cats, music and theology

1 – Berlin has a shocking historical past. Who has organized worse human rights violations than the German government in Berlin 1933-1945? The more I am trying to build a bridge of understanding towards Israel. Fortunately, Shimon from Jerusalem helps me with his wise humor: We are both cat owners and so we learned indirectly recognize how much we have in common…
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2 – While my cat gently sleeps I try to learn playing the guitar …

title=”‘While my guitar gently sleeps’ – photo by sofarsocute ‘Pierrot’ Ça ira ? = Pierre, born in Mons, Belgium, currently: Vancouver, Canada – photo was kindly sent to my group BLOG IT!, click on the picture to enter his galleries on Flickr.com

I tried to finger that out a tribute to George Harrison:

Shimon
I liked that tune. I’ve heard it before… and I especially liked the way you played it, Frizz… and especially with the new name, while my cat gently sleeps. I am up in the middle of the night tonight, because my cat didn’t. She got up. And then she got me up. But then I listened to your rendition of the song.

frizz
you made me smile with your night story, Shimon! I often had a similar experience with my cat. She gives no pardon if she hears a bird outside in the garden, no matter what time is. She bites into my toes, if I hesitate to open the window for her to get out and hunt!

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3 – Maybe you have time to enjoy my Venice slide show – music in the background: me, on guitar, trying to play J.S. Bach on my Western guitar, steel strings: BWV 999 praeludium / prelude in D minor

and what about metaphor & music? well a prelude is a bridge into the next. If you had time to listen, then you’ll have noticed, that in the prelude I was searching with my hesitating fingers for only one certain point, the entrance door into the next, the bigger part of the composition…
if you want to listen to the complete length of the prelude (without the slide show pictures) visit my audio pool of soundcloud:

Shimon:
Liked both the pictures and the J.S. Bach very much. You put in so much work in your blogging. I don’t know where you find the energy. But I appreciate it.

frizz:
it’s not done in one day, Shimon. I played classical guitar (Bach, Tarrega, Giuliani etc.) in the eighties and I’m happy, that I found the old audio files. We’ve been often in Venice a decade ago, when I liked to compose slide shows with music.
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4 – frizz: I like your garden in Jerusalem, a little paradise, now look at mine: …actually I’m very happy to have summer, working with the window behind my table wide open. I need nothing more – and it would be fair, if everyone had a chance like this …

Shimon
You have a very beautiful garden, and I wish you long days, and great pleasures with children and grandchildren.

frizz
yes, we are sitting together every summer at a long table having breakfast, dinner, lunch, in the evening open fire and some guitar playing … – always by our side of course: the cat (we gave her asylum, after she was found on a hot street just born):

Shimon
looks very good… what will the cat eat? Does he get any of what’s on the table?

frizz
she likes to pick out the ham ignoring all noodles; often she does not care if the meal is kosher – we’ll send her to hell for this!

Shimon
cats, and Christians… and angels from heaven can eat non-kosher, and enjoy this life, and the ever after… it’s just Jews that have to restrain themselves.
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5 – about theology

below: self portrait by stumbleon / Fred Roessler, click on the picture to enter his flickr galleries …

frizz
Shalom Shimon, of course you know the song GO DOWN MOSES – and your heart is filled with the knowledge about the subject: sometimes it is necessary that our forefathers decide to escape from a country. Then at least the grandchildren have the chance to live in peace – like you and me…

Oh, and I learned Hebrew 1965 during my theological studies – still works as a bridge to you in Jerusalem: Shalom Shimon!

frizz:
זה לא נעשה ביום אחד, שמעון. אני ניגן בגיטרה קלסית (באך, Tarrega, ג’וליאני וכו ‘) בשנתי השמונים, ואני שמח, כי מצאתי את קבצי השמע ישנים. אנחנו כבר פעמים רבות בוונציה לפני כעשור, כאשר אהבתי להלחין את הצגת שקופיות עם מוסיקה. אה, ואני למדתי עברית 1965 במהלך לימודי התיאולוגיה שלי – עדיין עובד כגשר אליך בירושלים: שלום שמעון!

Shimon:
פריץ היקר, ממש נפלא ללמוד שלמדת עברית. הייתי סבור שאתה משתמש בשירותים של גוגל לכתוב לי כמה מלים לפני כן. הבנתי כבר שאתה תלמיד רציני, אבל כעת אני מבין שיש לנו יותר משותף ממה שיכולתי לתאר לעצמי. זה ממש נוגע ללבי. אולי כדאי לנו להתכתב לא בפרהסיה… בינתיים, אני סקרן לדעת איך הגעת ללימודי התיאולוגיה, והאם למדת לכמורה. בברכה, שמעון

frizz
There is no problem for me, Shimon, to speak publicly about my relationship to theology. First, the religious community was a bridge out of the prison organized by an idiotic adoptive family who beat me every day. Then was the first serious study of theology dealing with the tragedies caused by ideologies. Protestant theology in Germany mourned more serious the extermination of the Jews than the general German public. When my desire for a comparative science religion was increasingly blocked – from Orthodox forces – I turned to philosophy. Martin Buber, for example …

Shimon
It’s a shame you didn’t have an opportunity to study comparative religions. I think you would have found that more than interesting. Martin Buber is very good.

related:
http://thehumanpicture.wordpress.com/2013/07/12/the-wind-and-the-rain/
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https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/german-biography/
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https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/bbb-challenge/
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https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/while-my-cat-gently-sleeps/
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etc.
Actually I’ve published a book via blurb, featuring some of the thoughts, comments, discussions and statements of my daily blog: fragments and feedbacks, June-2013 US $12.10
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visibly relaxed: our cat Emily Dickinson:

About Didi van Frits

writer, photographer, guitarist, painter

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