Category: Culture & Arts

Extraordinary Contributions by Ordinary People: ‘Cabrini’ and ‘One Life’

By Kathy Winings

Movies were created to tell stories. These stories might be sad, funny, scary, or thought-provoking. Some, though, inspire and motivate us to be better human beings.

Two such inspiring films are powerful true stories that touch our souls. They are “Cabrini” and “One Life.” Both tell the story of individuals who left a profound mark on history through simple acts of love that saved lives and demonstrated the best in us.

“Cabrini” tells the story of Mother Francesca Xavier Cabrini, a woman who felt called to address the poverty and social inequities faced by millions of people around the world, beginning initially with the immigrant population in New York City at the end of the 19th century.

“One Life” presents the story of Sir Nicholas Winton and his dramatic efforts to rescue 669 Jewish Czech children in Prague just before the start of World War II and Hitler’s invasion of that country.

Mother Francesca Cabrini (Cristiana Dell’Anna), the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (canonized by the Catholic Church as the first naturalized U.S. citizen-saint in 1946), was a diminutive Italian woman who was told she would not live much past age 30 due to “weak lungs.” She felt called to do missionary work in China and began petitioning the curia for permission to do so. After petitioning the Vatican for permission to do so and being told “no” repeatedly, she is finally called to Rome where she pushes for an audience with Pope Leo XIII (Giancarlo Giannini).

When he also initially denies her request, she challenges his decision until he relents. But instead of going to China, he asks her to go to New York City to address the urgent needs of the thousands of poor Italian immigrants. She is further given permission to utilize local church property in Five Points, the large neighborhood in Lower Manhattan that was home to the immigrant populations.

Cabrini and the sisters from her order leave for New York with almost no money but with the determination and courage to serve the needs of the poor. Between the dangerous nature of the area and unsupportive New York Archbishop Michael Corrigan (David Morse), the women are told to return to Italy, which they refuse to do. They are resolved to serve the community — regardless of the conditions — and waste no time in cleaning and preparing the first of many orphanages Cabrini would establish over time.

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Changing the World: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’

By Colm ó Cionnaith

“Bob Marley: One Love” is a film I had greatly anticipated, but probably I’m the last person who should write a review, so besotted was I, no doubt along with much of my generation (“Xers”), by Marley, since coming into contact with his hypnotic reggae beat in the mid-1980s.

Since then, of course, and after playing the obligatory (since its release in the 1980s) “Legend” greatest hits album to death, I have not had that much interaction with Marley, apart from admiring his image in Dalymount Park, Dublin, where our local club, Bohemian FC, cherishes its connections to historical figures who played there, such as Bob.

However this movie is very much for the music fan, which might disappoint some who might have been eager to get deeper into the politics or even the spirituality of Bob Marley, the “Godfather of Reggae.”

The story focuses on a short period in Marley’s life, from just before his attempted assassination in Jamaica in 1976 to his premature death at 36 in 1981.The opening scenes teleport us into a Jamaica erupting in political turmoil as opposition parties are causing the nation to explode in violence and unrest.

Marley is portrayed throughout the film as a potential unifier and peacemaker, as he attempts to headline a “Smile Jamaica” concert in an effort to bring some healing and unity to the post-colonial tropical nation, still trying to forge an independent identity. His sweet, soulful, music and powerful gospel lyrics seem to point to him as a putative messianic figure of sorts, who might bring the island nation together, if only they can “Catch the Fire” of his inspired message rather than the one that threatens to burn everything down.

However, in the early scenes we learn that neither he nor Jamaica are ready for this message: divisions are still too raw and his levels of self-doubt don’t yet permit him to transcend his normal human needs for self-preservation and success.

Enter the legendary Chris Blackwell, pioneer owner of the small Island record label, who assembles a team of musicians and support staff around Marley who will launch him to worldwide acclaim, but only after he goes into an exile of sorts in an unsuspecting London, in the throes of Punk and no little racial tension, it seems.

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‘Barbie’: More Than a Doll

By Kathy Winings

I grew up with Barbie. In fact, I not only had a Barbie doll, but also had Midge (Barbie’s friend), Skipper (Barbie’s little sister), Ken, and Alan (Ken’s friend). I ended up with Barbie’s sportscar and wardrobe cases. My mother helped fill the wardrobes with beautiful clothes that she designed and made for each of them.

As Barbie was an important part of me, when the “Barbie” movie premiered last summer, I expected a film filled with cliches, trite dialogue and a simple plot-line about two iconic dolls.  But after hearing some positive reviews and knowing the reputation of the director, Greta Gerwig, I decided it might be worth seeing. You can imagine my surprise when the movie was none of these things. In fact, it provides a creative context for insights on some of our current social challenges.

