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Home Entertainment Movies SHUT IN THEATER: We Watched CATS (2019) And May Never Recover
SHUT IN THEATER: We Watched CATS (2019) And May Never Recover
The Beat's Gregory Paul Silber and Chloe Maveal are not okay.
Gregory Paul Silber
With the pandemic testing our collective psyches, Beat writers Gregory Paul Silber and Chloe Maveal figured there was no better time to plunge into the depths of madness by watching CATS (2019).
Greg Silber: Chloe, thanks for joining me on this journey into what I assume will be madness. We first started talking about this on The Beat's slack as a joke, but as so often happens when I joke about something long enough, it became something I actually wanted to do.
Chloe Maveal: Ya know. It did start out as a joke. But honestly as much as I loathe the idea of watching this batsh*t movie again, I'm a big fan of the idea of watching your head explode over it. Are you a fan of the original Andrew Lloyd Weber musical at all?
Greg Silber: I never saw it. I grew up in north Jersey, and have early memories of it being advertised in commercials. Those cat costumes creeped me out. By the mid 90s, I think it was already being marketed as one of the longest running broadway shows ever. So there's some cultural osmosis that people who didn't grow up near NYC may not have gotten, but that's it.
Chloe Maveal: Well let me tell you. As a Queer of a Certain Age™, this musical was a touchstone for a lot of people when it came to broadway. Whether that was because we hadn't realized yet that Webber couldn't write lyrics if they were handed to him, we were all closet fetishists from the jump, or because the impressive dancing in the stage show was enough to sit through cats introducing themselves as they gamble to see who gets to die as the major plot point, it was a big deal. And that's why the movie is just…such….a lot. I mean. Greg, it's a lot. I hope you're ready for a horny-on-main trash fire.
Greg Silber: That's fascinating, because as a 90s baby, you may be the first person I've ever talked to who genuinely liked Cats as a Broadway show. I don't know if it's that Cats was considered passé by the time I came of age or what, but the usual response I heard was "my grandma took me to see it and I didn't know what the fuck was going on." And I'm a Jersey boy, so I grew up around a lot of Broadway geeks! Now that the whole world is aware of Cats (2019), I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be for horny trash fires, which is to say, not ready at all.
Chloe Maveal: I wouldn't say I liked it. But it WAS the piece of Broadway that everyone knew! And people wouldn't stop singing "Memory" for approximately 7,000 years. And is directly responsible for my fear of anything resembling catgirlsBUT ANYWAY GREG. Do you wanna start this mess? I'm genuinely excited to see your thoughts.
Greg Silber: Hell yeah, let's get weird! Wanna count us off?
Chloe Maveal Counting down! 5
Greg Silber: Every time I watch a horror movie I have a "what have I done" moment at the beginning. I'm experiencing that now.
Chloe Maveal: Have you ever wanted to have that feeling but it was gonna be about anthropomorphic cats? Because I think this Hammond organ music should be the clue to that.
Greg Silber: OH NO THE WAY THEY MOVE IS SO WEIRD. I saw the trailers like everyone else but this is too much. Do they HAVE to lick their lips?!
Chloe Maveal: We're at about the 2 minute marker and the "main character" just got thrown out of a car in a bag and everyone of these cat people are hissing. Help. THE EAR TWITCHES, GREG.
Greg Silber: I might have a small crush on Taylor Swift so seeing her this scared and also being a cat upsets me.
Chloe Maveal: That's not her yet! She doesn't come in til later! But it's gonna make you feel weird then, too, so it's fine… Ah yes. We've finally gotten to the chorus where the question is first posed: "What in the actual hell is a Jellicle Cat"
Greg Silber: I hear the movie never explains it, but like, is there any real world definition of "jellicle"?
Chloe Maveal: Nope. Not a thing. From context later on, Jellicle Cats are cats that want to be killed RIGHT NOW though. So like… Take from that what you will?
Greg Silber: Okay cool, singing cat people with death wishes.
Chloe Maveal: Oh god. They're on the monument and all reaching graceful for the stars with THEIR HUMAN HANDS.
Greg Silber: And Idris Elba is… deeply concerned about this?
Greg Silber: Did I just hear "rabbinical cats?!"
Chloe Maveal: I… wouldn't be surprised. We can only hope so though.
Chloe Maveal: Greg. Greg. How much do you love Macavity? Is Idris doing it for you?
Greg Silber: Wait have we seen Macavity? Idris warned us about him and he sounds awful.
Chloe Maveal: You fell prey to the classic Idris Elba blunder. He WAS Macavity! MAGIC.
Greg Silber: OH NO!
Chloe Maveal: Okay but real talk. The 11 minute mark is a dance sequence between the main cat and another, and it's clear that the dancer has some incredible skills. It's a real bummer that it's a) ruined by that scary CGI fur and b) gets interrupted by Mister Misstopholese.
Greg Silber: Yeah, everything else aside, this is legitimately well choreographed. Those poor dancers deserve to be appreciated!
Chloe Maveal: It's a running theme you'll see throughout the movie. And really, it feels the same as the stage show in that regard. These are highly trained dancers and they really do seem to be made a fool.
Greg Silber: Wait WAIT what is a Gumbie Cat? Is that a fake thing too?
Chloe Maveal: Apparently, Greg, it's Rebel Wilson.
Greg Silber: It's ok to make up words in fiction but you can't act like the audience knows WTF you're talking about!
Chloe Maveal: The rhyming in this "Gumbie Cat" song is so slanted that it may very well collapse the entire set. GREG SHE'S WEARING A CATSUIT UNDER HER SKIN SHE'S WEARING A CATSUIT UNDER HER SKIN SHE'S WEARI–
Greg Silber: NO I SAW THIS PART WITH THE ROACHES ON TWITTER IT'S SO MUCH WORSE IN CONTEXT. This also raises a question: are there humans in the Cats (2019) universe? Who's roach infested home is this?
Chloe Maveal: But it's okay now. It's okay. We've reached the point where Jason Derulo plays Rum Tum Tugger and we all have no choice but to accept it.
Greg Silber: Do I have to? I don't like it when cats gyrate suggestively.
Chloe Maveal: Yeah there's something particularly unsavory about a bump and grind involving a tail. I'm not here to kinkshame. But I am here to say that there is a cat wearing a fur coat for no reason.
Greg Silber: Yeah, I don't want to kinkshame either, but this extremely expensive Hollywood movie AGGRESSIVELY caters to a kink that I simply do not share.
Chloe Maveal: Well strap on in because the milk has begun flowing and it is time for the horniest dance in the entire film.
Greg Silber: I am slightly disappointed that Jason Derulo didn't kick off his number by singing "Rum Tum Tugger" the way he usually sings his own name.
Chloe Maveal: Hahahahah
Chloe Maveal: And then he sees Jennifer Hudson playing Grizabella and runs off into the night. Same, I guess? I have something to note here to you and the readers: please please pay attention to just how much CGI snot they gave Hudson in these scenes. It's…a lot. I know Grizabella is meant to be a sickly old stray cat but DAMN.
Greg Silber: I've never owned a cat—is snot a concern for them? I assume human tears are not.
Chloe Maveal: I have four cats and I'd be pretty upset if they start crying human tears TBH.
Greg Silber: What if they "went with Macavity?"
Chloe Maveal: Oh hey. It's James Corden! Here to provide the fatphobic jokes for the entire film. Ugh.
Greg Silber: I was gonna say, this movie is weirdly preoccupied with weight! it's not just fat jokes. He wants to be "reborn" as a "thin cat" just so he can get fat again!
Chloe Maveal: Yeah. That doesn't actually stop. This entire song is one long fat joke and the rest of the characters play into that as a joke. It's exhausting and just kinda feels icky. Like right here at 29m30s, he's trying to be launched by a seesaw but there's no one heavy enough to do it. But that's okay because he justifies it by saying "That's not funny, you know I'm sensitive about my weight." No. No thanks. There's zero need.
Greg Silber: He also hurts his balls… real comedy gold here, folks. I don't mean to be crude but this scene is… gross? Literally gross.
Chloe Maveal: Yeah, it's not pleasant by any means. I know that Bustapher Jones is meant to be the comedy beat but I kind of just see it as James Cordon being seriously gross in some CGI and/or prop trash.
Greg Silber: He literally eats garbage.
Chloe Maveal: But we've moved on! Victoria, our main character, has been taken aside by MungoJerrie and Rumpleteazer who are…brother and sister cats that steal things?
Greg Silber: I guess it's supposed to be a take on "car burglars" but I've never heard of cats having a penchant for stealing? Other than treats and whatnot. This scene also drives home how off the proportions are in this movie. Cats are much bigger than this IRL!
Chloe Maveal: I was gonna say! I've never seen a cat that is so small that they could sit in a chair but then also have utensils be that big. I feel like this argument is one that is so moot and strange though.
Greg Silber: The twins left Victoria to die, and also we have confirmation that there are dogs in the Cats (2019) universe. I'm sorry, can we take a quick breather? Now that there's a quiet moment I'm realizing we're nearly 40 minutes in and this whole movie has been nothing but cat introductions. So much has happened but also nothing has happened?
Chloe Maveal: Welcome to the next (checks timestamp) hour and ten minutes left of the movie.
Greg Silber:I heard people say that time loses meaning while watching Cats (2019) and even with the ability to check our progress, that still feels true.
Chloe Maveal: It's unarming isn't it? Imagine having seen this in a theater! Oh but wait. Old Deuteronomy is coming soon and really there's nothing that can fix a movie like Dame Judi Dench, right? She's an amazing actress. She's been knighted. She's graceful and amazing and fantastic. So surely this will save things right?! NO.
