SevenQuestions: Michael Ivey

Seven answers on 7Q (also known as the FAQs of life.)
Interviewed by Tom Mangan

Michael Ivey, Linux admin and philosopher

His Web site is here

AUTHORS

Michael Fuchs
Elizabeth Hilts
Paul Riddell
Gary Rivlin
Jim Motavalli
Barbara Shafferman
Jules Siegel
Keith Snyder

ARTISTS/POETS/
PHILOSOPHERS

Jon C. Allen
Will Baker
Mike Leung
Jon Sarkin

COOL SITE KEEPERS

Mike Cash
Scott O'Neal Colf
Godfrey Daniels
Cliff Davis, DDS
Tammy Hocking
Wes Modes
Frank Rogan

DIARISTS

Ralph Becker
J. D. Bruns
Linda DeVault
Mike Reed
Moira Richardson
Jessamyn West

FILMMAKERS

Ben Kufrin
Dean Mermell

JOURNALISTS

Bernie
Mary Cooley-Jones
Lindsay Crysler
Jamie Dupree
M.O.A.T.M.A.I.
David Moll
Robert Niles
John Orr
Steven Ovadia
Pierce Presley
Mack Reed
Rip Rense
Curtis Ross
Neal Ross
John Scalzi
Catherine Seipp
David Sheets
Dwight Silverman
Matt Welch

MOVIE MAVENS

MaryAnn Johanson
Brian Koller

HUMORISTS

Debbie Farmer
Mike Jasper
Madeleine Begun Kane
Patrick Keller
Bob Sassone
Valerie Sprague
Ken Swarmer
Ian Wolff

SOLDIERS

Maj. Jon Anderson, USAF

TEACHERS

John Warner

TECHIES

Chris Adamson
Mike Gunderloy
Michael Ivey
Greg Knauss
Floyd Maxwell
Ellen McDonough
Mike Pingleton
Wayne Thume
John Worth

TEENS

Gary Baum
Marty Beckerman

UNDECLARED

Bev Gibbs
Beth Reid

WEBLOGGERS

Jason Kottke
Jish Mukerji

ONE
What would you say is most misunderstood thing about the Unitarian faith?

Well, first off, the most common misunderstanding is that it is the "Unitarian faith". In May of 1961, the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. The youth groups of the two churches had already merged several years before. While it's true that there are still some congregations that are only Unitarian, and even more that are only Universalist, most congregations in the Association consider themselves UU.

As far as actual theological misunderstandings, many people are confused by the fact that UUs don't have an official creed that says what you have to believe to be a UU. Since religion is about separating people out into distinct packets, it's hard to see how a creedless religion could determine who belongs and who doesn't. While many of us in the faith see this lack of creed as one of the main reasons to be a UU, it can cause some confusion. For example, many people claim that without a creed, you don't have a religion, because anyone can believe whatever they want. And in some ways, that's true. As a UU, I support everyone's search for religious truth by whatever path they may choose. That doesn't mean I support any behavior under the sun, especially destructive behavior. While I'm searching for truth, I have a responsibility to not harm you in the process. It's a separation of belief and behavior that many churches don't have.

For more information on what it means to be a UU, check out the Purposes and Principles of the UUA at http://www.uua.org/principles.html, which clarifies the kinds of fundamental things UUs (usually) hold dear.

TWO
What's your favorite inscrutable ritual from your years of studying religion?

That one where the priest guy sticks his hand in the other guy's chest and pulls out his heart...what was that one called?

Seriously, I've always been a fan of rituals at an academic level, but tend to avoid many of them as a participant. It's also very hard to pick a favorite...but I'll give it a go.

