And You Thought Libraries Were Dull?

 This probably is the last book in the series of The Library of the Dead.  However, the book ends with the mother pregnant again with another ancient scribe.  So?  I'm writing about The Keepers of the Library by Glenn Cooper. Will Piper, the supposedly retired NY cop/FBI agent, is the protagonist.  His teenage son runs to a girlfriend, in Scotland.  They met online.  Unfortunately, her family keeps him.  Will takes off to get him back.  As usual, in Cooper's books, the action is crazy fast.  The armies of three countries get involved.  They are all after the library.

The library continues past the dates, everyone thought was the end of the world.  Even more surprising is the diary of Benjamin Franklin, which the family had.  Evidently, Franklin was there three centuries ago.  Franklin was concerned with the American Revolution and set up of a new government.  Will saves Franklin's diary too.  

Honor Not Worship

 When Christianity was in its infancy, the Emperor of Rome was considered a god.  Around 45 BC the Jewish army helped Julius Caesar fight his wars, and so, the Jewish worship of Yahweh was tolerated.  However, the Jews insisted that these Christians were not Jews and weren't excused from worshipping Caesar, as god.  

The Christians acknowledged Caesar's authority to govern but would not worship him.  Remember Matt 22: 20-21, They would pray for him, honor him, obey him, but he is only a man who God appointed to rule.

                                                              Art from Catacombs

                                                                        Baptizing

Wagging Tongue

 She stopped in her tracks.

She looked shock.

Her eyes narrowed.

She turned and walked away.

What did I say?

I tried to think back.

Did I offend?

By her response, yes.

She was hurt, deeply.

If only I could silent my tongue.

God's Breath

                                                         God breathes life into Adam.
                                                         Newborns scream that same breath
                                                                           into their lungs.
                                                         Resuscitation breathes that same
                                                                           breath to life.  Again
                                                                           and again.
                                                         

We pray.

Early Christian Consciousness

 Our favorite author, Anonymous, wrote an Apology dissertation, known as To Diognetus.  It has been renowned for its resonance with current Catholic theology.  Mind you, it's dated 160-200 AD. I imagine there were all sorts of ideas running loose, so the apologists hammered down the Apostolic teachings.  

It criticized pagans, atheists, Jews, etc. Anonymous explains the nature of Christianity as "love."  How's that compared to the other early religions?  

Do you think the citizenry laughed at these Christians?  Probably some did, some still do, but actually, paradoxically, the followers of Christianity multiplied exponentially.

The Physician of Nineveh by Glenn Cooper has something for everyone.  It has history.  It has romance.  It is an action thriller.  It has fantasy.  It has science.  It has time travel.  It has a happy ending--for all.

The major characters are a physician from the seventh century, BC, and a scholar specializing in Assyriology, Kate Mayne, from the twenty-first century, AD. They meet through time-travel.

See, Mannu the Assyrian physician uses black magic to travel through time, to find a cure for King Ashurbanipa's favorite concubine.  He lands in London, where Kate finds him.  Kate, scholar, that she is, thinks her dreams have come true.  The drama comes in when the King's enemies follow Mannu to make sure he doesn't succeed in his quest.

The story is different, and like I said, it has everything.

Melito

 Melito was the first bishop of Sardis, in Asia Minor.  Sardis, once was capital of Lydia, a wealthy capital in modern day Turkey. It one of the Seven Churches of Asia, in Revelation.  King Croesus's wealth was known in Sardis.

Did you ever hear of it?  Keep that in mind and meditate that "All is passing, only God abides."  

Melito, as other evangelists, was writing Apologies, defending the faith in the second century.  Most of what he wrote is lost.  What remains is his Apology, or some of it.  From it, we understand that he mentions the existence of cooperation between the church and the Roman Empire.  One gets the idea that God predestined that the church was formed specifically to flourish during the Constantine era and after, giving rise to the Holy Roman Empire.  Do you want to call this political theology?