Greg Silber: Chloe, did you see the #Hoopercut before they fixed her human hands? (edited)
Chloe Maveal: Oh yes I did. It was everything.
Greg Silber: I like how the other cats treat Dame Judi Dench as an actual goddess.
Chloe Maveal: I just want to know what it felt like for her having a bunch of people rubbing against her for seemingly no reason. But we ARE back to the concept of Jellicle Cats. So at least there's some consistency for you.
Greg Silber: Consistent befuddlement, yes.
Chloe Maveal: IAN MCKELLEN'S NOISES OH NO
Greg Silber: Is this the first time in the movie a cat has said "meow?!"
Chloe Maveal: I forgot about those. I don't think he's ever seen a cat in his life.
Greg Silber: There's a mark on the ground that looks like a variation of a pentagram. Are these cats about to perform a satanic cat ritual?
Chloe Maveal: Considering we've entered a scene where there's a lot of synchronized twitching….maybe.
Greg Silber: I just realized I've been shaking. I'm so uncomfortable.
Chloe Maveal: Again, the choreography really is astounding. I just want no one to talk. That would make this so much better.
Chloe Maveal: Okay, so after a brief pause to collect ourselves, how are you feeling about this film so far? Like, is it living up to a horrible hype you've seen from critics and on social media?
Greg Silber: I read a LOT about this movie when it came out, and what everything I heard failed to capture is how RELENTLESS the weirdness is. There are so many words in each song, and so much is happening on screen, that there's no time to process the surrealness. It's overwhelming in a way that I couldn't have prepared for.
Chloe Maveal: Honestly, that tracks. I think you can agree that even trying to communicate what's happening to one another is difficult because by the time you realize one thing, there's another entirely different weird thing happening. It really is a lot. I didn't even get to call out the two dancing cats that are very clearly wearing sneakers!
Greg Silber: I didn't notice that at all! During our break I went into my kitchen for a glass of water—and first of all, I'm not joking when I say I'm physically tired. If I were reading this I'd assume I was exaggerating too, but this is such an exhausting movie I felt dehydrated. But my roommate asked me how it was going, and all I could think to say is "it's too much".
Chloe Maveal: Does it make you feel better than you'll get to see Taylor Swift soon?
Greg Silber: Not really? Maybe I should have been more clear earlier: I have a crush on Taylor Swift when she is in her human form.
Chloe Maveal: She still manages to be the only cat who has breasts in the entire movie. That's as close as we can offer you at this time.
Greg Silber: That makes it so much worse!
Chloe Maveal: You chose to do this. We have to press on!
Greg Silber: I'm reaping what I sowed but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Want to count us back in?
Chloe Maveal: 5
Greg Silber: Lmao the funky bass line came out of nowhere!
Chloe Maveal: Welcome back Greg. Jason Derulo is here for you.
Greg Silber: Why does he have a vaguely British accent though?
Chloe Maveal: I… had never thought about that before. I have no clue. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY DID YOU SEE THE SNEAKER CATS FINALLY?!??!!!
Greg Silber: Now I can't miss them! Was that intentional? Is that their gimmick?
Chloe Maveal: Yup. They're the hip breakdancing cats. Breakdancers wear shoes. Jeez. Get with it. We're at roughly 50 minutes and there is, in fact, a ritual of some sort happening. I feel like you made this happen.
Greg Silber: Is the music mostly intact from the Broadway show? I'm fascinated by how 80s this is. Even the nods to "cool" music don't sound contemporary.
Chloe Maveal: It's entirely true to the Broadway show. They haven't changed hardly anything and it's astounding. Case in point: we have finally reached Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella the Glamour Cat singing "Memory." This is literally the most famous song from the show and it's arguably one of the most dull. Cue the CGI snot.
Greg Silber: Okay, can I use this opportunity to rant about Webber?
Chloe Maveal: Please do. I welcome it with open arms.
Greg Silber: This is the only song from Cats I knew, and one famous use of it was in School of Rock, a classic. In that movie, it's used as an example of "uncool" music, in opposition to… rock and roll. And yet when they adapted School of Rock for Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber did the music! He's obviously a talent, but between that, Jesus Christ Superstar, and even parts of Cats (2019), it's strange to me, as a rock fan, that he's considered the "rock" composer of Broadway.
Chloe Maveal: It's odd isn't it? It's very much a product of the times it was popular though. And in that respect, the oddities and bizarre nature of his work is… I hesitate to say… punk as shit. It's not considered conventional and it's straight up weird. So that does actually fit with the idea of rock and roll despite it being VERY 80s and VERY bland.
Greg Silber: There are moments of Cats (2019) that I definitely think you could call punk, mostly the aggressive commitment to absurdity. The music, however, sounds like what a theater kid THINKS rock sounds like, and that's a far cry from the excitement and swagger of actual rock. Anyway… "asparaGUS."
Chloe Maveal: Ian McKellen is better than this. I am so very very sad, haha.
Greg Silber: He seems to be having fun though, unlike Dame Judi Dench, and you know what? He's earned it.
Chloe Maveal: When you go to sleep tonight I want you to remember that there are two people who have been knighted in this movie.
Greg Silber: HAS THE QUEEN SEEN CATS (2019)?!
Chloe Maveal: Let's hope so. Can you imagine?
Chloe Maveal: Okay I'm sorry but Gus the Theater Cat looks like Voldemort that has been drawn by a furry artist. S.O.S. Maybe that's why they're all yowling.
Greg Silber: Earnest question; what do furries think of this movie?
Chloe Maveal: I would answer if I could cope with the Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat song first.
Greg Silber: OH MY GOD THAT ENTRANCE. I do appreciate how excited each cat is about whoever's introducing themselves. They're so supportive of their cat brethren!
Chloe Maveal: In answer to your question, while furries are all different people and have their own opinions of course, I asked a few friends who are in the furry community and the answer was a mix of "Oh no thank you" and "It's like if you're really into the idea of flying but you have a fear of heights." So even here the line is pretty strictly drawn. And really, imagine being okay with a cat who has a legit mustache and can pirouette? That person doesn't exist, Greg.
Greg Silber: Even in terms of the fur itself, these cats are fuzzy at best. Does that make sense? They're not particularly furry for cats.
Chloe Maveal: Oh wait never mind it's okay, he spun away and DISAPPEARED?! Wait wait. It's Taylor Swift time. With her disconcerting cat boobs that I really want to believe were a must-have in her contract.
Greg Silber: I don't like her bedazzled catnip can.
Chloe Maveal: You don't have to like it. It's still there.
Greg Silber: Perhaps it's just that I hate what I can't understand.
Chloe Maveal: …please notice her human hands.
Greg Silber: Oh I have. Also the way her ears move independently? What's her relationship to Macavity because she's using her precious introduction song to talk up a different cat.
Chloe Maveal: Manager? Partner? His catnip dealer? All feasible.
Greg Silber: HE IS NAKED CHLOE.
Chloe Maveal: OH. He's…so smooth. He looks like he'd feel like a horse looks?
Greg Silber: Many other cats have been naked this whole movie but up until now, Macavity had a big coat. Seeing him without it is… lewd.
Chloe Maveal: Hey, at least they edited out his terrifying bulge.
Greg Silber: Is that true? I couldn't tell if that was a joke or not when it was reported that he and Jason Derulo talked about that.
Chloe Maveal: No, it was some real stuff. But bulge or not, we've reached a point where we know Macavity is very naked and transporting people to boats. Now I understand why people want Idris Elba to be James Bond!
Greg Silber: You asked me about Taylor Swift, so I have to ask… is Idris Elba still handsome in cat form? There are some extremely attractive actors in this movie, but Elba's cat form is somehow scariest.
Chloe Maveal: To me? Nah. And I'm a big Idris fan when he's being his human self. But this is mortifying. I also feel weirdly embarrassed for him? For reasons I can't put my finger on?
Greg Silber: Maybe it's that he's more committed to his performance than most of the other big names in this movie?
Chloe Maveal: Okay okay but…I do have something to admit because we're right here. I really like the Magical Mister Mistoffelees song. I think it's catchy. And I will inevitably end up singing the chorus for the next two weeks.
Greg Silber: There are some good melodies there!
Chloe Maveal: He's so smol and meek and he just wants to help! And there's never been a cat so clever! The song said so!
Greg Silber: Is he literally capable of magic though? I assumed it was just sleight of hand stuff before, but they seem to be counting on him to perform a real spell.
Chloe Maveal: I dunno, man. Do YOU think he has the power to make Judi Dench appear whenever he wants? PSYCHE. HE TOTES DOES.
Greg Silber: WHOA.
Greg Silber: Okay, the movie's nearly over, and I'm still not clear on what Victoria's deal is. I know she's a newcomer, but she never got a full introduction song!
Chloe Maveal:Nope. She doesn't deserve one. She's not a jellicle cat yet! SHE DOESN'T WANT TO DIE: Are we just skipping the idea of this boat scene altogether? Because I'm fine with that.
Greg Silber: Umm I was hoping we could talk about this fight scene actually. If we could call it that. They really defeated Macavity effortlessly huh?