One of the most amazing rituals I've observed myself is the walking of the labyrinth at the Chartes Cathedral. The labyrinth was laid in the floor there around 1220, and people come from all over to walk it. Since it has only the one path, it's not like a maze...you can only go in to the center, and then come out. The participants walk slowly, usually in prayer or meditation. It's truly an amazing thing to see.
The Jewish Seder dinner is also one of my favorites, as a participant. The UU church I attended as a teenager did a Seder dinner every year. The way that the rituals are built into the lifestyle and culture of the Jewish people gives them a really rich heritage of powerful rituals.

Finally, having grown up as a Baptist, I have some deep-rooted affinity for dunking people in the water. I've never been to a river baptism, but I think there is some amazing power in that ritual, whether you believe in the doctrine behind it or not.

THREE

What do you say to the notion that our concept of a soul is really just a glandular secretion of some sort?

Ew?

I've always been a firm believer in non-physical manifestations of personhood. What makes you "Tom" is a combination of physical stuff and non-physical stuff. Without either one, you'd not be "Tom".

Or, just go with "Ew?" as it sums up my first reaction quite well.

FOUR What's the least-understood thing about religious fundamentalism?
Thomas Aquinas said "Beware the man of one book." I've always felt that that summed up the "philosopher's view" of fundamentalism. I suspect that most people, when they consider fundamentalism, see it as an irrational or over-the-top kind of thing. Many also associate fundamentalism with that vile cancer on our society, televangelism.

I think what people don't consider is that for the fundamentalist, and for this example I'll use Christian fundamentalism, but any religion's fundamentalists will do...for the fundamentalist, Jesus was flesh and blood, and died for you. Do you comprehend that? Do you feel that in your gut? Jesus died for you. That's very tangible for a fundamentalist. It's not a philosophical idea, open for discussion, but an absolute fact, as evident and unquestionable as the air we breath, or the keyboard I'm typing this on.

For the fundamentalist, there is no doubt, no "reason" or "logic" that can have any influence. The belief is "fundamental". That's amazingly powerful, and actually quite rare in today's society.

FIVE
What do you really like about Atlanta?

I visited New York a few weeks back, for the Linux World Expo. After we got back, on the way home from the airport, I was a little bit overwhelmed by how glad I was to be back home. I remember thinking, "God I love this city." Everything about it makes me glad to be a native.

Part of it is the history. Every street, every building, every neighborhood has a story to tell...and in many cases, I have personal stories about the places I'm at. Stories handed down through my family, or heard from friends, or picked up as part of the Atlanta collective folklore.

The pace is slower here than in other big cities. We have all the sights and tourista stuff, plenty of shopping and entertainment, a somewhat thriving nightlife, and yet we do it all with a sense of style, almost grace. I don't know of any other city that has a personality, as a whole, like Atlanta does.

My roots are so deep here, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Really the best thing about Atlanta is that it's home. Nowhere else could ever feel like that.

SIX
When you get rich & famous, what's one thing about you the reporters will consistently get wrong?

I doubt anyone will get the whole religion-theater-philosophy-computergeek connection. Since I don't know which one of those, or something else, will be my area of expertise for being rich and famous, I'm not sure how they'll get it wrong...but I plan on making it even more eccecltic, just in case they start to get it right.

SEVEN
Where do you see common ground in technology and the spirit, beyond the basic observation that we couldn't have created it without having been Created ourselves?

Well, for one thing, people are always praying over their machines, to get them to do what they need. Can't find that file that your boss needed 20 minutes ago? Mumble a little prayer while the hard disk is being searched. Suprisingly, it sometimes works.

As far as how a degree in Religion is useful for a geek like me, it's much less concrete. In my Religion training, I learned a lot about critical thinking, and thinking in abstract terms. Abstraction is very important in technology. Too many people are unable to abstract complex problems up a few layers, where they can be easily solved. It really is a huge benefit for me, especially in crisis situations. It enables me to quickly analyze a situation, and see a solution. I never would have gotten that in a CS major.

THE BIG INDEX...
Who they are, what they do, how they think. Go there now.

A TO Z ARCHIVE...

Everybody here, with quickie bios. Go there now.