“Barbie” hit theaters running in July and is still going full speed with eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ryan Gosling) and Best Supporting Actress (America Ferrera), as well as several BAFTA nominations in the UK that include Leading Actress (Margot Robbie). Audiences will find the movie is about more than two iconic dolls as it motivates them to ask some hard questions about key social themes we face in today’s world.

The movie has two contexts — Barbieland and the Real World. Barbieland is home for three groups: Barbies, Kens and Weird Barbies. This world is idyllic and carefree with the Barbies living in well-kept houses and the Kens living on the beach. Barbieland is a matriarchal society where the Kens live to support and serve the Barbies. The streets are clean. There is an air that Barbieland is a perfect place to live with no crime or illness, no children, or any Barbie and Ken older than 30. The Weird Barbies live apart from the others because they are different. Their difference is primarily physically based, with some missing limbs or other body parts or missing hair.

As a matriarchal society, all of the jobs and leadership positions are held by the Barbies. What I found particularly refreshing was the racial and ethnic diversity of the Barbies. Of course, all of the Barbies are a perfect size 2, with perfectly styled hair, perfect skin and well-applied make-up. The Kens are also physically fit, with perfect hair and physical features. The Barbies and Kens do recognize, however, that there is such a place called the “Real World.” They don’t visit the Real World nor do those living in the Real World visit Barbieland.

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The Next Great Awakening Through the Convergence of Science and Religion

By John Redmond

Students of human history are very aware of patterns and cycles that define our intergenerational experiences. The hope is that by discovering the systemic causes of failures in the past we can prevent or reduce the consequences of failures in the current age.

Karl Marx hypothesized that the important cycles of history were the ones defined by the conflict dialectic and that the arc of history is bending toward worldwide socialism, where material wealth is uniformly distributed.

In the Divine Principle, history moves by the Principles of Restoration in cycles, but the length of the cycles is dependent on the providential response of the central figure and chosen people of an age.  The arc of providential history creates a society spiraling upward in increasing beauty, truth and goodness, in addition to the abundance of material prosperity.

The last 400 years of human history have been a golden age of prosperity by any historical measure.  There is widespread anxiety that the scientific forces unleashed by the Enlightenment will cause humanity to end in disaster as previous golden ages have. Elon Musk said he’s determined to create another populated planet in case humans render earth uninhabitable.  The Dark Ages, which followed the Roman Empire and birth of Jesus, led to 1,000 years of dystopia.

Recent political polarization, exacerbated by Internet information algorithms, have created toxic levels of political discourse in America.  This was predicted by Marx, who thought that escalating conflict created conditions for a revolution that would destroy an old structure so that it could be replaced.

The Divine Principle also predicts that conflict can clarify roles of a subject and object, but that in cases where the opponents can be reconciled to a higher truth, a system of higher complexity, unity and effectiveness can be created.

A good example of this success is the creation of the United States.  The mounting conflict of the American colonies with England from the 1770s could have resulted in some representation in England, lower taxes, or a humiliating loss.  However, the Founding Fathers and Mothers of America were moved to create something new and higher than a simple political win, and indeed, America has been the indispensable nation for the last 100 years.

It seems that human history may be at a turning point from both the materialist and spiritual points of view.  What are the forces that affect that turning point and how can we influence the course of history to create an upward spiral rather than a 1,000 year decline?

History has some precedents for how society has been shaped by spiritual and religious movements.

This response from ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, was to the question: “What were the Great Awakenings and what were the consequences for America?”

“The First Great Awakening took place in the 1730s and 1740s. It was sparked by preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, who emphasized the importance of personal conversion and a direct relationship with God. The movement had a profound impact on colonial society, as it challenged traditional religious authority and hierarchical structures. It led to the growth of new religious denominations, such as the Baptists and Methodists, and promoted ideas of equality and individualism.

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‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: More Than a Marvel Adventure Movie

By Kathy Winings

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is a rare sequel — one I found to be even better than its predecessor, “Black Panther,” in terms of the depth of its message and themes even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe film is minus its former lead actor with the 2020 death of Chadwick Boseman.

The movie is a typical Marvel film complete with lots of action, superhuman feats and high-tech wonders. “Wakanda Forever” also continues to emphasize the theme of diversity, but expands this focus more powerfully to highlight gender, age and Hispanic/indigenous culture along with that of Black culture. As good as this is, though, it is not the real power behind the film.

What makes the movie particularly poignant are timely and highly relevant themes that stand out for today’s world. Foremost is the focus on forgiveness vs. revenge. This leads to the closely-related issue of the meaning and power of love over hate that enables one to genuinely forgive. The final theme is the role of women as peacemakers.

What enables these themes to stand out is the context of age that is subtly present throughout the film. It took about 30 minutes before I realized that most of the main characters are part of the millennial generation. As an educator and minister, I found this to be a significant feature of the movie because of the issues the characters are facing. All this makes for a more sobering film this time around.