Chloe Maveal: Yup. That was "the bad guy". And that's so woefully unclear that my 7 year old who is sitting next to me said "Ma, is there a BAD guy in this movie or…?" DURING THE FIGHT SCENE.
Greg Silber: Why were they so afraid of him? All it took to defeat him were some vaguely threatening dance moves.
Chloe Maveal:Yup. And pushing his cohorts into the water.
Greg Silber: I'm imaging Tom Hooper directing, like, a John Wick, with these low stakes, low effort fights.
Chloe Maveal: I just snorted out loud
Greg Silber: Like Jennifer Hudson preparing her snot for this scene! Speaking of which, I still have no idea why she's been so sad the whole time.
Chloe Maveal: It's weird. I like Jennifer Hudson a lot. She has a killer voice, obviously. But I actually don't like her rendition of this song? It feels….sad in the wrong way? Does that parse?
Greg Silber: I don't know enough about how it usually sounds to speak on that, but I almost forgot until she hit those high notes just now that she is a fantastic singer in non-cat contexts
Chloe Maveal: She'll always be in Dreamgirls for me. I can hold on to that at least. But! It looks like she gets to be the lucky cat to die (?!) so I guess that's okay, right?
Greg Silber: Besides arguably being the best singer of the bunch, what made her deserve it? I don't understand this contest at all. Or is it just that she's saddest?
Chloe Maveal: She's the saddest! But she's the saddest after everyone stopped bullying her about being sad?
Greg Silber: #relatable.
Chloe Maveal: BIG OL' GLAMOROUS HOT AIR BALLOON OF DEAAAATHHH! And think about that: this all is meant to have happened in one night.
Greg Silber: I just realized: the Jellicle Cats are in purgatory, aren't they?
Chloe Maveal: Oh wow. I hadn't thought of that. Oh no.
Greg Silber: Imagine a youth pastor talking about this movie.
Chloe Maveal: This is the most important moment of the movie. Please pay attention.
Greg Silber: Sorry!
Chloe Maveal: You don't understand. You're going to lose it, I promise. The Judi Dench Monologue. She is talking TO YOU.
Greg Silber: LMAO
Chloe Maveal: She will jog your memory: a cat is not a dog. Bombastic fanfare.
Greg Silber: "A cat is not a dog". Moral of the story.
Chloe Maveal: Please note the cat on the right. He is SO into everything she is saying. For reference, my son just said "WHAT IS THIS MOVIE?"
Greg Silber: The poor boy! Has he been watching this whole time? Is he okay?
Chloe Maveal: They had to keep the human hands in the movie to tie up the ending. Rimshot.
Greg Silber: "I believe you truly are a Jellicle Cat" okay so she sentenced Victoria to death?
Chloe Maveal: There it is. The death balloon. Bye bye Jennifer Hudson. THE END.
Greg Silber: Or is this more like when a doctor finally diagnosed me with depression at 14 when I suspected for years.
Chloe Maveal: It's whatever you want it to be. At this point, I think it's whatever we need to sleep at night.
Greg Silber: Oh G-d I forgot about the TS Elliott connection. Any TS Elliott thoughts?
Chloe Maveal: I mean, I don't WANT to have TS Elliott thoughts? But I guess I learned about the heaviside layer of the atmosphere and how that's a thing?
Greg Silber: I can't get over how this movie treats "a cat is not a dog" as the big emotional payoff.
Chloe Maveal: The breakdown of this movie to me is: peer pressure is fine as long as you have friends, we're all gonna die someday so may as well crack on, bullying is fine cause then good things happen, and to remember that cats aren't dogs.
Greg Silber: "You're not valid until you wish you're dead." What are your thoughts on this "beautiful ghosts" song by the way? I know it's the only new song in the movie.
Chloe Maveal: It seemed to fit fine! I actually thought it was lovely. And in all fairness, the rhyming was a lot smoother than the other songs. It helps that the actress has a really fine coloratura voice that makes it feel hopeful, and really this musical needs that. Half the plot is everyone being a dick to a sick old cat.
Greg Silber: I can't overstate how many songs I could barely understand. Both sonically and in terms of meaning.
Chloe Maveal: He definitely didn't make it easy. But there's an almost distinct lack of tension, plot, and character development… so I remain unsurprised that the songs didn't make sense either.
Greg Silber: It's not a story! There's no distinct beginning, middle, or end, nor are the stakes or motivations clear.
Chloe Maveal: It's a series of introductions punctuated by a hot air balloon at the end.
Greg Silber: I think that's part of the reason why it's so exhausting, too. The entire time, it feels like the movie is just getting started. You keep getting presented with new characters and information but it doesn't build to anything significant. Anyway… the credits have rolled. I did it. I saw CATS (2019). I think we should take stock of what we've experienced. At least, that's what I'd like to do, because this was a new experience for which I was wholly unprepared.
Chloe Maveal: I will remind you that this was your idea!
Greg Silber: I know! Honestly though, this was fun. And not just because I had another critic pal who's apparently just as unhinged as me to guide me. I mean, it was mostly that, but at a certain point you accept that the movie isn't getting any less odd, and just have to let it whisk you away to madness.
Chloe Maveal: That's basically the only way to get through it. With no clear story or, really, a concrete ending, it's a movie that you kind of have to surrender to the idea of watching it. I've seen a lot of strange movies and pride myself on enjoying films like The Holy Mountain and Head and basically everything John Waters has ever made, and this somehow seems more disarming than any of them. It's tiring, confusing, kinda gross, and something that is worth watching at LEAST once. That being said, I've been tricked into watching it twice so I don't know what happened but I don't recommend it.
Greg Silber:I can assure you I will never do that specific thing to you again. Or to myself. I meant to mention this at the beginning, but I was willing to see this in theaters under one condition: I won't see it alone. Understandably, none of my friends were masochistic enough to join me.
Chloe Maveal: I'm glad to have been the enthusiastic rube that got to be a part of this though!
Greg Silber: Another thing I think we should discuss: we watched this during a global pandemic in which we LEGALLY could not do much outside our homes. It's a weird time already, how did that affect your second viewing?
Chloe Maveal: I have debilitating anxiety that makes it very difficult for me to be comfortable enough to get up and leave in the middle of a movie. So in the "I can't leave and I have to watch this" sense, about the same!
Greg Silber: I think for me, it's hard lately not to feel somewhat numb to all the monotony or staying home all day, and good or bad (mostly bad), CATS (2019) made me feel… something.
Chloe Maveal: Well then that is the best takeaway I can imagine!
Greg Silber: Hooray for low expectations!
Chloe Maveal: One last thing before we call it a [very exhausting] day: Who was your favorite cat?!
Greg Silber: JEEZ that is a tough question because they were all such paper thin characters… but maybe Rum Tum Tugger? Mostly because Jason Derulo seemed to be working under the impression that he was in a much slicker, sexier movie than it turned out to be, and that's fascinating and kind of hilarious to watch. I am distinguishing "sexy" from "horny" for reasons I don't know if I want to get into.
Chloe Maveal: I don't know why this answer makes me so happy but it really does hahaha.
Greg Silber: How about you? I'm sure you've thought a LOT about this!
Chloe Maveal: I really love Mister Mistofolees (whose name I will never be able to spell correctly). He's a gentle character who is trying his best and I have a soft spot for those. Plus he does magic and has a very catchy song! And can summon Judi Dench! What's not to like?
Greg Silber: I'm sure we all wish we could summon Judi Dench. Do you have a least favorite?
Chloe Maveal: Bustapher Jones. Hands down. Just the worse.
Greg Silber: Same answer. What an aggressively unfunny attempt at comic relief.
Chloe Maveal: So, bottom line: will you be recommending CATS (2019)? Are you glad we did this experiment?
Greg Silber: Definitely glad we did it. Whether I'll be recommending it is a much more complicated question! I'd say if you're watching with someone who shares a certain kind of humor when it comes to flamboyant badness, it's worth the experience. But you really have to be committed to that irony. Even if you like musicals—which I know some people are finicky about—you can't expect this to be The Sound of Music, or even… I don't know, what's another aggressively silly musical? CATS (2019) is worse than that. Anyway, thanks for joining me. And to everyone who has followed us this far: you, the reader, are the jellicle choice.
dame judi dench
lord andrew lloyd webber
shut in theater
sir ian mckellan
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Gregory Paul Silber is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor. A staff writer at The Beat, his work has appeared in The Daily Dot, AiPT, Shelfdust, the Eisner award-winning PanelxPanel, and more. Follow him on Twitter @GregSilber.
Holy Saturday Morning! BATMAN & SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES are on the way
Bill 06/19/2020 3:06 pm At 3:06 pm
Watch a good movie, folks. The change would do you good.
Eric Sieck 06/20/2020 3:20 pm At 3:20 pm
Congrats, Greg, you made me both want to watch this and tremendously fear my now inevitable watching of it. Also Chloe, even sort of comparing it The Holy Mountain makes me want to see it, even if all I remember about that movie is that I liked it, it was fucked up, that it started with the main character getting semi-crucified by a little person*, and that I met Elijah Wood right before I watched it.
*I could be entirely wrong about that part but I don't think I am.
Savannah Welch cast as Barbara Gordon for TITANS Season 3
Small Press Spotlight: Keep IT'S ALIVE! alive while dodging evil children


