press chief Daniel Last explains to Zigi that Schützengarten also produces non-alcoholic beer). And cigarettes? You now know very well that "Zigi", your surname, is the reduction form of cigarette in Swiss German. Yes I know that. And no, I don't smoke. About Zigi Lawrence Ati Zigi was born on November 29, 1996 in Accra, Ghana, to a farmer. The goalie is trained in the Red Bull Academy in Sogakope. He left Africa at 18 and joined Salzburg's FC Liefering farm team in 2015. There, as at Sochaux, he worked with today's St. Gallen trainer Peter Zeidler. He has been under contract with FCSG as the successor of Dejan Stojanovic since January 2020 and was number 1 for the first time in his career. In 3 games he celebrated 3 victories. He played 5 caps for Ghana . Credit: Blick source: https://ghanasoccernet.com/

The Truth

It was suggested to me that we do a mini-series at our church on Jesus being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We divided it among three speakers and I was assigned to talk about truth. I was excited about the idea, but the more I studied it, the more overwhelming it became. So here is what I decided on at the end and I hope you find this helpful.

I decided that Plato would be a good place to begin since Jesus’ audience would have been familiar with Platonism and it had a powerful influence over the early church (Neoplatonism).

Now, just a word of warning, if you are a philosopher you would probably want to argue or go more in depth here but in my defense I am simply setting the stage to the best of my understanding without majoring on minors, you can leave a comment below or click the social media hyperlinks on the top right of this page if you would like to discuss Greek philosophy in greater detail. The following will be a very simple and brief reference to what I perceive to be the key ideas.

I found a neat and helpful brief summary here and I’ll share the key points below.

"Truth" lays in an abstract "Ideal".  We can apply the fundamental principles of mathematical proofs (logic) to locate the True form of these transcendent truths or Ideals.

The natural world we perceive through our senses (see, hear, touch, smell, etc.) reveals only a fallen, shadow, incomplete versions of this Ideal Truth.

The true "Forms" of natural things or of concepts exist in the way that mathematical truths or forms exist.Thus attempting to understand the Truth of things by examining the natural world is not only folly, but likely dangerously misleading.

Therefore philosophical contemplation (thinking logically) -- rather than observation -- is the road toward Truth.

All the other arts, including poetry and argumentation, only confuse us more, tricking us into believing false visions of Truth (example: we mistake what we see on the television for reality; a cunning lawyer can trick a stupid jury into believing the guilty innocent).

In a nutshell: Plato's mystical Idealism will be adopted by subsequent generations of Christians to explain the nature of God.

Along with other Neo-Platonists, Augustine will translate and transmit Plato's concept of Truth and its relationship to the natural world into Christian terms: this world is a shadow, fallen version of God's eternal Truths, and the pursuit of knowledge has damned humanity (see Genesis 3).  (Similarly, other Jewish and Muslim scholars will transmit Platonic Idealism into Judaism and Islam, both before and after Augustine).(source)

So think about Jesus’ audience as having been strongly influenced by the idea that truth can only be accessed in the mind by thinking logically and mathematically and the observation of the physical world could never lead you to it.

I once watched an interesting documentary by the BBC entitled Dangerous Knowledge. The film begins with Georg Cantor, the great mathematician whose work proved to be the foundation for much of the 20th-century mathematics. Interestingly, he believed he was God's messenger and was eventually driven insane trying to prove his theories of infinity. He tried to prove Mathematically that God existed.

Next the documentary tells the story of Ludwig Boltzmann's struggle to prove the existence of atoms and probability eventually drove him to suicide.

Kurt Gödel, the introverted confidant of Einstein, was featured next. Godel actually proved that there would always be problems which were outside human logic. Tragically his life ended in a sanatorium where he starved himself to death.

The documentary concludes with the story of Alan Turing, the great Bletchley Park code breaker, father of computer science, died trying to prove that some things are fundamentally unprovable. (source)

Apparently, though mathematics hints at the existence of God, it is impossible to fully grasp God through mathematics alone. (possible further reading in this topic here) What I take away from this is that a strictly intellectual pursuit of God will not satisfy your soul. Also, your mind might not be able to handle your pursuit.

I would like to classify what I have described above so far as a classical approach to truth. Thought the math part also has modern aspects to it. Now I would like to transition to what I would like to classify as a modern approach to truth.

Modernism (or Enlightenment Humanism)

Reason and science provide accurate, objective, reliable foundation of “knowledge”

Science is the paradigm of all true knowledge.

We can learn and eventually solve all our problems as we evolve.

My understanding of modernism is that with the advances in science and medicine and technology and industrial revolution we stopped searching for God and looked to ourselves and the physical world to find the ultimate truth and all the answers. We became our own saviors, and in the process we killed God.

My parent’s generation had a largely modern approach to God and religion. Not that they denied God but they were sure they could find the truth and they studied and debated and fought and searched for the truth. The truth was attractive, it had value, it mattered! Truth was within our grasp in the modern world. I grew up with this view in my home and in my church. We studied the Bible to find the truth and we shared the truth with others. Well, many wanted to prove to others we had the truth! And many Christians still have this approach today.

However, my generation has rejected the modern worldview and has embraced, or at least been strongly influenced by the postmodern approach to truth.

Why?

Why would my generation abandon the solid ground of objective truth? Why would we turn from scientific proof and absolute truths? Because science and religion have failed them. All that assurance of being right and having the truth did not save us. With all the advances in medicine we feel like we are sicker today then our grandparents were when they were our age. With all the machines and factories and transportation people still go hungry around the world. With all the truth we have available, horrible things still happen.