Scientific Find

 Popular Mechanics has an article that highlights Christianity, as early as the third century.  A skeleton was found in Frankfurt, Germany, wearing a religious medal--a cross.  The skeleton is dated 230-279 AD, which means that Christianity had spread as far north to Germany by that century.  During that time, the Emperor, Nero, was persecuting Christians.  So for anyone to wear a Christian symbol was very brave, if not foolish.  His or her, faith, must have been very important.

It is not only a cross; there is a Latin inscription, on it.  Translated: 

(In the name?) of Saint Titus.

Holy, holy, holy!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!

The Lord of the World

resists with [strength?]

all attacks(?)/setbacks(?).

The god(?) grants well-being

Admission.

This rescue device(?) protects

the person who is

surrenders to the will

of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,

since before Jesus Christ

all knees bow: the heavenly ones,

the earthly and

the underground, and every tongue

confess (to Jesus Christ).

Who is St. Titus? He was a disciple of Paul.  He carried Paul's letters and organized and helped Paul.  There is no description of how he died.  

Interesting is the award, Cross of St. Titus.  This award is given to chaplains, who offered "meritorious contributions to the unique and highly visible Unit Ministry Team Observer Controller Program. The award recognizes the great importance of realistic, doctrinally guided combat ministry training in ensuring the delivery of prevailing religious support to the American Soldier."
Wikipedia

  I guess the idea for the Cross of St. Titus was because of the companionship, support, dependability, and trust, that Titus gave to St. Paul.

                                                             St. Titus as Bishop of Crete.

Burdens

 Thank God, I'm here and now, not living during the times of the novel, The Calamity Club by Kathern Stockett. The depression era was hard, but the degradation Blacks, women, children, and those intellectually challenged, had to endure, broke my heart.  

The story in The Calamity Club tells it all.  The limited job opportunities, women had no choice, but to accept.  How orphans were treated. How Blacks were treated.  And I learned a new vocabulary word--miscegenation.  

Miscegenation: Derived from Latin miscere ("to mix") and genus ("race"); historically used in laws banning interracial marriage

The story begins with a little girl, Meg, being left alone.  Her mother didn't come home.  Eventually, she is sent to an orphanage, that must have been inspired by Charles Dickens.  The people in that town, the boss lady, Garnett, volunteers, Birdie and Frances, and the people who eventually adopt Meg, are all unforgettable people.  I loved all the characters.

In fact, I love everything about the book.  

The Apologists

 Apologist comes from the Greek language, meaning defense.  That's a different meaning to us, nowadays.  But the early Christians had to constantly be on the defense from the government, Jews, and pagans.  Why?  

At that time, God was Caesar and only worship of him, was allowed.
The Jews opposed the early Christians because the Christians preached that the Jews killed Jesus.
The pagans didn't like the morality of the Christians, who criticized many of their mores.

What were the Christians defending?

There are always prejudice against new ideas, especially if it involves changing lifestyles.
Misunderstandings of what the Christians were preaching.
Cannibalism--yes, because Jesus said "Eat my flesh, drink my blood," non Christians just didn't understand. John 6:53-56
Incest--again, misunderstanding of the teachings on love of our brothers and sisters. 1 John 4:21 and Romans 12:10.
Political subversion--yes, even today.  Christians must obey their well-formed conscience, not their government or illegal orders from authorities.

Add to the above, fear.  Fear and distrust generated the hatred of Christians and unleashed persecution against them.

 

Action Galore

 Nelson DeMille's The Cuban Affair is full of action.  The main character, Mac is hired by Cuban exiles.  He's told it's to retrieved hidden money that the exiles hid, when they left Cuba, in a hurry.  But actually, that was only secondary.  First, was the titles to the exiles' property, that they wanted to show the world in international court, that they still owned.  Also, the make sure Mac would take their paperwork, there was a trunk full of soldiers' bones, the Cubans had taken from Afghanistan and tortured and left to rot in Cuban prisons. Mac wanted to show Americans what they did and bring those troops home.