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text:
namespace guestview {

// Sizing Attributes.
const char kAttributeAutoSize[] = "autosize";
const char kAttributeMaxHeight[] = "maxheight";
const char kAttributeMaxWidth[] = "maxwidth";
const char kAttributeMinHeight[] = "minheight";
const char kAttributeMinWidth[] = "minwidth";

// Parameters/properties on events.
const char kIsTopLevel[] = "isTopLevel";
const char kReason[] = "reason";
const char kUrl[] = "url";
const char kUserGesture[] = "userGesture";

// Initialization parameters.
const char kParameterApi[] = "api";
const char kParameterInstanceId[] = "instanceId";

// Other.
const char kGuestViewManagerKeyName[] = "guest_view_manager";
const int kInstanceIDNone = 0;

}  // namespace guestview

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
was a religious leader who was born in Japan, corporate manager and hardware engineer. Takahashi founded the new religious corporation  (GLA). He was born in Saku city, Nagano prefecture, Japan. He founded Koden Industry Co., Ltd. and served as its first president.

Biography

Secular career
Takahashi was born on September 21, 1927, in Saku, Nagano, Japan, into a farming family. He was the second eldest son among 10 children. At age 13, Takahashi entered the Army Cadet School after dropping out in his second year of a middle school that was run under the old system of education. He then completed his studies and graduated from the Army War College, after which he was assigned to be an aerial navigator. At the end of World War II in 1945, Takahashi returned to his hometown. On moving to Tokyo, he passed a high school equivalency exam and studied mainly in the College of Science and Technology at Nihon University. Although Takahashi was said to have studied at the University of Tokyo Graduate School for a while, he was not able to obtain a graduate degree since his dissertation, which was necessary for receiving a graduate degree, was considered below standard and was laughed at by the professors. During his studies, he started two unsuccessful companies before he opened his third company, Koden Industry Co., Ltd., a company that develops hardware for electronics. While managing this company, Takahashi possessed 460 patents. He also served as the president of Yaoki Building Management Co., Ltd.

Religious life
When Takahashi was approximately 10 years old, he started experiencing a spiritual phenomenon now known as an "out-of-body experience" and came to refer to his astral body, as his "other self". As a child, he had doubts about this phenomenon and continued to pursue studies in electrical engineering and physics for the next 32 years. Takahashi did not have any interest in religion, and considered himself a non-expert in that field. Around 1968, he claimed to have begun receiving communication from spirits that identified themselves as "Fwan Sin Fwai Sinfo" and "One Two Three". Soon after, Takahashi claimed to have arrived at a spiritual state where he had thrown away attachment and achieved a peace of mind; afterwards, he said that these spirits were the guardian and guiding spirits, respectively, that would come up in the GLA doctrine.

"Fwan Sin Fwai Sinfo" designated itself as Takahashi's "guardian spirit" and later informed Takahashi that it was Jesus Christ himself. The spirit "One Two Three", as Takahashi's "guiding spirit", later told Takahashi that it was Moses. Afterwards, Takahashi, who claimed to have attained Buddhahood under their guidance, embarked as a religious leader and starting writing about his experiences in the form of literary works. In addition, through his own lectures, Takahashi left behind many supposed miracles. He also claimed to have seen "spirits", which do not have physical bodies, and to have spoken to them, exorcising disharmonious spirits that possessed people. He claimed to preach shinri (divine principle) and hou (law) to these spirits and make them repent their faults.

In particular, he cautioned against becoming excessively enveloped in phenomena out of mere curiosity. This is considered to be gensho ("actual proof") that arose during the eras of Moses, Jesus Christ and Siddhartha Gautama. Takahashi preached the practice of "harmonization", "charity", and "love". In order to practice these, Takahashi stated that people must possess their own standards through the hasshoudo (or the Eightfold Path – eight deeds that must be performed to reach nirvana) that Buddha preached, correct distortions in their hearts that had been created through "self-reflection", and practice a middle-of-the-road life. Takahashi assumed that it would be possible for one's heart to become peacefully harmonized, escape from the torment of the present, and open up new possibilities. Then, compassion and love would grow in one's heart, enabling actions of compassion and love, which are at the core of bodhisattva ("enlightened existence" in Sanskrit). Takahashi preached that the ethos of Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all rooted in the same law of nature or cosmic laws.

He slept for only 3 to 4 hours a day due to his schedule of managing companies, managing a religious organization, giving personal guidance to believers, and writing literary works. On June 25, 1976 at 11:28 A.M., Takahashi died at the age of 48, as he himself had prophesied, due to deterioration of his liver and kidneys.

God Light Association
Word of mouth had spread about Takahashi since he claimed to have experienced spiritual encounters with Jesus Christ and Moses and attained Buddhahood; people came to learn under Takahashi's instruction. He first started to preach at his home, but by April 1969, the number had grown to about 100. Takahashi began to preach at the Yaoki Building, a building that he owned near Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line. Construction had just begun, as Takahashi had originally planned to establish a business consisting of ultrasonic hot springs and saunas there. Takahashi named this organization Shinkoukai ("Society for Incarnating the Light of God").

In August 1971, after a follower of the Zuihoukai, listened to Takahashi's teachings at a workshop at Mt. Izuru in Tochigi prefecture, the entire Zuihoukai religious association merged with, and converted to, the teachings of the Shinkoukai. Since the Zuihoukai was an organization that had obtained corporate status as a religious corporation, the Shinkoukai became known as the "Shinkoukai Religious Corporation". After the merger, Shinkoukai was renamed with an English name, the "God Light Association" (GLA), taking the internationalization of this organization into consideration. The organization became known as the GLA Religious Corporation, and the Zuihoukai became the GLA Religious Corporation Kansai Headquarters.

It was rare for an existing religious association such as the Zuihoukai to embrace an emerging organization. After the merger of the two religious organizations, the number of followers in the GLA rose to tens of thousands of people, and although the creation of a full-scale organizational structure was desired, the creation of a clear structure was shunned due to Takahashi's dislike for forming such structures.

After Takahashi died he was succeeded by his eldest daughter Keiko, although there was a contingent of followers who withdrew from the GLA due to changes in the teachings. In addition, as a result of changes in the doctrine, the GLA splintered after a few years, and disciples that had directly studied under Takahashi established new religious organizations. Today the Tokyo and Osaka branches exist as separate organizations.

In honor of Takahashi's death, groups and individuals gather voluntarily and carry out activities to try to learn the teachings of Takahashi, including Ryuho Okawa of the religious association Happy Science. Okawa published many books in the Takahashi Shinji Reigenshu (Collection of Shinji Takahashi's Sayings) series before he halted the printing of that collection in 1994 due to legal threats from Keiko.

Practical activities as a religious leader
Takahashi referred to the law that he preached, and practiced, as shoubou (proper Buddhist law). It has been said that when he held lectures in the provincial regions, he would spend several hours afterwards "self-reflecting", based on the hasshoudo, as to whether there was any wrongness in his role and whether there were any inaccuracies in the "law" that he preached. It has also been said that Takahashi possessed all of the capabilities of the six spiritual powers (tengantsu, tenjitsu, tashintsu, shukumeitsu, jinsokutsu, and rojintsu.)

Takahashi took in people such as elderly people who were homeless, a woman who had intellectual disabilities and no relatives, and people who had difficulty living independently in society, such as gangsters. He supported these people with the profits that he made as a company owner.

Takahashi criticized blind faith and fanatical belief in religion and consciousness, and paraphrasing Karl Marx, he also believed that religion based on blind faith is like opium. In his teachings he insisted that one should always doubt, and should believe only what cannot be doubted any further.

Takahashi believed that religion should not be turned into the sustenance of life, so he lived off of the profits that he earned as the corporate manager of Koden Industry Co., Ltd., without taking any profits from his religious activities. Takahashi allotted the profits he made as a corporate manager to fund missionary activities and regular administrative expenses for his religious organization.

Principles that Takahashi preached
Takahashi advocated shinri (laws of nature prescribed by God, also called hou), which does not change even if the times change. Specifically, he stressed going back to the teachings of Buddha and Jesus Christ, and based on his own experiences, Takahashi preached the existence of souls and the great beyond. He stated that after death, the soul of each person goes off to a world that corresponds to that person's character (reflected through the amount of the soul's light; a greater amount of light represents a higher degree of harmony with God). Takahashi also advocated the practice of the hasshoudo (Noble Eightfold Path) that Buddha preached, as a method for harmonization on earth and for growth of each person's soul. He preached self-reflection as a means to do away with the cloudiness in one's soul (said to be created by humans' disharmonic ideas and actions) and to receive God's light, which the soul is said to originally receive. Takahashi then emphasized the practice of ideas and actions after self-reflection.

