APAD: Certainty is the enemy of unity

本帖于 2025-05-08 07:48:00 时间, 由普通用户 最西边的岛上 编辑
"Certainty is the great enemy of unity" is a line from “Conclave”, a 2024 thriller film. In the film, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (see pic below) organizes a conclave to elect the next pope and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about the major candidates.

So he opens the appealing deliberations at the beginning of the conclave:
 
"Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance. Even Christ was not certain at the end. ... ... Our faith is a living thing precisely because it walks hand-in-hand with doubt. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. And therefore, no need for faith. Let us pray that God will grant us a Pope who doubts. And let him grant us a Pope who sins and asks for forgiveness and who carries on."

I watched most of the movie, including this speech (before falling to sleep towards the end), and felt a bit puzzled by it. Some say that he was encouraging the college to embrace uncertainty, which makes sense.

I feel words below (from online) describe the meaning well:
"Certainty pretends there are unambiguous answers when there are only better or worse ones, and they need to be worked out. Certainty permits and enables prejudice. Certainty denies the need for thought. Certainty is the precursor of conflict."

Actually, my choice of this phrase was triggered by the current conclave. If you think politics is complicated and dramatic, add religion into it - the mixed cocktail gets even more interesting 小声点.

So far, the black smoke poured twice from the Sistine Chapel chimney already, signalling the 133 cardinals taking part have voted but didn't reach a two-thirds consensus required to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church on the 1st and the 2nd day.

Who will be the next Pope at Roma? Only time will tell. I ain't religious but just a curious observer.

Regardless, life is full of uncertainties, be it political or just daily life. Personally I don't really like it, but same as most of us, have to live with it.

Let's embrace our imperfect world and try to make best of it.  Cheers!
 
 
 
 

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I just watched the movie last night on olevod.com! -硅谷居士- 给 硅谷居士 发送悄悄话 硅谷居士 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 07:52:33

Great! and U didn't fall asleep? ;-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 07:55:07

No, I finished the movie entirely. The ending is surprising. -硅谷居士- 给 硅谷居士 发送悄悄话 硅谷居士 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 07:57:02

Yep. I was tired of thePolitics but surprised2 when wakingUp -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:00:45

Agree! For example, neither death or tax is good for unity:) -7grizzly- 给 7grizzly 发送悄悄话 7grizzly 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:15:35

Good to learn the word 'conclave.' Thanks. -7grizzly- 给 7grizzly 发送悄悄话 7grizzly 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:16:31

NP (and the movie is an eye opener 2 ;-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:22:37

Yes. Your quotes are impressive. -7grizzly- 给 7grizzly 发送悄悄话 7grizzly 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:25:57

"a Pope who doubts, sins & asks for forgiveness, carries…” -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:28:41

Very good examples, but I'm afraid of tax more. :-))) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:25:20

So, uncertainty is the friend of unity -永远老李- 给 永远老李 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:52:10

"Hope is an embrace of the unknown and unknowable" ;-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 08:55:09

when there's hope unity may come, I hope ;-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 09:02:03

Liverpool FC brings joy while -永远老李- 给 永远老李 发送悄悄话 (69 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 09:02:05

FYI: Zhao made history as C's 1st World Snooker champion;-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (194 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 09:08:47

Breaking News ;-): white smoke & there's a new Pope! -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 09:46:10

The Conclave is over. A new Pope has been elected! -硅谷居士- 给 硅谷居士 发送悄悄话 硅谷居士 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 09:51:32

yes, the 1st American Pope ... -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 11:25:21

What are some of his doubts and sins? :-) -7grizzly- 给 7grizzly 发送悄悄话 7grizzly 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 14:48:07

Hahaha, U got me ;-)) need 2putOn my detective hat & findOut -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/08/2025 postreply 15:51:01

Watched the movie. Intetesting APAD. Certaintydivides people -暖冬cool夏- 给 暖冬cool夏 发送悄悄话 暖冬cool夏 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/09/2025 postreply 08:12:43

Ditto! Tolerance unites people (the normal 1s ;-). -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/09/2025 postreply 08:25:39

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