The reader isn't really sure if the paperwork and bones made it home.  The CIA picked them up from their boat, which the Cubans were chasing and shooting at. The CIA said their boat was blown up and everything was lost.  Well, that's what the CIA said.

Anyway, Mac found love, adventure, and a sense of what's important in life.  What else do you want?

The Catacombs of Priscilla

 Priscilla (Prisca) and her husband Aquilla are mentioned a few times in the New Testament, especially in conjunction with the Paul.  She and her husband are notable Christians.  Her catacomb is still visited in Rome.  A catacomb is a burial place, especially for the early Christians.  The early Christians, as Jews, kept the practice of burying their dead.  It's a good thing, too, because when Christianity was outlawed, that's where the Christians went to pray, attend Mass, and hide.  

The artwork in the catacombs is extensive, as well as interesting.  Early Christian symbols and depictions of the Last Supper or Mass, depict the Eucharist.

Gandhi's Seven Deadly Sins

 Wealth without work.

Pleasure without conscience.

Knowledge without character.

Commerce without morality.

Science without humanity.

Worship without sacrifice.

Politics without principle.

A Spiritual Will

 When someone dies, confusion, if not shock, overtakes the people you left behind.  That's why people leave Legal Wills.  Legal Wills tell people who gets your property.  Also important should be a Spiritual Will, to tell everyone what you want done with your body.  If you are Jewish or Catholic, there are rites the deceased may want observed. Don't let your family guess, or worse argue.  Leave instructions--a spiritual will.

Here's what my Spiritual Will will say, now.  It may be revised.

I already have a plot and stone.  Use my insurance money for my funeral. Since I am a Lay Dominican, I would like to wear black.  My white scapular and Dominican cross is over my blouse.  Obviously, this is open casket.  I want my faith visible, as my last catechesis, to show others that faith is serious.

I want a traditional Catholic funeral Mass.  My parish priest may celebrate.  I will list what music I want and Readings.  I also want certain people to be Lectors, not family.  I want my family to pay attention to the Mass, not freak out because they have to speak in public.  Family may bring up the Offerings.  No eulogy, just a reception following the burial.  Stories will be told there, at the reception.

I like a Mass celebrated for me, now and then, and a few prayers at my grave.

That's it.  See you on the other side.

My scapular and cross look like this, to be place over black clothing.  

Echoes of the Apostles

 Did you ever wonder why the Church Fathers didn't sign their names to what they wrote?  Who wrote the Didache?  Who was the Shepherd of Hermes?  

It seems that these writings are written with authority.  Their tone is unquestionable.  They wrote about the internal organization of the Christian communities of the times. They deal authoritatively with liturgical discipline, moral conduct, wavering faith, and correct teachings.  There seems to be no need to sign their names to their works.  The community accepted the teachings, as from the Apostles.

Lafayette College fresco Christ Among His Apostles · A&S 325: Museums Studies · Exhibits @ Lafayette College

Violence Begets Violence

 The Gate House by Nelson DeMille is a sequel to The Gold Coast.  I didn't read The Gold Coast, so the characters are new to me.  I don't usually read novels in order, except for Louise Penny's Three Pine mysteries.  Books call me by name at Library Book Sales, Yard Sales, free tables--here and there, gifts, and handed over, by friends.  My friends know I'm on a Nelson DeMille kick, now, so The Gate House was given to me.

I never quite got the geography of exactly where the gate house was located, on the estate.  But I didn't worry about it because I thought it was an unnecessary complication, in the plot.  I still think so.  The main character, John Sutter has returned home, after ten years.  A family servant, friend, and client has died.  John lived with her for a while, was her lawyer, and friend.

He had left, in the first place, because he was divorced from his unfaithful wife, who had murdered her lover, who was John's client, who was also a mafioso.  

Following?

Capice?

