Friday, March 02, 2007

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi, everybody, I'm new at this. But I hope this little journey I'm taking called Life will somehow pan out. For this I hope to place my hope, my desire, my everything on Him and in Him that it will turn out so. What is faith after all but a hope in that which is not seen? But I know in Whom I have believed in, and I believe He is able to manage this vessel into harbor that I may behold Him everlastingly.
That I am a sinner becomes ever more apparent to me, not only in the big things, but more so in the small things.
I firmly believe that in the Orthodox Church rests the hope of all man. I would wish to let those that visit here know that I am not formally trained in philosophy or rhetoric and have perhaps very little if anything original to say. But one thing I offer is my heart, all of it.
All are welcome here, of whatever Confession as well as those who have none. I only ask that charity be observed at all times. This does not mean that strongly held opinions are discouraged, but I do hope that personal attacks on persons be forsworn.
Oh, and I'll try to post good stuff.

9 comments:

Constantine said...

allow myself to introduce myself

Anonymous said...

Welcome to blogworld :) I've enjoyed your first post. I'll be back to read more.

Sophocles said...

Orthodoxos, thank you for introducing yourself.


Michelle, thank you for visiting as well, I look forward to hearing back from you.

Anonymous said...

What if any spiritual inpact will the movie 300 have on the Greek Idealism?

Sophocles said...

Well, to start off, the movie has not been released yet so we don't know how good it will be.
I've read the graphic novel by Frank Miller "300" and was somewhat dissapointed in certain of its aspects. Frank Miller employs a very stark, surreal style to his storytelling which I loved in his "Dark Knight Returns" series written years back, but I'm not sure I liked it in this graphic novel.
This Greek, moi, happens to love the story of the Spartans, they were my heroes growing up. Their way of life I believe has heavily influenced me more than I know. I do feel a certain pride when I tell others about them and all their battle prowess.
I have some very strong beliefs that I hold in regards to all things Hellenic, but I'm not sure at present that I am able to separate reality from idealism to properly assess your question in its proper weight. Speaking to several Greek customers I know at my restaurant, they are eagerly anticipating it. Me too. I will pass up seeing it until after Pascha, however, so you MUST tell me how it was and your thoughts.
Of course, Steven Pressfield's "Gates of Fire", to me would have made a much better adaptation to this story, but there's hope as I've heard that this too is being worked on to bring it to film.

Anonymous said...

Welcome, may you friends grow faster than you enemies.

Sophocles said...

Robert, thank you for your welcome and for your interest in my welfare.

Anonymous said...

The Persians are complaining that the 300 is giving them a bad name. What do you think about that?

Sophocles said...

Dear Justin,

I think they are complaining for several reasons. First, the Spartans really did do a number on them at Thermopylae. I have not seen the film as of yet, but from what I understand the Persians are portrayed as being very decadent as oppossed to the good, wholesome Greeks. Historically I believe there is some truth to this belief in relation to these two different peoples.
Next, we must remember the current state of the world's politics. Iran(Persia) is currently developing(if they haven't already developed) nuclear capabilities which the US has taken issue with, and rightly I might add. Iran feels that this film was US government inspired to possibly be used to fuel anti-Iranian sentiment and thereby to make an invasion of Iran an easier pill to swallow by the American public.
And last, Iran is currently dominated by a very strong Islamic anti-America/West/Israel government. Islam is very opposed to things the Persians are portrayed doing in this film and they perhaps are disbelieving that any of the things that the Persians are portrayed doing in this movie could be part of their history.
Anyway, that's my take.