The essence of the universe
According to Takahashi, the universe that we live in is the source of banshou (all beings) and banbutsu (all things), and follows various principles, starting with the principle of samsara (cycle). The macrocosm is controlled by one large "cosmic consciousness" that harmonizes the universe.  This consciousness itself is a God (the "Great God of the Macrocosm") and this universe is the body of God. The solar system in this world is merely one of the small organs of the body of the macrocosm, and earth is a small cell. As the Earth is a cell in the body of the universe, it possesses a consciousness. In such a way, banbutsu represents all things, and is a mass of energy. Since the macrocosm is a divine body, the Earth, as a cell in this macrocosm, is also a divine body, or a temple. All things, starting with human beings, continue repeating the process of samsara in order to make this Earth into a harmonious "Buddha land", or utopia, that follows divine will. Takahashi referred to the attainment of enlightenment based on becoming one with the macrocosm at the apogee of the rise in the degree of harmony of the soul with God as uchu sokuware (the mindset where one can understand all truths in an instant upon expanding their other self to the scale of the universe, through self-reflective meditation).

Past life, present life, and afterlife
Takahashi referred to the material world that we live in as the "phenomenal world" and the non-material world where the soul returns after death as the "actual world". He believed in evolution through the course of samsara. Growth was indicative of a rise in harmony with the gods, becoming closer to the existence of compassion and love. Based on this degree of harmony with the gods, stages of consciousness would arise in the soul of each human being. Those that are particularly harmonious are considered as the world above (fourth dimension to the ninth dimension; a larger number indicates a higher degree of harmony), whereas the most disharmonious are considered to be in hell. Thus, the living circumstances in the real world after death change depending on the degree of harmony one had achieved. Through this cycle, human beings become closer to the existence of compassion and love.

With regard to samsara, Takahashi compared the physical body to being just a boat for traveling through life, and life to a route for the soul, which is the essence of human beings. The physical body is only given by the gods and by one's parents as a virtual boat for traveling through life.

With the 3rd dimension as the origin, each dimension is referred to by name, such as the "astral world" of the fourth dimension and the "spiritual world" of the fifth dimension, but according to Takahashi, the numbers are merely appellations; in reality, these stages are considered as existing inexorably, confirmed when the third eye is open.

Plan of the world above
According to Takahashi, gods are light, they are the energy that fills the macrocosm, they are the dharma, they are unlimited will, and they are all compassion and love. In the world above, gods are also considered to be symbolized as a spiritual second sun. In relation to this, buddhas in Buddhism, and the Messiah in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is a person that has realized "uchu soku ware", the concept of Brahman and the self as one. Human beings are all equally the children of God, and can reach the stage of buddha by making their soul grow through numerous transmigrations. As of 1971, there were 423 people on earth (425 following death) who had become a Buddha. In addition, there are also bodhisattvas who are of the previous stage. The stage preceding that consists of shoten-zenjin. According to Takahashi, the specific method for attaining Buddhahood is to actually incorporate the "hasshoudou" that was preached by Gotama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, as well as self-reflection based on this hasshoudou into daily life (a method that Takahashi called "gyou soku hikari"). By practicing this, human beings can increase their degree of harmony with gods and Buddha, and as a result, attain "uchu sokuware".

What Takahashi said regarding this point was that based on this, as humans are all originally children of God, "everybody is a brother", and warring is a result of complete ignorance and misunderstanding. In addition, at one point, all people are promoting the growth of their soul while repeating samsara, so their object is actually harmony on earth. The orientation of such a framework is determined in the world above, and based on this, people are only born after designing, in Takahashi's "actual world", what will be their life and mission on earth.

However, the mission of each person is not specific, it is only to train the soul while living like a human being. "Training the soul" refers only to harmonizing one's own consciousness, harmonizing with others nearby, doing work that is suitable to harmonization, and based on this, stabilizing one's own economy, to create a peaceful environment. In such a way, it is not that Takahashi glorified particular religious austerities, but rather, he harshly criticized disharmonious austerities that would oppress everyday life, such as compulsive praying. In particular, he believed that no one should sell their soul to religious leaders who claim to be the only doorway to salvation. That would make the people dependent on the leader. If one wants to be saved, they should instead distance themselves from such organizations, self-reflect on aspects that are unharmonious to them in everyday life, and translate this into action. In doing so, by brushing away the cloudiness of one's soul one can receive the light of gods, and as an actual phenomenon, one is guided towards harmonization. "Tariki" (strength through others) constantly exists as compassion of God, but as it is not permitted for tariki to change one's consciousness, unless ones tries to receive the light of gods through their own will, this light will be closed off due to the "cloudiness" of their own soul. As a result, a person's own awareness and deeds based on this awareness are the top priorities.

The journey towards harmonization

Hasshoudou (The Noble Eightfold Path)

Using the "hasshoudou" (seeing, hearing, and speaking of things properly) that Gotama Buddha taught, as a pivot, Takahashi preached that each person self-reflects, and returns the ideal being of their soul to a state that meets the laws of nature. Also, to seek the inner cause of one's own disharmonious notions and actions, becoming aware of the causal relationship between how one's notions and actions created discord in their surroundings and whether one was inflicting harm to themselves, repenting so that this kind of result does not occur again. Ideally, to reach a state where they can reasonably put the results of their repentance into practice. It is said that at this time, the person that is self-reflecting becomes aware of "self-reflecting" solely for the purpose of harmonization with the community. Takahashi warned of becoming attached to "self-reflection" itself and becoming careless in everyday life as a result. He perceived that it is important for the action of self-reflection itself to follow "the middle road".

Our existence that is naturally driven by the laws of nature, is the body of God (the macrocosm), and human beings, who are all individual consciousnesses that were generated within the consciousness of God as the mother body, are considered as microcosms in relation, both are beings that possess consciousness, and are considered as being connected through the soul (defined by Takahashi as the central part of consciousness). It is considered that in this universe, according to Takahashi, they are not only laws that are physical, but they are also applied to the internal aspects of human beings as well (for example, laws of action and counteraction for notions and actions, laws of circulation that can be applied to physical and spiritual aspects as well as karma, which is said to be the inertia of the soul), and it is in this universe that the opportunity for the generation of all joys and sorrows lies.

Takashi referred to the laws of nature as "hou" (law), "shoubou" (proper Buddhist law), and "shinri" (divine principle), and stated that by following these laws, it becomes possible for the soul to receive the light of gods (considered as being the natural state of souls) and achieve harmony and peace, but if these laws are opposed (this freedom is considered as being permitted to human beings), one's soul creates "cloudiness," obstructing the light of gods, and resulting in the generation of anguish (development of a phenomenon where virtue is generated by thinking of virtue, and wrongness is generated by thinking of wrongness; the so-called "divine justice." One must lie on the bed one has made. This "divine justice," according to Takahashi, is the principle of the universe). Therefore, the macrocosm that was considered as being created by God and is driven by the laws themselves teach the proper way of how to live, and learning Dharma for the laws of nature and living according to the Dharma is considered a method that yields harmony within each person as well as the outside world, which is a reflection of the inside of each person. The state that suits this law is the middle road, and the method to reach this middle road is the hasshoudou that Gotama Buddha had preached (however, it is not only Buddhism that is "shinri," but rather all Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam for which "shinri" has been conveyed from the world above to the earth, and for which there is considered to be one core element to the teachings, the "hou"); by executing this Hasshoudou every day and every minute in "what they think" and "what they do," human beings can break away from the vicious cycle of bitterness and sadness that was created as a cause of one's disharmonious notions and actions, and they can also take the first step to enlightenment, based on this kind of steady everyday practice.

Takahashi referred to the sections of the Eightfold Path as Shouken (Right View), Shoushi (Right Intention), Shougo (Right Speech), Shougyou (Right Work), Shoumyou (Right Livelihood), Shoujin (Right Effort), Shounen (Right Mindfulness), and Shoujyou (Right Concentration).

For Takahashi, meditation for self-reflection consisted of lightly closing the eyelids, with the eyes facing straight forward behind the eyelids; when one becomes sleepy, he/she is to open their eyelids lightly, and direct their focus on a spot slightly in front of where they are sitting. As for the way of sitting, Takahashi deemed that sitting cross-legged is acceptable, so that the mind does not become distracted by the body. However, if one meditates to clear their mind of unnecessary thoughts without self-reflecting and while their mind is distorted, or if one acquires such a habit, evil spirits that relate to the distorted mind are drawn in, resulting in grave danger, such as one's mentality becoming seized as well as experiencing physical disorders. Takahashi believed that in continuing this kind of self-reflective meditation one starts interacting with the guardian spirit/guiding spirit, and dialogue becomes possible. Then, one reaches a level of nyoshin (a state where one is able to understand their heart to some extent, and where one has the ability to read other people's hearts).

In addition, regarding current suffering, Takahashi believed that the cause of suffering is always a result of seeds being scattered somewhere, and that as a method for eliminating this cause and relieving oneself from their sufferings, one should recall all of their doings from the day they were born until the present day temporally, according to when they were 0 to 5 years old, 5 to 10 years old, 10 to 20 years old, 20 to 30 years old, etc. They should self-reflect on their thoughts and actions in their relations with other people by comparing them with the standards of each of the 8 views and concepts described above. If one finds that there were thoughts and actions that go against "righteousness," they must determine the cause of such thoughts and actions, apologize to God, and make amends. Takahashi deemed that the "righteousness" of the hasshoudou is the righteousness according to the perspective of a well-intentioned third person.