Return to the main Seven Questions page
See the original Newsies 7Q project

Contact info@sevenquestions.com
Copyright 1999-2002, Thomas L. Mangan



Seven answers on 7Q (also known as the FAQs of life.)	Interviewed by Tom Mangan Michael Ivey, Linux admin and philosopher His Web site is here	AUTHORS Michael Fuchs Elizabeth Hilts Paul Riddell Gary Rivlin Jim Motavalli Barbara Shafferman Jules Siegel Keith Snyder ARTISTS/POETS/ PHILOSOPHERS Jon C. Allen Will Baker Mike Leung Jon Sarkin COOL SITE KEEPERS Mike Cash Scott O'Neal Colf Godfrey Daniels Cliff Davis, DDS Tammy Hocking Wes Modes Frank Rogan DIARISTS Ralph Becker J. D. Bruns Linda DeVault Mike Reed Moira Richardson Jessamyn West FILMMAKERS Ben Kufrin Dean Mermell JOURNALISTS Bernie Mary Cooley-Jones Lindsay Crysler Jamie Dupree M.O.A.T.M.A.I. David Moll Robert Niles John Orr Steven Ovadia Pierce Presley Mack Reed Rip Rense Curtis Ross Neal Ross John Scalzi Catherine Seipp David Sheets Dwight Silverman Matt Welch MOVIE MAVENS MaryAnn Johanson Brian Koller HUMORISTS Debbie Farmer Mike Jasper Madeleine Begun Kane Patrick Keller Bob Sassone Valerie Sprague Ken Swarmer Ian Wolff SOLDIERS Maj. Jon Anderson, USAF TEACHERS John Warner TECHIES Chris Adamson Mike Gunderloy Michael Ivey Greg Knauss Floyd Maxwell Ellen McDonough Mike Pingleton Wayne Thume John Worth TEENS Gary Baum Marty Beckerman UNDECLARED Bev Gibbs Beth Reid WEBLOGGERS Jason Kottke Jish Mukerji



ONE	What would you say is most misunderstood thing about the Unitarian faith? Well, first off, the most common misunderstanding is that it is the "Unitarian faith". In May of 1961, the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. The youth groups of the two churches had already merged several years before. While it's true that there are still some congregations that are only Unitarian, and even more that are only Universalist, most congregations in the Association consider themselves UU. As far as actual theological misunderstandings, many people are confused by the fact that UUs don't have an official creed that says what you have to believe to be a UU. Since religion is about separating people out into distinct packets, it's hard to see how a creedless religion could determine who belongs and who doesn't. While many of us in the faith see this lack of creed as one of the main reasons to be a UU, it can cause some confusion. For example, many people claim that without a creed, you don't have a religion, because anyone can believe whatever they want. And in some ways, that's true. As a UU, I support everyone's search for religious truth by whatever path they may choose. That doesn't mean I support any behavior under the sun, especially destructive behavior. While I'm searching for truth, I have a responsibility to not harm you in the process. It's a separation of belief and behavior that many churches don't have. For more information on what it means to be a UU, check out the Purposes and Principles of the UUA at http://www.uua.org/principles.html, which clarifies the kinds of fundamental things UUs (usually) hold dear.



TWO	What's your favorite inscrutable ritual from your years of studying religion? That one where the priest guy sticks his hand in the other guy's chest and pulls out his heart...what was that one called? Seriously, I've always been a fan of rituals at an academic level, but tend to avoid many of them as a participant. It's also very hard to pick a favorite...but I'll give it a go. One of the most amazing rituals I've observed myself is the walking of the labyrinth at the Chartes Cathedral. The labyrinth was laid in the floor there around 1220, and people come from all over to walk it. Since it has only the one path, it's not like a maze...you can only go in to the center, and then come out. The participants walk slowly, usually in prayer or meditation. It's truly an amazing thing to see. The Jewish Seder dinner is also one of my favorites, as a participant. The UU church I attended as a teenager did a Seder dinner every year. The way that the rituals are built into the lifestyle and culture of the Jewish people gives them a really rich heritage of powerful rituals. Finally, having grown up as a Baptist, I have some deep-rooted affinity for dunking people in the water. I've never been to a river baptism, but I think there is some amazing power in that ritual, whether you believe in the doctrine behind it or not.