John is back.  It turns out that as soon as John and his ex see each other, they resume their relationship and plan to remarry.  However, if they do remarry, the in-laws will retract their financial support, which is considerable.  But that's minor, compared to the problem of the mafioso's son, who wants revenge.  

That's the plot.  It's a big book.  But I took my time reading the story and I did enjoy it.

The Shepherd of Hermas

 It was hard to keep the early Church, on the same page.  That's why Paul wrote so many letters.  Another person, known as the Shepherd of Hermas wrote an important treatise.  He, whomever he was, wrote of the problems in the Roman community.  Rome was the capital of the Roman empire and the Christians there were not always behaving.  What to do about that, is what the Shepherd of Hermas wrote about.  

He was stern and well, full of "hell fire and brimstone."  Hence, he was always haranguing about doing penance.  Hence, Church history shows the sacrament of reconciliation, or penance, commonly known as Confession, was offered as a chance for salvation for repentant sinners, not only once, or once a year, at Yom Kippur, but as many times as the penitent thought he needed. 

The Shepherd of Hermas was written in the second century, so it is not a canonical book, which are written by apostles and direct companions of the apostles,  However, it is an example of early Christian writing.

Didache

 The Didache is the oldest book/catechism/constitution, etc. of information, that we have.  It has been dated as around 50 A.D..  It contains the teachings of the twelve apostles.  It was found by the Metropolitan Philotheos Bryennios in a Greek manuscript in Constantinople.  Although, it has been moved to a safer place.  Think of it.  This is older than the Gospel of John and some of the synoptic letters. 

Inside is a manual of instruction for the community on how to prepare catechumen for baptism.  Catechumen is Greek for people taking instructions in the faith.  It also gives the form of the rite to be used and other practical advice.

IOW, it is a manual that outlines teachings, rites, and instructions.  Here are the instructions for the Rite of Reconciliation (Confession).

In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life. . . . But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together and break bread and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. – Didache 4, 14 (50 A.D).

Clement

 Pope Clement is considered an early Church Father because his writings are some of the earliest we have. He reigned as pope from 88 A.D. to 99 A.D.  That's as an adult-meaning he could have known Jesus.  For sure, he knew the Apostles.  

He wrote the First Epistle of Clement around 96 AD to fix a big argument in the church at Corinth, which is one of the oldest surviving Christian writings outside the New Testament.  Like church goers today, the early Christians were criticizing their local clergy.  People don't like authority telling them things they don't want to hear--then and now.

1000 portrayal at Saint Sophia's Cathedral, Kyiv

Babel or Jerusalem

 Don't you just love that juxtaposition?  I found it in Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas.  He is talking about Artificial Intelligence= AI.  Since AI is really a new concept, it will grow because it has tremendous potential.  Will it be used for the good of humanity or for selfish gain?  

Babel is used as the example of selfish motives.

Jerusalem is used as an attainable divine connection and inner peace for the good of humanity.

Another Quest for the Holy Grail

 There are many stories of people searching for the Holy Grail.  This is supposedly the very cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper.  The Resurrection Maker by Glenn Cooper is another story searching for the Holy Grail.  

The main character, Arthur Mallory, is a descendent of Thomas Mallory--a direct descendant, mind you.  The male descendants all have an extra rib, as does Arthur.  Thomas Mallory wrote about King Arthur.  Born into the Mallory family and Arthurian lore, Arthur belongs to a club, called the Loons.  They are all Arthurian devotees.  One day, a friend of Arthur's, from the Loons, asks Arthur to come to dinner with him.  He said he had something to tell him.  But before he did, the friend and his wife were killed, and Arthur was wounded.  

Of course, this had to be about something he had found, that Arthur would be interested in.  Arthur back tracked his friend's recent travels, conversations with friends, and diaries and papers left in his office.  Arthur deduces that what he found had to do with the Holy Grail.  His travels and extensive stays were in Montserrat and Barcelona.  