Jealousy, animosity, or blame that develops in one's mind represents self-preservation, and is rooted in a phenomenon that occurs when one's desires are not fulfilled this can also occur if the disharmonious words and actions of another person create a distortion in one's heart. When the cloudiness is eliminated from one's heart through self-reflection, something gushes up from inside, which turns into tears and washes off dirt and dust. As one's heart transforms from one that is cloudy to one that is clear, God's light penetrates into the heart and the penetration of God's light also means that one acquires the strengths of other powers as well. Takahashi believed that when people try hard to realize a lifestyle that is based on right judgments made by the heart where there are no biases, their self-righteous heart disappears, and in turn they learn that everyone in the human race are brothers and sisters, and acquire the power of great charity and love. According to Takahashi, charity refers to actions like that of the sun where one provides the energy of heat and light fairly to both good and bad people. Harmony among the human race is said to be established when a sense of appreciation of being able to live grows, and this mindset is expressed as a shape through the action of gratitude, bodhisattva karma, where one offers services to other people.

Transition of Religion and the Path to Shinri

Towards the Present Age

Takahashi preached that Buddhism and Christianity in the present age have become academic, or formalized, and changed into a faith based on other powers. In response to this, he advocated returning to the times of Gotama Siddhartha and Jesus Christ in many of his literary works, starting with "Ningen/Shaka" ("Human Beings/Gotama Buddha"). In addition, Takahashi emphasized that neither Jesus Christ nor Gotama Siddhartha preached the thoughts of other powers at all, and that Christianity and Buddhism in their respective times were not complicated like the Christianity and Buddhism of today. With regard to the thoughts of other powers influencing these religions, these laws of nature (the pure religious base of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity) transformed as a result of the intentions of those who were in power over time, as well as the interpretations of the many scholars; the cores of these laws of nature were lost, various theories became mixed, and they became academized in a complex manner and lost their substance. In addition, these laws of nature were intentionally distorted and conveyed to people for the purpose of individual's own benefit, and people were made to believe that those who obstructed this would be met with strict counteractions. This new set of distorted laws were slowly deemed as being the laws of nature as taught in today's versions of those religions.

From Ancient Times to the Christian Era

Just over 300 million years ago, the first fleet of antigravitational photon spacecraft (or UFOs), guided by seven archangels including Michael, came from a harmonized star called Beta to Earth, in search of a new world. They settled in the delta of the eastern region of the Nile Valley in Egypt. Before long, the first utopia of humankind was built in a place called El-Kantale. Today, El-Kantale is known as the Garden of Eden. The people of El-Kantale were able to freely separate souls from physical bodies using astral projection, and were thus able to freely make contact with the world above. Over time, a second fleet came to visit Earth, and from among this group, there were some who went astray, and people who disturbed the harmony started to emerge. Michael, who was the leader, then moved these people to another location, and admonished them to self-reflect on their thoughts and actions. However, the people who were moved to a different location decided to cut off communication with the people of El-Kantale and the world above. After their death, they did not return to the world above but instead, created a world of hell, based on their disharmonious ideas (the world beyond is a metaphysical world that is based on consciousness, where ideas themselves are the source of creation). Lucifer, was sent to Earth under orders by the world above, as a human being by the name of Satan, to rescue these people, gave himself up to his own status and glory, and fell towards the world of hell where he has been reigning as the czar of the underworld ever since.

Civilization then underwent a great number of transitions, such as the sinking of the great continents of Lemuria and Mu, after which, civilization moved to the continent of Atlantis in approximately 7000 BC. Civilization developed rapidly, and people led flourishing lifestyles. Towards the end of the age of Atlantis, Agasha, who was born a king (an earlier incarnation of Jesus Christ), preached the divine principles of love and compassion to the lost souls of the people. However, people who had already sold their souls to the devil executed the angels of light, with the exception of Agasha (according to Fauriyari, the spirit of a person of that time, who appears in Takahashi's book "Kokoro no Hakken, Shinri-hen," Agasha was also executed at this time), and to set an example, the people who believed in Agasha were also buried alive.

Based on these kinds of disharmonious ideas and actions, Atlantis was covered in an immense, black consciousness, and as a counteraction, the continent of Atlantis sank. The people who escaped the downfall of Atlantis passed along their civilization to the Nile Valley in Egypt, and by integrating with other civilizations, they succeeded in building a utopia and germinating the Egyptian civilization. As angels of light that were sent at this time, there was Clario (another earlier incarnation of Jesus Christ) and Cleo Parota (which may have been the same being as Clario). Over time, civilization prospered in Greece, and Apollo (an incarnation of the archangel Michael) was born around 1500 BC. Apollo conveyed the purpose and mission of life to his people, and built the Aegean civilization. He prophesied the birth of Gotama Siddhartha in the East, and then left this Earth. Through his followers that accepted his orders, Apollo's teachings were passed along to India in the East, and came to be referred to as Brahmin.

Meanwhile, around 1180 BC, Moses was born in Egypt, which had been devastated by the people, and where people in power had accepted the spread of Satan and those at the bottom had no freedom. Moses was born among the people of Israel, (slaves in Egypt at that time), but raised as part of the royal family. He later found out that he was originally born to slaves, opened his eyes to the repugnance between rulers and subjects, and took a stand in freeing the slaves. Moses secretly received the guidance of Yahweh and led the Israelites towards Canaan, relying on the Ten Commandments. Afterwards, in Israel at around 900 B.C., the teachings of Moses became obsolete, and at a time when the Baal faith, which demands sacrifices of people's children, Elijah (another reincarnation of the archangel Michael) was born. After accepting Yahweh's orders, Elijah challenged religious leaders and King Ahab during the worship of Baal, and by carrying out several miracles, Elijah was able to defeat King Ahab and the religious leaders, and brought back Moses' Ten Commandments.

In 32 BC, Jesus Christ was born in Israel. Jesus consoled and healed poor and sick people in Israel, which was under the oppressive rule of Rome. Jesus preached love and penitence in order to be able to reach the land of God, together with his apostles, during a time when people felt very concerned for their own well-being due to persecution by people who had political power. After dying on the crucifix, Jesus showed himself to his disciples through his resurrection. The disciples came to speak languages of other countries and spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The teachings of Apollo that had been conveyed as Brahmin, finally became fossilized after approximately 1,000 years. In 654 B.C., Gotama Siddhartha (Gautama Siddhartha; reincarnation of the great guiding spirit Cantare, who was of a superior level of light) was born in Kapilvastu, India (present-day Nepal). Siddhartha was born and raised as a kshatriya (warrior). Siddhartha grew up without his mother, Maya, who had died in exchange for Siddhartha's life, in a time of unceasing wars. Even if the inside of the palace at Kapilavastue, where he lived, was elegant, Siddhartha became overwhelmed with doubt about the poor people that he would see after taking one step outside of the palace, and made a decision to go into religion. After undergoing various different ascetic training programs for 6 years, Siddhartha, ready for death, sat under the tree of Buddha and reflected on his life of 36 years and purified himself of disharmonious thoughts and actions. As a result, he caught a glimpse of the world of light, and realized that this was a reflection of the level of harmony in his own heart. With this light of compassion, he also made the demon Papias Mara and those serving under him, who were trying to obstruct Siddhartha from attaining Enlightenment, repent, ultimately resulting in salvation. Based on this, Siddhartha had gained validation on the correctness of his own method towards Enlightenment, and after progressing with self-reflection and an "expansion of consciousness," he realized that he was united with the universe (bonga ichinyo, uchu soku ware). Siddhartha, who had attained Enlightenment, honored the request of Brahma (Amon, Clario, and Moses), and started mission work. In the caste system of that time consisting of the 4 divisions, Brahmanas, Kshastriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, the Brahmanas, who devoted all their time to academics that were biased towards knowledge and will, appeared to be full of elegance at first glance, whereas the Kshastriyas experienced constant unrest and suffering from wars, and there were severe disparities between the rich and the poor among the Vaishyas and Shudras. Siddhartha, however, preached the road to self-definition based on compassion and the Noble Eightfold Path to these people without any discrimination. The teachings of Siddhartha came to be divided into the Northern Tradition (Mahayana) and Southern Tradition (Theravada), and after Zhiyi restored Buddhist teachings in China, it was introduced to the Eastern part of China in the Age of Mappou, there was a second coming of the teachings of Siddhartha, in line with the plan from the world above, in the city of Kentmati in Javadova (a country in the East) as Siddhartha had prophesied.

Soul (consciousness)

Origin of consciousness

In the universe, the generation of materials is characterized by a greater consciousness (God) of the universe as the starting point, followed by a segmentation as gravity, magnetism, electricity, light, and heat. Based on their mutual interactions, the concentration of energy, energy that has been corporealized, is reconverted into energy together with time after undergoing the process of dispersion, and based on the concentration and dispersion of this energy, the 2 phases of energy circulate eternally. Similarly, for consciousness, there is a greater consciousness (God) of the universe as a starting point, after which, individual beings are born in the actual world (the great beyond), and then they show their form in the phenomenal world (earth). The consciousness that has been born once develops while circulating between the great beyond (energy) and this world (material), with parents serving as the border (it is thought that characteristics as an individual persist; tathagatas are considered as persisting even after death, even while feeling a sense of unity with God).

