and solving is not ours to do
It was an idiosyncratic upbringing to be sure—and probably only a momentary flying fish very briefly out of the water, lol—both from the perspective of family and from a moment in the church’s history.
Not many of the people in the tradition I was raised in were likely to share the same experience, if only because of context, place and time. There was a brief moment of egalitarianism during a few years of my childhood, unfortunately maybe a bit aberrant for the Seventh Day Adventist church, co-founded by Ellen White, the woman pictured above—though I, and my classmates, viewed it as fortunate for ourselves and our community. I grew up surrounded by openness and free thought, relatively speaking, of course, in a college town with a college affiliated church. Men and women alike were encouraged to become professionals, particularly emphasizing education or health care. So pretty conservative by contemporary standards but egalitarian historically.
Conservative as I now see it was, the ἐκκλησία I grew up in was full of idealism and a drive for justice and equality that eventually drew the censure of the broader church hierarchy. I remember I wrote a petition to the church—as a grade school student—requesting the right to be baptized by my teacher/pastor. I think it may have been only a few of us who were granted permission to be baptized by her. Shortly after, women were no longer ordained, I think because of pressure from the international church body.
I need to talk to my parents and friends more about that time. I remember the college in my town was scrutinized by the church, and its theology faculty were purged a few years later. This was probably in the mid 90’s. I will try to find out more about that time, next time I go back to my old hometown. A lot of the scholars from that time are still there, though they were forced to change focus from theology to film, literature, art, or humanities, the “studies of the lost.” And, I guess that is where I find myself now too, lol.
Thanks for following up, I do appreciate your egalitarian perspective! 🙏
This is hopefulness, this is progress, this a proof of work
nostr:note1crmhq207eamflkwfgcvc82356qqlmaz9ggkj5wgs9dzpan095c6sjch50s
So many horrifying stories. But I must say Wind Cave National Park is sublime, and estimated to be only 10% explored. Not to mention the caves in France 🤯
this was what instigated the note, a wicked problem to be sure regardless of politics https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/opinion/public-records-data-history-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-04.siOf.4k12VxXp1FWO&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
By Nanna Bonde Thylstrup and Richard Ovenden
Dr. Bonde Thylstrup studies data loss at the University of Copenhagen. Mr. Ovenden is the head of the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford.
With nostr:nprofile1qqsfeg9aw3g8gtt2yqcecr3af3nee8syd2wuwr5w74wzjp0zgpfrgzcpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhszrnhwden5te0dehhxtnvdakz7qg3waehxw309ahx7um5wgh8w6twv5hsler5rm being head of archives, I think the priority is only to store beekeeping & fishing documents 🤔
this was what instigated the note, a wicked problem to be sure regardless of politics https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/opinion/public-records-data-history-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-04.siOf.4k12VxXp1FWO&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Jacques Derrida, “There is no political power without control of the archive.”
Can nostr:npub1s3ht77dq4zqnya8vjun5jp3p44pr794ru36d0ltxu65chljw8xjqd975wz address this? As an escape hatch from state control of archives?
#alexandria #asknostr
this is not a good precedent. that’s for sure