Memoirs written in prose of Sergeant Robertson, Damon M. USMC while in Iraq | ...with frequent appearances of King Hammurabi.
If you are new to this journal, make sure to start reading in chronological order by scrolling down to the bottom of the oldest post in October 2004. Damon's letters from August 20th, 2004 - October 23rd, 2004 were all added to this blog on Oct. 23rd, 2004. All subsequent letters are posted in real time.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Re: Hammurabi, USMC - DMR
Dear Family and Friends: Brief Essay: The Error of Historically-Applied Atheism I've been reading up on Mesopotamian history as a part of a study of pyramids/ziggurats (sp?) and I'm sure most of you know that even though these sorts of structures exist all over the world, from meso-America to just 80 miles south of myself (ancient Babylon herself). Different cultures at different times decided it was a great idea to make these huge stone/earthworks projects... you'll even find manmade hills/mounds/mountains in Ireland and Britain. It was the thing to do, of course only after the novelty of stone circles had past away. There's a begged question: Why in the Name of God would you haul all that stuff together and stack it up like it was cool? Mostly religious reasons. Pyramids are assumed to be tombs. *Assumed*. No bodies were ever found in them, no inscriptions, etc., that are commonplace in real tombs like those found in the valley of kings. Mesopotamian and American step-pyramids (ziggurats) were used primarily, it is believed, as a means of communication with the gods. The tower of babel, of Biblical fame, is reputedly the result of man's quest to build himself a stairway to heaven. Babylon, specifically: Marduk was the prime deity of the city. His ziggurat, the tower of babel, called "Etanumenaki" or something funky like that, was one of the largest (if not the largest) ever created. The temple courts surrounding his step-pyramid were huge, covering vast acreage in the city, while next door Marduk had his own palace. His own palace? Wha...? Herein lies the fallacy of historical research, succinctly, if not sloppily, laid out: we read all sorts of accounts about daily life and assume that they are correct. Crops were harvested in such a way, so and so owed some other dude a tooth and Hammurabi yanked it out to make amends, some rich dude married some hot chick from three wadis over, you name it. All Veritical Truth. At least we take it that way. Consider the pyramids. There's some funky math at work in these piles of multi-ton brick. I don't remember exactly, but the height of the pyramid is something heinous like 4380 ft (that's real high so I'm not sure I have the exact number right; we're referring to the Great Pyramid of Giza). Random number, right? Not so much. It's the exact number of years it takes the earth to complete one rotation in an ongoing sequence of planetary conjunctions. Or something. But that's a real big coincidence. It's just a tomb, though. Right. Let's get back to babylon. Marduk's ziggurat was created because he was said to actually come visit babylon. For real. The steps of his pyramid weren't laid to let people *up*. They're there to allow him a way down among the people, and a short walk leads him to his very own palace, which was larger than Nebuchadnezzar's, by the way. Yet we assume that this religion, this "hocus pocus" of a superstitious and backwards people, is just a nice story. Used to keep the masses in line by making them work hard, a welfare project, etc. We give it any name to give it any designation other than "it might have some truth to it." Why on earth do I bring this up... it's a fun "what if.." No, I'm not suggesting any belief of mine that space aliens or angelic beings actually visited the pyramids, but let's be honest. Calling these things merely extensions of human pride and superstition, given what it took to put them up in the first place, seems a bit insulting. These same people are known to have performed surguries within the human skull, for crying out loud. Some of them, and maybe not a whole lot, but a crucial few really knew what was up. ... Once we go to mars and if/when we find anything of archeological value there, then I'll start talking about pyramids and aliens and "precourser races" and all that fun science fiction Geek stuff. Yes, if you're wondering what it takes to keep me occupied in my forklift for days and hours on end when I'm not getting tossed around by 110 lb. Hadjis, this is it. Or at least part of it. And Britta says I'm not a Geek. What does she know? I'm proud of my Geekness. I embrace it. Like "Yankee Doodle Dandy" from the revolutionary war. One mans' derision is my badge of honor. Long Live the Geeks! And all God's people said, ENOUGH ALREADY!!! So be it... :] :D ------- Written on Jan 10th, Failed to post on Jan 13th------------- Dear Family and Friends: My Geekness is in dispute. Like any man of honor I must rise to the occasion in defense of my character. There are three main kinds of social rejects commonly grouped together and interchangeably referred to as Geeks, Nerds, and Dorks. All share a similar quality, that is they excelled primarily in studies and things of an intellectual nature and tended to suffer in areas of sports and social activities. Succinctly put, we're smart but we're whimps who never heard "yes" when we asked a member of the opposite sex out on a date. Geeks are more emotively motivated than their counterparts. While they share common interests such as star wars movies and light sabres with the others, a Geek is more likely to attach to the emotional thread of the story line, to identify with the seething anger and pain in the heart of Darth Vader while simultaneously yearning to share in the pure heart of his innocent and brave son, Luke. Nerds are more calculated; mathematically inclined, if you will. They would concern themselves more with computer programming, arguing over exactly why a light sabre is impossible/possible to make work, or how the special effects look cheasy in certain scenes. Nerds have wonderful hearts, too. Don't get me wrong. They're just more likely to work in at Nektar Therapeutics than seek employment as a penniless sitar player/sensitive poet goat-herd. Dorks are the true Masters of all previously stated traits. They are the best and worst of both worlds, typically such that they magnify the faults of either class in order to excell at any intellectual or creative feats to be had. Generally, while a Geek or a Nerd may break out of their social castigation in young adulthood, Dorks are in it for good. I mean, I'm a Geek and I've knocked people out and broken bones with my bare hands. Things have changed *slightly* in the past few years. I actually have gone on a date or two in the better part of the last decade as well. Some things improve slower than others. Oh well. Let it be writ that the computer guys are time nazis and don't know who's been in and out of here at all. I'm the last to enter, the second to leave. Justice, where art thou? :D
# posted by chevas @ 1:25 AM 