Arthur fortunately lost his job, with a generous severance.  So, he sets off to see what his friend found.  Arthur also notices that he is being followed.  Then another Loon is murdered.  What's going on?

Enters Claire.  She has come to warn Arthur that he is in danger.  So, the two of them set off to Montserrat.  Claire informs Arthur that he's being followed by the Khem.  The Khem is a ancient, secret society after the Holy Grail.  They are unscrupulous and murderous.

Hence, the chase is on.  Arthur and Claire unwitting the Khem, are looking for the Holy Grail.  The leads go the Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

To me, this was the best part.  Cooper's explanation and descriptions of the basilica fascinated me. Should I tell you, dear reader, that Arthur and Claire find the Holy Grail, fall in love, and live happily ever after?  Ha!  Think again.

Fathers of the Church

 Some times the early church fathers are called the Apostolic Fathers because their writings talk of the original 12 apostles' work, and maybe even knew some of the apostles, at least they learned from them.  They lived in the 1st and 2nd century.  Peter is one, and his letters are in the New Testament.  Linus is considered the second pope, and although he is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21, there aren't any writings from him.  

Since these early writers, wrote, we know of them.  So, they are continuing the work of the Apostles.  Hence, Apostolic Fathers.  They are important because they describe the life, and ideas, of the first Christian communities.  I'm learning about them and will post, as I learn.

The Theater is Closed

 It’s the end of an era. I am discarding the Puppet Show. My youngest grandchild is twelve years old and doesn’t come over my house—I don’t have to babysit, anymore. Although she currently is in Theater Camp, so maybe she’ll be in her own show. 

I used the theater to explain Bible stories. We made sock puppets. I remember the carpet got soaked, when Moses divided the sea. 

The other lesson plan I remember, although it didn’t involve the puppets, was the story of David and Goliath. I made a giant figure of a man and stuck it to a door. (Picture “pin the tail on the donkey”).  I don’t remember what we used as stones, but I remember we used our Covid masks, as sling shots. 

Oh well!  Time marches on and children grow up. I pray they learned about their religion and had fun doing so. 

Life is a Rehearsal

 My sister died, last week.  I'm still processing that fact.  She had been senile, for the last few years.  It was hard for me to remember her, as she was.  It still is.  I'm all alone, now.  There are no more siblings--just me.  It feels funny, even though because of her condition, I couldn't reminisce.  There's no one to share family memories with, even though she couldn't in her condition. Every memory, thought, or expressed words, are finished.  It's the end.

So, is this life.  

But there is more.  Christians know that death is not the end of life.  In fact, death is the moment that all Christians have been preparing for.  If we live good lives, if we live as Jesus taught us, if we love one another, we have no reason to fear death. It is our Christian goal.

As a Catholic, our sacraments prepare us for eternal life.  Every Mass is a rehearsal; every Confession is a rehearsal; every Rosary is a rehearsal.  We should be ready, even eagerly awaiting our hour of death.  I pray this is how it will be, for me. I do not fear death, but I am brought to my knees. 

 

The Obscured Mystery of God's Presence.

 Just plain meditating, to me, is a bore.  I consider myself lucky, if I fall asleep.  Otherwise, it's a waste of time.  However, The Cloud of Unknowing, insists that I don't give up.  Easier said than done.  

Persevere until you feel joy.

Oh!  I get it.  That's the "cloud".  My mind is cloudy, even a dark cloud.  I'm going to try until this cloud between me and God is comfortable.  I hope to be at home in it.  I'll keep striving to feel love.  Will it be mine?  or His?  According to The Cloud of Unknowing, God will bring me into a deep experience of Himself.

I'll keep you updated.

Divine Connection

 The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence is a spiritual classic.  Everyone says so, especially Pope Leo XIV.  I have about four or five copies, in my bookcase.  So, I must have read them, correct?  Then, why don't I remember anything I learned from The Practice of the Presence of God?

