Thursday, March 09, 2006

Decipher

I currently have a crush on the word decipher because of the fetching poetry of its etymology.

cipher = zero; therefore, decipher = de:zero making nothing into not-nothing un-nothing-ing nothing

Here’s the thing: we communicate via symbols and gestures encoded with meanings. Until decoded (deciphered), our symbols and gestures are null and void of meaning. Zero communication occurs.*

The Jesus Story deciphers the Creator-Created relationship (which is arguably at the heart of human meaning).

Maybe the life of faith boils down to inhabiting the deconstruction of meaninglessness.

Go into all the world and decipher...


*[The continua of coding/decoding accuracy/inaccuracy would be a tantalizing tangent to explore...]

4 comments:

Scott said...

...And He invites us to live meaningfully. It could be that meaning is among the best gifts Christians can give to the 21st Century. Not like a packaged concept that can be mass-marketed, but as a lived-out unfolding of sense-making acts.

Anonymous said...

yes. I also love how this relates to language though, in your original point. Sometimes I pray in sign because it's a more direct way of expressing the concepts in my heart and mind without English words. Sometimes a good way for me to get closer to God is to stop thinking in English.

It's really hard though.

Scott said...

This is beautiful, Courtney -- absolutely beautiful! You should consider developing it into an essay.

Transverbal communication with God...

Anonymous said...

thank you! yes, I think it's something we pass over a lot as a concept. maybe you could help me with the essay...