THREE	What do you say to the notion that our concept of a soul is really just a glandular secretion of some sort? Ew? I've always been a firm believer in non-physical manifestations of personhood. What makes you "Tom" is a combination of physical stuff and non-physical stuff. Without either one, you'd not be "Tom". Or, just go with "Ew?" as it sums up my first reaction quite well.



FOUR	What's the least-understood thing about religious fundamentalism? Thomas Aquinas said "Beware the man of one book." I've always felt that that summed up the "philosopher's view" of fundamentalism. I suspect that most people, when they consider fundamentalism, see it as an irrational or over-the-top kind of thing. Many also associate fundamentalism with that vile cancer on our society, televangelism. I think what people don't consider is that for the fundamentalist, and for this example I'll use Christian fundamentalism, but any religion's fundamentalists will do...for the fundamentalist, Jesus was flesh and blood, and died for you. Do you comprehend that? Do you feel that in your gut? Jesus died for you. That's very tangible for a fundamentalist. It's not a philosophical idea, open for discussion, but an absolute fact, as evident and unquestionable as the air we breath, or the keyboard I'm typing this on. For the fundamentalist, there is no doubt, no "reason" or "logic" that can have any influence. The belief is "fundamental". That's amazingly powerful, and actually quite rare in today's society.



FIVE	What do you really like about Atlanta? I visited New York a few weeks back, for the Linux World Expo. After we got back, on the way home from the airport, I was a little bit overwhelmed by how glad I was to be back home. I remember thinking, "God I love this city." Everything about it makes me glad to be a native. Part of it is the history. Every street, every building, every neighborhood has a story to tell...and in many cases, I have personal stories about the places I'm at. Stories handed down through my family, or heard from friends, or picked up as part of the Atlanta collective folklore. The pace is slower here than in other big cities. We have all the sights and tourista stuff, plenty of shopping and entertainment, a somewhat thriving nightlife, and yet we do it all with a sense of style, almost grace. I don't know of any other city that has a personality, as a whole, like Atlanta does. My roots are so deep here, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Really the best thing about Atlanta is that it's home. Nowhere else could ever feel like that.



SIX	When you get rich & famous, what's one thing about you the reporters will consistently get wrong? I doubt anyone will get the whole religion-theater-philosophy-computergeek connection. Since I don't know which one of those, or something else, will be my area of expertise for being rich and famous, I'm not sure how they'll get it wrong...but I plan on making it even more eccecltic, just in case they start to get it right.



SEVEN	Where do you see common ground in technology and the spirit, beyond the basic observation that we couldn't have created it without having been Created ourselves? Well, for one thing, people are always praying over their machines, to get them to do what they need. Can't find that file that your boss needed 20 minutes ago? Mumble a little prayer while the hard disk is being searched. Suprisingly, it sometimes works. As far as how a degree in Religion is useful for a geek like me, it's much less concrete. In my Religion training, I learned a lot about critical thinking, and thinking in abstract terms. Abstraction is very important in technology. Too many people are unable to abstract complex problems up a few layers, where they can be easily solved. It really is a huge benefit for me, especially in crisis situations. It enables me to quickly analyze a situation, and see a solution. I never would have gotten that in a CS major.


	THE BIG INDEX... Who they are, what they do, how they think. Go there now. A TO Z ARCHIVE... Everybody here, with quickie bios. Go there now. Return to the main Seven Questions page See the original Newsies 7Q project Contact info@sevenquestions.com Copyright 1999-2002, Thomas L. Mangan