breaking free of the community

Sophia decided she had to make the definitive cut that tied her to the constrictive and controlling community. With one decisive swing of the axe, she separated herself and set herself apart. Of course, it would be interpreted as violent, rash, unnecessary and permanent, but this was the only way she could find her own mind, her own voice and even her own life… her right to be independent. It was a prophetic act against the community. But it was a prophetic act for herself.

Within what one calls religions- Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or other religions- there are again tensions, heterogeneity, disruptive volcanoes, sometimes texts, especially those of the prophets, which cannot be reduced to an institution, to a corpus, to a system. I want to keep the right to read these texts in a way which has to be constantly reinvented. It is something which can be totally new at every moment (Derrida)”

When the prophets who emerge out of any tradition are alive and speaking, they are completely considered outside the established community. Even enemies! They stand beyond the tradition, rebellious and defying all labels, untamable and dangerous. They cannot be claimed by any certain religion. Their concern is pure faith and truth of which no one institution can assert ownership. In time their stories and words are co-opted back into the very tradition they exposed and challenged and lose their potency.

Sophia has recognized this cyclical habit of the community and has decided to break free to discover this wild and uncontrollable spirit. She intends to explore then employ this spirit in her new life that she has created for herself. She’s a prophet and doesn’t even know it.

Check out my Sophia originals and prints, including this one, “Bridge”, in my online gallery!