Dimensional structure of consciousness
 Mentality, according to the definition by Takahashi, refers to an encompassment of the energy of God (or the energies of gods and Buddha), manas, and the soul. The consciousness of human beings is structured so that the energy of God is the central point, and manas and soul, in this order, form concentric spheres around it.
 "Energy of God" — The innermost and deepest part of consciousness. This energy is God Himself, energy itself, and compassion and love themselves. The energy of God lies within all human beings, creates the manas, and forms the soul of each person. The fact that the energy of God is inherent in human beings is the key attribute for being a human being; in the souls of human beings, the ability to differentiate and to recognize all phenomena, and to sense the unity between the macrocosm and oneself ("uchu soku ware") is thought to be derived from the undulation of this energy of God that flows from the manas.
 "Manas" – Center of consciousness — The place and vessel through which the energy of God is received. The place of the body of light itself where compassion and love are intertwined. Manas is the base point for connecting to God, and is also considered as being a bond with God. In the self-reflection talked about by Takahashi, the part of humans  that makes inquiries to the heart and listens to the heart is this manas (even if it is possible to lie to other people, the reason why it is not possible to lie to oneself at all is due to this manas that is connected to the gods and Buddha. In the great beyond, people judge themselves, not based on transcendental existence, but rather based on their own manas that cannot lie. According to Takahashi, gods are not found in shrines, temples, and churches, nor in maala or icons that have been created, but rather inside the manas of each individual person. Faith is considered as belief in this manas where one cannot lie to oneself). Takahashi believed that people can communicate with the gods through this manas.
 "Soul" – Overall consciousness — With manas at the center, the 9th-dimensional world of the universe, the 8th-dimensional world of tathagatas, the 7th-dimensional world of bodhisattvas, the 6th-dimensional world of gods, the 5th-dimensional world of spirits (the worlds up to here represent 90% of the subconscious), the 4th-dimensional astral world (zone of ideas), and the 3rd-dimensional phenomenal world (10% surface consciousness) form concentric spheres in this order (the 90% that is not part of the 10% surface consciousness is referred to as the subconscious). According to Takahashi, these eightfold concentric spheres, as a whole, are referred to as the soul. Takahashi used "consciousness" and "spirit" synonymously, or in part when referring to the 10% surface consciousness.

 "90% subconscious" – Latent layer of the soul —  the part that is equivalent to the manas, the 9th through 5th dimensions of the soul. According to Takahashi, this layer represents the worlds that are connected to manas, and is the limitless reservoir, and space full of creation, freedom, prajna, compassion, and love. It is also the Maha Prajna Paramita or "reservoir of intrinsic prajna". The dimensions of the world within correspond to the dimensions of the external world. It is said that human beings possess exquisite undulations, more so the closer they are to the manas.

 "Zone of ideas" – the layer between the subconscious and surface consciousness, it serves as the window between the two. It is the part that is equivalent to the 4th dimension. The zone of ideas itself is a part of consciousness, and consists of energy. It is considered as being the portion where the undulations of both the subconscious and surface consciousness, as mediated through the five organs of sense, mix together. According to Shinji, "sounen" (ideas) refer to the activities of the energy in which this subconscious and surface consciousness are mixed together. The activity ratio of the inside (subconscious) and outside (surface consciousness) that partitions the body of ideas is usually about 2:8 or 1:9. Consequently, the zone of ideas, which is the part where both of these consciousnesses are mixed together, is considered as the part where the impact of surface consciousness is extremely large (easily biased by the five organs of sense, or easily influenced by the environment). The amending surface consciousness (which means there are no instances of bias by the senses nor instances where one forges ahead filled with desires, without self-reflecting) and purification of the zone of ideas (eliminating the cloudiness of the soul by amending thoughts and actions) were thought of as representing an opportunity for making the actions of the subconscious (zenga) work on the zone of ideas and surface consciousness (referring to the light of the guardian/guiding spirits and light of the inside reaching the surface). However, the layer of the subconscious that acts strongly, or in other words, the dimension to which one's consciousness is connected to, appears as the character of that person, and it is thought that there are authoritative stages to this. There are individual differences in whether this action is expressed as "reidou" which is a psychic power that is suited to the laws of nature.

As the method for doing so, the Noble Eightfold Path and self-reflection are suggested. In addition, it is considered that the lifestyles of each person in their past life, as well as in the great beyond and in the phenomenal world, are recorded in this zone of ideas. In this, all thoughts and actions in one's life are recorded in detail with extreme exquisiteness, in the form of colors that correspond to the person's thoughts and actions (particularly compassionate acts or thoughts are recorded in gold letters). However, when starting afresh and making compensations through self-reflecting from the heart, records that reflect disharmonious thoughts and actions that deviated form the middle road, (which are recorded in red letters), are left over as records of ideas and behaviors, but the fact that self-reflection was carried out is described next to the disharmonious portion. Incidentally, it is thought that when one leads a life of the middle road, entries are made in black characters. The function of the soul depends on the compassion of gods and Buddha. The tones of this zone of ideas determine the world that one goes to after death. For this reason alone, Takahashi placed importance on self-reflection and actions that achieve harmony after self-reflection.

 "10% surface consciousness" – Open layer of the soul: the so-called open consciousness. World of the five organs of sense — the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and the skin — and the will that serves as the base point for judgments through these five organs, the place for daily life and actions. The cause of the suffering of human beings lies entirely six roots of perception (the five organs of sense, plus consciousness), and suffering is thought of as occurring due to these six roots being constrained by the actions of surface consciousness (symbols such as status, honor, appearance).

 There is also a "body of light" that shrouds the soul and functions as a body in the actual world. In human beings who possess a physical body, the body of light and the atomic corporality (body of the physical world/phenomenal world; a concept originated by Takahashi) are linked together and integrated by a "pipe (reishi-sen)" that can be expanded and contracted without limit, where the exchange of information is being conducted magnetically and reciprocally (during sleep, the soul, which separates from the physical body, receives the energy of mentality in the actual world. However, the reishi-sen (life line between God and all living things) remains connected); the brain is solely an arithmetical unit, and the center of memory is thought to lie in the body of light. When this reishi-sen breaks and the body of light and the atomic corporality have completely separated, death (in other words, the return of the soul to the actual world/the great beyond) is signified.

The principle body of the soul and 5 alter egos

According to Takahashi, the soul of a human being is formed from the principle body of 1 person and the alter egos of 5 people. As the composition for this, there are 4 series, as shown below.

 1 male principle body, 5 male alter egos
 1 female principle body, 5 female alter egos
 1 male principle body, 2 male alter egos, 3 female alter egos
 1 female principle body, 2 female alter egos, 3 male alter egos

The principle body and alter egos are thought of as possessing the same kinds of characteristics with regard to assets and drawbacks in terms of personality. The principle body has the role of resolving even the karma that each alter ego creates, in addition to the karma that is created by oneself (it is acceptable for alter egos to resolve their own karma). Takahashi referred to this as the "brothers of the soul". When 1 person out of 6 appears on earth, 1 person from among the remaining 5 serves as the guardian spirit (there may also be cases where this role is played by a physical ancestor). Aside from the "brothers of the soul," for the specialized occupation that an earthly human being holds, the spirit that provides guidance from the actual world is referred to as the guiding spirit. Spirits that are suited for each of the specialized fields of the earthly beings serve as guiding spirits; for example, a spirit specialized in physics would guide a person specializing in physics, and a spirit specialized in law would guide a person specializing in law.

Notes

References

Further reading
 Shinji Takahashi, Kokoro no Genten (Origin of the Heart), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., September 1, 1973,  (October 30, 1980, Revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Kokoro no Hakken, Genshou-hen (Discovery of the Heart, Volume of Actual Proof), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., April 20, 1973,  (January 31, 1981 revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Kokoro no Hakken, Kagaku-hen (Discovery of the Heart, Volume of Science), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., May 10, 1971,  (January 31, 1981 revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Kokoro no Hakken, Shinri-hen (Discovery of the Heart, Volume of Divine Principle), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., January 15, 1971,  (January 10, 1982 revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Kokoro no Shishin (Guide for the Heart), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., January 5, 1974,  (November 10, 1980, Revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Shingan wo Hiraku (Gaining Insight), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., July 8, 1974,  (November 10, 1980, Revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Ningen/Shaka 1 Idiai Naru Satori (Human Beings/Gotama Buddha: The Greatest Enlightenment), SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd., April 1, 1973,  (October 31, 1980, Revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Gensetsu Hannya Shingyou: Naizai sareta Eichi no Kyumei (Original Theory of the Prajna Heart Sutra: Identifying the Inherent Wisdom), SAMPOH Publishing Col., Ltd., December 15, 1971,  (January 15, 1981, Revised edition)
 Shinji Takahashi, Takahashi Shinji Kouenshu Cassette Book (Cassette Book of Shinji Takahashi's Lectures), 41 volumes total, SAMPOH Publishing Co., Ltd.