Think about this with me.

During World War 1 and 2, it was clear who the enemy was, it was clear who the good guys were. At least that generation was sure of it, there was a problem and a clear solution. A stronger and more powerful army was able to end wars and stabilize power.

Who is the enemy today? Where is the enemy? What is the best way to combat the enemy?

Do you trust your doctor to have your best interest at heart? Do you trust the church as an institution? Do you trust your government?

Do you trust what you see on the news? Do you trust what you read?

Is marriage worth it?

How can you be sure anyone actually knows anything about God?

Post-modernism has paralyzed a generation. It is hard to commit to something when I have so many questions. My generation is less interested in marriage than previous generations. Why? Many reasons, one big one is not being sure it is a good idea, or that it would work for them. My generation is seeking their truth, but we are realizing we don’t have the means by which to find it so we tippy toe around trying different truths hoping to find one that feels right, but always afraid of fully committing to something, to anything. My generation quits and moves and struggles to settle down. Every attractive truth becomes difficult at one point and we leave in search for another truth.

It is also noticeable that worldviews are changing at a faster pace. It is very difficult to set dates to these worldviews but they would last hundreds of years, and now some are already saying the worldview my children will experience might already be post-postmodern. (The Death of Postmodernism And Beyond)

Now that I might have completely confused or bored you, what role does Jesus have in all this?

I would argue that the ultimate truth, or God, or what is good, right, beautiful, cannot be grasped by pure logic, or abstract or theoretical thinking. Similarly all that can be known of God cannot be found in a test-tube. Science and logic have not been able to grasp God, nor have science and reason been able to completely disprove God. Yet the search for God has not gone away. Though we see the challenges with our search for truth, running away from it has not solved our problems either, but rather it has led to new problems.

Depression is on the rise in the United States, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. From 2005 to 2015, depression rose significantly among Americans age 12 and older with the most rapid increases seen in young people. The findings appear online in the journal Psychological Medicine. - ScienceDaily.com

When we are feeling down. When everything seems to be going wrong. When you are experiencing pain. When you don’t know whether to go all in or jump ship. You need a source of truth. You can deny it, you can argue against it, you can stomp your feet and throw a tantrum. But in the end you know you need truth.

When you realize your spouse is less the perfect, do you jump ship? What if the love died?

What about when your character is being tested, and cheating seems like a great idea?

What about when you’re so busy you just don’t have time for God, family, and health?

How do you orient your life? You need truth. Undeniable, beyond a shadow of doubt truth. Where do you find this truth?

Does it even exist?

Yes.

Truth is alive and just as powerful as ever.

As a matter of fact the truth will not only give you direction, it will challenge you and push you, and drive you, and rescue you and transform every area of your life.

How do I know?

Because I have experienced it. Because I have studied it. I have tested it and I have witnessed it all over the world. I may not know much, but I do know this.

Jesus is the truth.

And if that is not enough, Jesus loves you, He died for you and He is coming again so that He can be with you forever.

That is as true as anything can be in all of reality.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. - John 14:1-6 NKJV

Let’s address a few important things regarding the truth.

Sanctification

In John 17 we find Jesus praying. As Jesus prays for His disciples He asks the father to “Sanctify them by the truth;” Then Jesus adds “your word is truth.” (John 17:17) It is interesting that according to John 1 Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. So the word of God is the truth and necessary for our sanctification. This means the truth is not something you simply understand of accept but rather something you need to be exposed to daily. You need a personal relationship with Jesus and your regular interactions with Him slowly and continually set you apart unto Him according to His purpose for your life. So a personal relationship with Jesus, with the Word of God, changes who we are, shaping our character and every aspect of our life.

Freedom

One thing we really value in America is freedom. Jesus says that the truth sets us free.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:31-32 NKJV

According to Jesus the truth will set you free. But in order to know the truth you need to be a true disciple, and only those who abide, continue, remain, hold on to, live out, His word. Jesus sets you free, but you must have a personal ongoing relationship. I am not talking about brunch once a week or a call or quick message when trouble comes, but an ongoing healthy relationship. If you have a hard time thinking about having a relationship with truth, then think about having a relationship with Jesus, who loves you and wants to save you and bless you and develop you and use you in a mighty way. Stop thinking about truth as a purely intellectual venture. It must be a relational, living experience.

The Future

Many are anxious about the future. The truth can help you with that as well. Jesus said:

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. - John 16:14 NKJV

There are things Jesus wants us to know, but we are not ready for it. However, the Holy Spirit is able to guide us into those things, He will guide us into all truth. All truth was revealed in Jesus but we are not able to grasp all of it on our own. We need the help of the Holy Spirit, and as He reveals to us a clearer understanding of who Jesus is, we will also understand what is about to happen. Our anxiety will melt away as we see the future in Jesus’ hands and how everything will be okay in the end.

Truth in action

John writes to us saying

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. - 1 John 3:18 NKJV

The truth should also shape our lives. Our walk with Jesus should not be about just spouting theological truths or religious dogma, but rather a practical approach to life. It is easy to talk love, but it is important to live it, to live out truth. If you wonder what that looks like it means we are called to live our lives as Jesus lived His.

Worship

Finally, Truth/Jesus, is an integral part of worship.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:24 NKJV

Sometimes we may be tempted to yield truth as a sword and attack others and I hope that realizing that Jesus is the embodiment of truth and being familiar with His example and how He lived His life will help us realize what worship ought to look like. I believe that keeping Jesus at the core of our worship, and being full of the Holy Spirit will allow us to experience true worship.