The death of King T’Challa (Boseman, the original Black Panther) is never far from the hearts and minds of the main characters and is woven into the storyline as the film begins with Wakanda mourning the death of its king despite his sister, Princess Shuri’s frantic efforts to save her brother. This sets Shuri (Letitia Wright) on the path of having to deal with her grief and anger over this loss, leaving her to question love, forgiveness and eternal life.

Soon after her brother’s memorial service, several pivotal events take place that become the catalysts for Shuri and several key women to come to terms with these important themes. One lingering question that hangs in the air from the first film concerns T’Challa’s previous offer to share Wakanda’s knowledge about vibranium with the world now that the Black Panther is gone. Are world leaders wise and mature enough to handle such an offer without greed and violence? Unfortunately, we know the answer to that question all too well.

In the year following T’Challa’s death, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and the Dora Milaje security forces find themselves protecting Wakanda from those forces seeking to gain access to vibranium. Some efforts led to violent confrontations that were wrongly blamed on the Wakandans. So each event increases the tension and fear for the future of Wakanda in the heart of Ramonda and Shuri.

At the center of this struggle comes a new threat, whose very existence came about centuries earlier because of vibranium — an underwater culture known as the Talokan. Their leader, Namor (Tenoch Huerta), sets things in motion by confronting Ramonda and Shuri when he finds them alone on a beach preparing for a final family ritual to end their year of mourning T’Challa.

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What Music Tells Me: Beauty, Truth and Goodness and Our Cultural Inheritance

By David Eaton

The 19th century French novelist, Gustave Flaubert, asserted that “the art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.”

In the process of writing my book, What Music Tells Me: Beauty, Truth and Goodness and Our Cultural Inheritance, I realized Flaubert’s assertion was quite apt.

The chapters in the book span several decades and were written for various publications, including The World & I magazine, the Journal of Unification Studies, the Peace Music Community blog, and the Applied Unificationism blog.

They draw upon many of my experiences as a musician, as well as my interest in music in relation to politics, philosophy, commerce, education, and religion. The influence of music on self and society is a central narrative of my book.

What Music Tells Us

One of my favorite composers is Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Mahler is generally considered to be the last of the great symphonists of the European symphonic tradition. He composed nine symphonies and his third symphony, written between 1893 and 1896, has six movements. He ascribes the following titles to each movement:

1.  Pan Awakes, Summer Marches In
2.  What the Flowers in the Meadow Tell Me
3.  What the Animals in the Forest Tell Me
4.  What Man Tells Me
5.  What the Angels Tell Me
6.  What Love Tells Me

For Mahler, nature, angels, humankind, and love all had something to say to him — presumably something imbued with beauty, truth and goodness. He would say that it was through the art of music that he could find answers to many of his questions regarding life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

Mahler intuited, as did those in ancient cultures, that music wasn’t solely about pleasure or aesthetics. Like the philosophers of ancient China and Greece, Mahler believed music possessed moral and ethical implications and could be a gateway to higher truths and deeper understandings of the human condition.

Hebrew and Christian philosophers also shared this perspective and wrote treatises regarding the effects of music on self and society — psycho-acoustics in modern parlance. Any examination of our cultural patrimony reveals that the metaphysical, spiritual and axiological aspects of music, and its potential as a change agent in the spheres of politics and public ethics, has been a constant refrain from antiquity to Mahler, and remains so today.

The Unification movement’s founders, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon, often alluded to the importance of art and culture in establishing a culture of peace. In their respective memoirs, they each aver that it’s not politics that changes the world, but art and culture that can move people’s hearts and raise consciousness and thereby foster conditions for socio-cultural betterment.

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Unearthing My DNA: The Lost Sister

By Eileen Williams

It’s natural to presume that family are the people who think like us, are born into the same cultural group, share similar political stances, and even look like us. A homogenous comfort zone called “family” might be nice to ponder, but the reality is often a far cry from this rosy Rockwell-esque tableau.

The unexpected discovery of a half-sibling made me re-think “family” and my place in it down to my very core. To put this in a Unificationist perspective: the reality of tribal messiahship with diverse members spanning two coasts and two continents sometimes requires both flying far and digging deep.

It was Thanksgiving 2020, and I was participating in a Zoom meet-up through my local library with Libby Copeland, author of The Lost Family: How DNA is Upending Who We Are. That might make a good Christmas present for someone, I thought, unawares that the very person to benefit from the book would be me.

Inspired by Copeland’s case studies delving into family heritage — its twists, turns, and surprises, the medical miracles, the family drama — I turned to my sister Mary: “Let’s buy ourselves Ancestry.com DNA test kits for Christmas.”

Mary and I were curious about where in Ireland our relatives came from; she was readying to visit my father’s second cousins in Germany. However, we had not anticipated that we were about to “out” our own family skeleton, although that doesn’t seem a nice way to describe a newly-found half-sister.