So, I reread one of those books.  It didn't take me long to realize why I didn't remember reading the book.  It's boring.  It's not telling you anything you don't know.  Like kids say, DUH!

The theme is to rely on God.  Trust Him, in all things.  Accept everything that comes along--good and bad, as part of God's plan.  Abandon your own wants and stay focused on God.

A life of continuous mindfulness and divine connection is what God wants.

Tormented by Fear

 The first time, I walked into prison, to volunteer, I was afraid.  Think about that.  I did nothing wrong, why would I be afraid.  Now imagine if you were a prisoner.  You would probably be freaked out, entering a prison, for the first time.  Not knowing what will happen to you is scary anytime.  When your future is unknown, the people you will meet are worrisome, and how long your time there will be, is overwhelmingly full of fear.  Paranoia could set in.

This is what inmates go through.  Pray for them.  Despair is easy, too easy--a parole denial, abandoned by friends and family, long sentences, no future, crazy people, physical abuse may happen, all of these scenarios are brought to mind. 

Prison life is hard.

Loneliness

 Although there's always Hope in prison, everyone is lonely.  Separation from family and friends makes inmates desperately lonely.  Also, since the inmates aren't sure of whom the other inmates are, they also distrust everyone and everything.  That's isolating individuals from each other.  The only remedy is visitations from family and friends and writing letters and phone calls (this costs money).  In fact, postal stamps are used as money when inmates trade with each other.

Hope

 Count your blessings that you have never been to prison.  What do you think inmates think of their future?  I suppose it would depend on their sentence and situation.  The lifers I know, always, always have hope they will be released.  And lo and behold, I've seen it happen.  Two were given compassion release, and lived a few good years, after.  More eventually had their cases overturned; thanks to the Innocence Project and current DNA testing.  Then there's the Mattis cases.  Quite a few of my "cloistered brothers" are free, due to the Mattis decision.  There was also evidence tampering in the chemistry scandal in MA. Another former inmate had his case overturned when his accuser admitted lying!

There's always hope.  The future may be bleak, but no one gives up hope.

A Hostage Situation

 When I was reading the dialogue in Nelson DeMille's Cathedral, I couldn't help but think of former state trooper, Michael Proctor.  Proctor was raked over the coals and lost his job because of the language he used when texting friends and colleagues.  I read the same racial slurs, misogynistic language, profanity, and offensive remarks, and abusive names and slurs, used in Cathedral.  That's the way cops talk.

Unfortunately, for Proctor, his texts were read.  The cops in Cathedral are fiction.  But when you're in war and sometimes cops and the bad guys are at war, one has to demonize the other to work themselves up to battle mode.

Basically, the plot is the IRA kidnapping the Archbishop of New York, and three others.  The IRA is holding them inside St. Patrick's Cathedral and threatening to blow the church and everyone in it to smithereens, if their demands aren't met.  What do they want?  They want the IRA prisoners in Ireland released.  

This is a nail biter.  You kind of think that it will never happen, but how to solve the situation, had me stumped.  There's a little mysticism involved.  The leader of this group, Brian, had a mystical experience in Whitehorn Abbey, when he was saved from the police.  Near the end, the cop defusing the bomb, felt her fingers dismantling the bomb when she hadn't a clue how to go about it. Also, Brian, when he was dying (spoiler) saw the same priest from Whitehorn Abbey, visit him. 

The detailed strategy was excellent.  The pace was fast.  The dialogue was realistic.  It's a classic thriller.

Unknowing or Not Knowing

 Can you tell I'm reading, "The Cloud of Unknowing?"  I have started reading this too many times to count.  Lately, I have been giving the book another reading.  As far as my pea brain can figure out, Not Knowing is being completely ignorant.  Whereas Unknowing is what you call believers who haven't learned what's important, yet.  

