[HANASHIR:1704] Re: the words to rise & shine

[Adrian A. Durlester <durleste...>]

I just gotta get my two agorot in one this one:

It offends me greatly to see the words of this perfectly normal folk song
corrupted by political correctness.

If we're gonna change that, then why not:

"O, Eternal won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz"

"Michelle row the boat ashore, Hallelujah."

"How many roads must a person walk down, before you call it a person?"

I'm sorry folks. Call me insensitive. Call me a troglodyte. The human race
has two genders. People throughout history and even now are lorded over by
others. We may not like it, but we have to acknowledge it. Changing words
for the sake of political correctness won't change history. And if we change
all the language of the past, how will we ever learn from our mistakes!

If you're gonna change "He" then I suggest that all use of Shechinah be
gender neutralized too. And I want no more use of the word Malkah or avadim,
either. If there are to be no Kings or Lords, then there should be no Queens
or slaves.

How about "all around us is a genderless manifestation of G-d?"

Shall we begin all blessings with "Baruch Ata V'At?" Do we need this
duality? The Xtians already have a Trinity. We got one G-d, who is all
things to all people-no matter how G-d is called. Isn't that enough?

Political correctness is taking over our lives. Next thing you know, the
Tyrant Anti-Defamation League will insist we stop bad mouthing Haman and
Hitler.

When we use the ancient Hebrew words, we are not endorsing the misogynist,
patriarchal society of our ancestors. We can let the words speak to us in
our own time. Just as we can find understanding of the human-Divine
relationship through the marriage metaphor of Hosea without embracing the
male dominant society to which it was addressed (and whose sensibilities
were likely more offended than our own by Hosea's words to them.)

There won't be much left of the original language of Torah, prayers, folk
songs, anything if we keep insisting that older works be changed to suit our
modern sensibilities. Do we fear that by uttering these words we might begin
to emulate our ancestors? If we do, then we have very little respect for
ourselves.

I have less of a theological problem with "additions" that make things
inclusive (like adding imahot.) Using he/she might be awkward but it's a
damn sight better than using "it." But I still wonder at their necessity.

I ask only that you respect my right to have a differing opinion.

Adrian



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org]On
Behalf Of Ketzev2 (at) aol(dot)com
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 1998 8:23 AM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:1699] Re: the words to rise & shine


I believe that there are only five (5) "official verses to this song, all
other variations are extra, if you will.

One point: In our 90's egalitarian society I've encountered a "change" that
I
really think works for the last line of the chorus of this song.

      ".....children of One G-d!"     instead of "......Children of the
Lord!"

Try it out - Works really nicely, and we're more sensitive too!!

Steve ----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788
Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
http://www.torahaura.com/
Evening Program Chair, CAJE 23 - San Antonio TX, Aug 9-13, 1998
http://www.caje.org
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com