Babylon 5 - [5x14] - Meditations of the Abyss - G'Kar Lecture

My favourite scene from Babylon 5;
An excerpt from the episode 'Meditations of the Abyss' in season 5.

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"And as a result, we spend too much time trying to be serious as if that proved that we were more enlightened. Better than everyone else. But we can't be free until we learn to laugh at ourselves. Once you look in the mirror and see just how foolish we can be, laughter is inevitable. And from laughter comes wisdom.
Next question."

"What is truth? And what is God?"

"You don't really want an answer to that question."

"Yes, I do. Please."

"If I take a lamp and shine it toward the wall a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search for truth, for understanding. Too often we assume that the light on the wall is God. But the light is not the goal of the search. It is the result of the search. The more intense the search, the brighter the light on the wall. The brighter the light on the wall the greater the sense of revelation upon seeing it. Similarly, someone who does not search, who does not bring a lantern with him sees nothing.

What we perceive as God is the byproduct of our search for God. It may simply be an appreciation of the light, pure and unblemished, not understanding that it comes from us. Sometimes we stand in front of the light and assume that we are the center of the universe. God looks astonishingly like we do. Or we turn to look at our shadow and assume that all is darkness. If we allow ourselves to get in the way we defeat the purpose which is to use the light of our search to illuminate the wall in all its beauty and in all its flaws. And in so doing better understand the world around us."

"Yes. But... What is truth? And what is God?

"Truth is... a river."

"And what is God?"

"God is... the mouth of the river."

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Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• babylon
• babylon5
• 5x14
• meditations
• of
• the
• abyss
• g'kar

[ElegantPaws01]

Freakin, brilliant writing and devastating delivery. One of my other favourite scenes is Delenn and Sheridan with an explanation as to why individuals are placed in given situations. The writing on this show was absolutely impeccable. I am amazed sometimes this series got made. It was funny. It was human. It was freakin deep and it was a piece of Mastery that succeeded amongst the dross that is usually television.

[avoozl]

@ElegantPaws01 Thank you for the reminder! I added that scene too.

There are so many jewels of philosophy and wisdom in this show it should be awarded several awards!

[damintruth]

Hey aquarius. Signs of time's . It is like water. It just keep's on coming, and they can't stop it. See you around. It must not be nothing, in some of there head's. They live and die, and then byb byb. No faith no sight. Maybe it is some kind of a two way street. Life is a teacher. For it is clear to me.

[amiaquariusiam]

@theyrdaydreamers Why do you spend time here. For they are just playing with your head. For we see the truth in you. For some just live and die. And that is all they know. For many will turn away from the very truth. Some will live a lie, And some just cannot take the truth. For it is in the mind of you. The wonder's of God. For you live in his glory. Come to were i am, and we will talk man to man. For it is for who behold's it. Not for them that don't.

[theyrdaydreamers]

@SiriusMined Fear is the begining of understanding. But to love God is better. For he is the only truth. What is man to God. For a christian will twist and still, from the word's of God, to make them fell better. For i was in farster care, and rase by christian's from one place to another. For if we read a bible, we must read it all to understand. Not some. I know man can sin, but how great can he sin, and not know it. For a christian fall's before Lucifer, and not know it,

[SiriusMined]

@theyrdaydreamers

Ah, but WHY do you think god said it?

"Maybe i am just a God fearing man"

If you follow your god, why do you fear him?

"Pray and repent, for your sake"

Repent assumes that I'm doing something that I'm not supposed to do. That's a HUGE assumption on your part.

I'll ask you again, if you aren't Christian, why do you read the KJV?

[SiriusMined]

@theyrdaydreamers "I didnot threting you in hell."

You didn't use the word "hell", but that's the extension of what you DID say.

Young? No. I'm 43. I think it's funny though, considering how juvenille your writting is

[funkmystar]

From laughter comes wisdom

[SiriusMined]

@theyrdaydreamers

Not Chrsitian, but throwing threats of hell? Why are you quoting the KJV if you aren't Chrstian?