External links
 God Light Association
 GLA

20th-century Japanese businesspeople
Japanese religious leaders
1927 births
1976 deaths
Founders of new religious movements

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This post first appeared on eSchool News.
Your vision and principles may be different. They should be particular to the culture and the needs of the children that you serve in your community.
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Tom Daccord, Director of EdTechTeacher, is the co-author of iPads in the Classroom: From Consumption and Curation to Creation and will be a featured presenter at the February 9-11 EdTechTeacher iPad Summit in San Diego.


In Denver this year, the fall has been extraordinarily lovely and has really been prolonged. There are still very lovely trees with leaves in many colors all over the city. I've really enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of fall, and this one has been exceptional.
As any antelope amicably acknowledges, aggressive alopecia acts as acceptable armor against attacking animals. At an acute adventure, as when an attacker attempts an ambush, all fibers abandon their abodes, allowing an antelope, blessed with acute alacrity, to avert abduction. Assuredly, other abilities would afford additional (and advanced) aid. Although an antelope's anti-predator accessories are an adaptation likely to activate amusement, arguments can be made that "acceptable" armaments, such as those armadillos acquired, aren't actually any more admirable. After all, armadillos aren't attractive.
As arguing against the Almighty and all His Angels is unlikely to accommodate any augmentation, animals appease themselves with attainable ambitions. There is no assumption of adulation or aristocracy among animals. Animals accept their abilities and adversities. Humans are an alternate animal, far less acquiescent.
Appreciating that this antelope antecedent has applicability within this awfully adulterated anecdote, my audience's attentions are now apprehended by a group of archers, with their arrows aimed at an antelope. Appetites are awakened; the audience will accept no anticlimax, anticipation amplifies around the amphitheater as an arrow arcs forward, soaring swiftly along in the autumnal air.
Arriving near its appointed antelope, assuming, even anticipating, at least a small amount of appeasement, the animal, alerted, ambles aside, admitting the ammunition to an admittedly accidental and unfortunate anguish, alighting near the animal's arse.
As the anticipated appetizer of antelope approaches, the audience awakens to the aforementioned alopecia, and attends to a new agony: each allotment arrives anointed with an astronomic amount of antelope hair.
Having grown up the daughter of a butcher, I've seen my fair share of antelope haunches, which is where I first learned about this strange phenomena. Antelope hair is short, and it all gets everywhere. It's impossible to completely remove it from within the meat, even if the skin is removed.
alopecia / ALL – oh – pesh – ah / loss of hair, baldness. Which, of course, is why the hair treatment for men is called Pro-pecia, as in, pro hair. Or something. Just don't open the pills anywhere near someone with two X chromosomes.


Deepawali, the festival of lights, rekindles the reminiscences of Delhi during the reign of the last emperor of Hindustan, Bahadur Shah Zafar, who sat on the throne in the twilight years of the Mughal dynasty. The city of Delhi has an innate quality of integrating all those who come to live within its boundaries. The culture, faith, and architecture of all who came to the city from places afar got amalgamated and gave rise to a syncretic culture. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal monarch, was an epitome of this syncretic culture or the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, as it had come to be known by the 19th century when he ruled.
Deepawali has a special relationship with Delhi, which is located on the bank of the Yamuna. The river, called Yami in Hindu mythology, happens to be the twin sister of Yama, the god of death. On Dhanteras before Deepawali, Hindus keep a lamp burning throughout the night to pay obeisance to Yama, the Lord of Death. The last emperor, too, paid his obeisance to Yama on Deepawali as long as he ruled from the Red Fort. The Rang Mahal inside the Red Fort was the epicenter of the royal celebrations of Deepawali, the festival of lights or Jashn-e-Chiraghan, as it was called. This part of the fort was specially lit and decorated with earthen lamps, chandeliers, metallic lamp stands and pedestal chandeliers.
Upper-class gentry and affluent businessmen of the Chandni Chowk would not only illuminate their havelis and stately mansions with earthen lamps, but also place diyas on the banks of the canal that ran through the middle of the Chandni Chowk. Huge swathes of luminescence trembled on the water as countless diyas floated in the stream. Sikhs at Gurdwara Sisganj provided oil, whereas Muslims supplied cotton for the lamps to illuminate the entire stretch of Chandni Chowk till Fatehpuri.
By the time Zafar sat on the throne, the writ of the Mughal emperor ran only inside the Red Fort, as the British Resident in Delhi controlled everything, including succession. However, like a true King of Delhi and its motley population, Zafar celebrated both Hindu and Muslim festivals, including Deepawali, with all the pomp and gaiety due to a Badshah inside his Qila-e-Mubarak, or the Red Fort as we call it. Dilli Ka Aakhiri Deedar, written by Syed Wazir Hasan Dehlvi, which has been translated into English by Rana Safvi, mentions that the fort was illuminated with earthen lamps during Deepawali. The royal children made mud houses, which were filled with puffed rice and sweetmeats, and lamps were lit in front of those tiny houses.
Ramlila during Dasehra was already an established tradition in Delhi by the time Zafar ascended the throne. The Purabiya soldiers, who were earlier employed in the Mughal army, continued to stage Ramlila even after they joined the company Bahadur's army. However, the contribution by the Fort continued, and Zafar was always excited about the aatishbaazi or firework, the material for which was procured from the Paiwalan bazar near Jama Masjid. The inmates of the Red Fort watched the firework during Deepawali and Ramlila from the turrets.
An emperor only in name, Zafar lived off a pension from the British who had virtually taken over the governance of the whole of Hindustan. The last emperor was fully aware of his status and hence utilised his time composing poems in Urdu and hosting mushairas or poetry recital sessions in the Red Fort or outside. As was customary, the emperor's compositions were read out before others. The poetry sessions oftentimes included recitals by virtuosos of Urdu poetry, such as Zauq and Mirza Ghalib, and continued till the wee hours of the morning. Zafar was himself skilled in poetry and patronised countless poets such as Zauq, Ghalib, and Momin. Both Zauq and Ghalib served as the poet laureate in his court.
Another festival that Zafar and his court participated with fervor was the annual event Phoolwalon Ki Sair held after monsoon at Bakhtiyar Kaki's tomb at Mehrauli. All his courtiers and family members would travel to Mehrauli from the Red Fort. Badshah would stay with his entourage at the Zafar Mahal, which was the last building constructed by a Mughal in Delhi. Muslims offered floral coverings and fans at Bakhtiyar Kaki's dargah, whereas Hindus offered floral canopies and fans at Yogmaya temple during this festival. Phoolwalon Ki Sair, a festival unique to Delhi, is still celebrated and draws huge participation from all communities.


Experience the extraordinary as we travel to Nogales, Mexico.
Go and See a new corner of the world.
Go and Learn about Christ in a new way, on a new frontier.
Go and Experience community and adventure.
Join us as we travel to Mexico and work with a locally established ministry serving the families and communities in Nogales, Mexico. For the trip, FOCUS is partnering with the Cuirim House Outreach who have worked in Nogales for the last 15 years. The program directors of the Cuirim House Outreach spend five weeks every summer bringing groups of high school-aged students to Mexico to work and serve the needs of people in Nogales. Our hope is that everyone will walk away from this trip challenged to give more, love more, and be more involved with God's work around the world.
Note: FOCUS will coordinate and book flights for the program. Participants will be charged the market value for the flights. We estimate the flights will be under $1,000.
Nogales is located along the Arizona border, about one hour south of Tucson. It used to be a sleepy, little border town until American and European companies established factories that take advantage of the cheap labor. People don't plan on living in Nogales. They just end up there. One day they wake up and find themselves working in a factory for $1/hr, raising their family in a squatter's village, and living in a house made of pallets and a dirt floor, without basic utilities like water or electricity. Our work in Nogales will be to provide people with the basic support that is needed.
FOCUS will coordinate and book flights for the program. Participants will be charged the market value for the flights. (We estimate the flights will be under $1,000.) All travel will be coordinate from each participants preferred originating city to Tucson, AZ. Flights will be scheduled so that the team arrives in Tucson, AZ around the same time. From there we will gather at a local hotel to meet the rest of the group and start orientation. After spending the night in the hotel, enjoying our last hot shower of the week, we will head to the border where we will walk across. We will then take a chartered school bus to the Cuirim House in Nogales. Once we get settled at the Cuirim House we will start our work projects for the week.
Cuirim House partners with local churches to establish ministries that provide food, clothing, home improvements, and relational supports that increase community and hope. Our team will be involved in a variety of service projects. Additionally, we will be participating in community outreach activities some evenings to the children in the area including activities such as games or crafts.
We will be staying in Nogales at the Cuirim House, which is a facility built to accommodate groups like ours. We sleep in basic bunkrooms with no air conditioning and limited/no running water for showers. The Cuirim House is located in a safe area and provides a great meeting spot for us as we head out each day to learn and serve. All of our food and water is purchased in the US and brought over the border to be prepared and cooked by the Cuirim House's chef.
Safety is of the utmost priority to FOCUS and to the hosting staff of the Cuirim House. The hosting staff are intentional about making certain that the team always remains as safe as possible. One of the greatest attributes to this program is that we are partnering with and plugging into a ministry that has been established long before we arrive and will remain long after we leave. We will be accompanied by a Cuirim House staff at all times. We do ask all families considering the trip to review the State Department travel advisories for Mexico and the northern Sonora area.