Anti-Terrorism

 You know why I haven't been blogging?  I've been too busy reading Nelson DeMille's tomes.  I finished The Lion's Game and couldn't wait to read the next, Night Fall.  Fortunately, my reading was interrupted by the Fourth of July celebrations.  My reading orgy stopped because the Fourth of July, is not only a celebration in the USA, it's a special celebration.  The country is 250 years old, so all the stops were pulled out.  The weather cooperated to make sure the celebrations continued as planned.  Coincidentally, the FIFA World Cups are still going on here, so there're more celebrations.  Plus,  ta-da!  

                                            🙌

This is my 55th wedding anniversary.  That's not a typo.  Hubby and I have been married 55 years.  We didn't do anything to celebrate, now, because hubby fell and is recuperating.  We play on going on a harbor cruise to see the Tall Ships in Boston, in a few weeks.  More about that, after the fact.

Back to the two books.  The Lion's Game has protagonist John Corey pitted against the jihadist, Asad Khalil. Khalil was a kid when the US bombed his family.  Hence, his training in extreme Muslim.  He is strictly Old Testament, "an eye for an eye."  Khalil knows he'll be caught eventually and killed.  Khalil welcomes this.  It is insurance into heaven.  He will be a martyr.

    Corey uses his New York cop smarts, more than his Federal anti-terrorist experience to go after Khalil.  Khalil does kill too many in his revenge lust, but Corey leans so hard on him, that he escapes--barely.  So you know they'll be a sequel.

    I don't mind Corey's sarcasm.  His quick come-backs have me laughing out-loud.  I am intrigued by his observations and deductions.  

    All of the above, seduced me into immediately getting into Night Fall.  The beginning is genius.  A couple involved in an extra-matrimonial affair and video-taping their romp in the ocean when an airplane explodes in the background.  It is taped.  Was it shot down?  The tape tells the story but they're not turning it over to the authorities.  Would you?  It would devastate their families.

   The story begins five years after the plane crash.  Corey's wife never believed the official story that there was a mechanical malfunction, when 200 witnesses saw a rocket blow up the plane.  So, she gets her husband, John Corey involved.  His meticulous detective work finds the evidence of what really happened.

Humanity Matures

 Why do we consider human limitations as just that, "limitations?"  What we are, we are.  No one is perfect.  Some people are incapacitated, ill, elderly, etc.  This is reality, not a defect to be corrected.  We get by.  We get by with a little help from our friends, as the song goes.  Helping others is humanity at its best.  Also, it establishes a relationship between those who help and need help.  Isn't that good?  Establishing relationships with others is what humans do.  

AI = Seeds

 Can you explain how a seed germinates?  I don't mean adding water and sunlight.  I mean what is inside the seed that makes it start to grow into an entity.  No one can.  No one completely understands how and why.  The same is true of AI.

I never thought about that until reading Magnifica Humanitas.  The terminology used in paragraph 98, is cultivated.  AI is not built; it is more like a seed that has been watered and put in the sun. The computer designers and software and hardware designers create a framework within which the intelligence works.  It is like the sun and water on the seed.  The seed blossoms into something.  The designers try this and that until the right combination gels, and it blossoms into something.  How and why?  Presently, no one knows.  

Hold on!

Exactly.  More research, more understanding needs to be done, before full permission is given to just plunge forward.  Remember the movie, Hal 9000. The problem is that the humans trust, depend, and follow the computer HAL.  HAL is the authority over the humans.  The movie is a cautionary story.

HAL 9000 at a Glance#

Designation	Detail
Full name	HAL 9000: Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer
First appearance	2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), film and novel developed in parallel by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke
Activation	12 January 1992 at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois (the film’s date; the novel says 1997)
Function	Governing intelligence of Discovery One: navigation, communications, diagnostics, life support
Voice	Douglas Rain, who returned for 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)
Confirmed kills	Frank Poole and the three hibernating crew members of Discovery One
Cultural standing	Ranked the 13th greatest film villain of all time by the American Film Institute, the highest placed non-human on the list

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