I just got it Alex. Every creative act is an act of praise to God.

Martin Luther Kings actions were praise to God. He was human. As was Malcolm X. What we do has power. The individual has power. He/She has meaning. Why even write poetry? Why create? Because it gives your existence meaning. And it has an effect on the world, no matter how seemingly insignificant or how grandiose the action seems. What we do matters. In the color purple, she said it pisses God off if you dont notice a field of purple flowers. If we dont marvel at ourselves, each and everyone of us, as beautiful creations of God, just like those purple flowers, then it must piss God off. We have beauty. We have meaning. It is our duty, to share that beauty and meaning with the world. What was so intriguing about this character, was that he knew who he was. He knew his self-worth. But his struggle was manifesting that self-worth, that meaning to the world. His fascination with Dr. King and Malcom X. These are both people whose lives have become outward symbols, reminders of the power of the individual. Though Simba is not an outward symbol, his life parallels these great men in some way. He goes through the same struggles of being human. But he believes in himself, despite the crude human reality of himself that he accepts. Comparing this to my play that Ive written, centered around the story of Adam and Eve: Some parallels. You use pornography in your piece when sharing something that is holy. I take a sacred story of from the bible and turn it in to boarder lining pornography. There is something about purging the audience, by appealing to their visceral impulses, which is associated with shame from an Anglo-European lens. You take them through this shame, and then adhere to there spiritual reality. In this way, they see themselves as a whole being, composed of physical and spiritual. The human reality is not divorced from the spiritual, but rather they are linked to one another. In Essence they are both spiritual. Everything about our imperfect human existence is our teacher in the journey towards who we truly are. There is no hierarchy of experiences in life. All is information. Religious societies tend to place value judgments on experiences. In my piece, the original sin, sex, is centered upon, and delved into as a catalyst to open up a dialogue on the theme of placing value judgements on experiences, based on religious teachings. Like the literal interpretation, of Adam and Eve, such judgements are over simplified, and do not account for the complexities of the human being, and the singularly unique and complex constitution of every individual. Adam and Eve is a story which has powerful symbols. The meaning of symbols is that they resonate in deeper levels of human consciousness and understanding. They explain the unexplainable--that which cannot be communicated directly in words. These symbols transcend words. Symbols are abstract language. Symbols can have an infinite # of meanings from one individual to the next. The danger in religious societies throughout history, his that people in power, have confined these symbols to limited interpretations. These people in power, The Popes, the priests--have bestowed upon themselves the station of God, and used these symbols to their advantages. To control people, they interpreted these stories in ways that appealed only to mens shame and fear. In my piece, I am breaking out of that vice that has been engraved on peoples minds. The teachings of these figures or Prophets, such as Christ, Muhammad, Krishna-- I believe--have profound meaning. The people in power, have until recently, robbed the lowly and meek of the meanings of these great teachings by keeping them veiled, guarded.

But I believe, that now, we are living in a time where the veils are being removed. When these ancient spiritual truths, that are communicated in the timeless language of symbols, are perceived through the eyes of the individual, the symbols will take on a new meaning and life in the world, and do what they were meant to do, which is to imbue all of humankind with understanding of themselves and of their own hearts. With that in mind, there are two functions that my alteration of the Story of Adam and Eve has. One, is to visually show a distinct interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve, which is equally ridiculous to the general interpretation. This becomes apparent by the fact that the Adam and Eve in my story, are supposed to live in a perfect utopia, yet they have all the modern conveniences. Theyre vegetarians. They drink fancy soymilk, do Yoga, have a King size bed in a nice apartment. Yet, ironically, they dont wear clothes. This is just as ridiculous as humankinds destiny being determined by one individual eating a piece of fruit. The 2nd function that my story has is to comment on the sexuality of Adam and Eve and what it means in regards to Adam and Eve coming out of innocence and being ashamed. The third function, is to show the possibilities of integrating ancient symbols in African-Yoruba theologies with the symbols in ancient Christian theologies (which were of a course, not originally European), and to let these symbols meet one another in one universe. Then of course theres the linking of sexuality as a means of power and control with colonial domination of Africa. Alex, this is just