After Christmas, I received my test results, and there staring back at me from the Ancestry.com website was a photo of a woman tagged as a first degree relative. I determined after a few stunned moments that she could neither be aunt, niece, nor cousin but rather was/must be a half-sister (really?).

She had lurked on the Ancestry.com site for two years hoping to “strike” a match. I would come to learn that she had longed most of her adult life for someone — anyone — she could call family. And strike a match she did.

Although myself and three of my siblings had managed to forge a bond despite the childhood rupture of divorce, my younger adopted sister cut all ties with the rest of us. Sadly, family is not always what folks want to find, and sometimes it’s even those we want to lose. Yet, here on the site was a half-sister hoping desperately to discover family connections.

The first thing I learned about DNA testing is people can inherit different pieces of DNA from their ancestral gene pool. One does not neatly inherit 25% of your genetic traits from each grandparent, and then 12.5 % from each great grandparent; rather hereditary traits are expressed in a random manner.

My sister and I share a 58% DNA match, which is normal for siblings or fraternal twins; identical twins share a 100% DNA match. My sister has a higher percent of Scottish DNA than I do (ah, the red in her hair!).  My half-sister was a 27% DNA match with me.

All humans share 99.9% percent DNA in common, so why bother researching your genealogy at all?  Some DNA test sites suggest you can form meaningful connections from doing this — second and third cousin discoveries, famous relatives. Maybe your ancestors go back to a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as a proud friend of mine discovered.

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Belief and the Power of Narrative

By Graham Simon

At midnight on December 31, 2020, the UK finally parted company with the EU.

After taking negotiations down to the wire, a beaming Boris Johnson, the unkempt UK Prime Minister and optimist extraordinaire, who five years earlier had promised the British people that they could leave the EU and still “have their cake and eat it,” declared that he had delivered a very “cakeist” treaty indeed.

The exit was mandated in a referendum in June 2016. The anti-EU faction had orchestrated a well-planned high-profile campaign which included catchy but less than truthful slogans on the sides of buses. Those who wanted to remain part of the EU dithered and presented their case badly. In the end, the “Leavers” won with 52% of the vote against 48% for the “Remainers.” Much rancor between the two sides followed.

Most economic forecasts have predicted a loss of UK GDP as a result of Brexit, ranging from 0.1% to 7.9%, with the official Treasury report coming in at around 6% over the next 15 years. Those who voted to leave tend to believe the lower figures or even outlying forecasts of gains, rather than losses. Those who voted to remain tend to believe the more pessimist numbers.

Regardless, the deed is now done and the probable outcome in five years’ time will be that the only things British citizens will notice are: the country is now able to exclude immigrants from Europe (but will probably still need plenty of Europeans to pick its fruit and staff its hospitals); there is more red tape when importing and exporting; and tourists need to keep showing their passports when traveling on the Continent. There is also an outside chance that Northern Ireland will no longer be part of Britain but be reunited with Eire (Southern Ireland) to become part of the EU again.

The UK was split down the middle with regards to Brexit, but people have managed to pull through without killing each other. As we look across the pond to the U.S., where the nation also seems split down the middle, we are perplexed and concerned at the severity of the divisions. While the fault lines may be different in the UK and U.S., the two situations have a lot in common — namely the centrality of belief and narrative in stoking divisions.

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Identity Politics, the Post-Truth World and Constructivism

By Gordon L. Anderson

The bitter partisan divisions in American politics have several roots: political, economic and cultural.

In my 2009 book, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, Version 4.0, I explain how a number of the political roots, like viruses, particularly through political parties, have hijacked the political system. The economic roots of the struggle essentially boil down to whether policies support an economy based on production for all (a win-win market economy) or taking from one group and giving it to another (a win-lose, hunter-gatherer economy).

This article focuses on the cultural roots of the struggle, looks at how deconstruction brought a crisis to post-modern thought, and considers whether a “constructivist” approach can overcome that crisis.

Several articles on the Applied Unificationism Blog have sought to understand the evolution of the idea of “truth.” Dr. Keisuke Noda discussed (July 23, 2018) the correspondence theory of truth, coherence theory of truth, pragmatic approach to truth, existential approach to truth, linguistic approach to truth, and an integral approach to truth.

I followed up (March 11, 2019) with a discussion of how our level of consciousness affects the way in which we understand the truth. I showed a cultural development of theological consciousness, metaphysical consciousness and scientific consciousness in the study of scripture and also argued for an integral understanding of scriptural truth (inherited cultural narrative).

The Death of Truth

However, we now find ourselves in a world where a significant part of society considers we are in a “post-truth world.” The April 3, 2017 TIME magazine cover story, “Is Truth Dead?” was a replica of TIME’s “Is God Dead?” cover story from April 8, 1966.

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