What does it mean to be 'GEORGE'?

From the Greek name Γεωργιος (Georgios) which was derived from the Greek word γεωργος (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elementsγη (ge) "earth" and εργον (ergon) "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Palestine who was martyred during the persecutions of emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.

Initially Saint George was primarily revered by Eastern Christians, but returning crusaders brought stories of him to Western Europe and he became the patron of England, Portugal, Catalonia and Aragon. The name was rarely used in England until the German-born George I came to the British throne in the 18th century. Five subsequent British kings have borne the name.

Other famous bearers include two kings of Greece, the composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), the first president of the United States, George Washington (1732-1797), and the Pacific explorer George Vancouver (1757-1798). This was also the pen name of authors George Eliot (1819-1880) and George Orwell (1903-1950), real names Mary Anne Evans and Eric Arthur Blair respectively. This name was borne by the German idealist philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831). The name Georgia (English) is the female version of George.The name George is widely used; it has 86 variants that are used in both English and other languages. 

Details of famous persons named George:
Actor Richard Chamberlain, born George Richard Chamberlain, 31 March 1935, Beverly Hills, California. 
Actor George Clooney, born 6 May 1961, Lexington, Kentucky. 
Actor George Hamilton, born 12 August 1939, Memphis, Tennessee. 
Actor George Lazenby, born 5 September 1939, Goulburn, Australia. 
Actor George Reeves, born George Keefer Brewer, 5 January 1914 - 16 June 1959, Woolstock, Iowa. 
Actor George C. Scott, born 18 October 1927 - 22 September 1999, Wise, Virginia. 
Actor Orson Welles, born George Orson Welles, 6 May 1915 - 9 October 1985, Kenosha, Wisconsin. 
Author George Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair, 25 June 1903 - 21 January 1950, Motohari, India. 
Author George Bernard Shaw, born 26 July 1856 - 2 November 1950, Dublin, Ireland. 
Baseball Player Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth, Jr., 6 February 1895 - 16 August 1948, Baltimore, Maryland. 
Boxer George Foreman, born 10 January 1949, Marshall, Texas. 
Business Personality George Hearst, born 3 September 1820 - 28 February 1891, Franklin County, Missouri. 
Comedian George Carlin, born 12 May 1937, New York, New York. 
Country Singer George Strait, born 18 May 1952, Poteet, Texas. 
Filmmaker George Lucas, born 14 May 1944, Modesto, California. 
Filmmaker George Romero, born 4 February 1939, New York, New York. 
Humorist George W. Peck, born 27 September 1840 - 16 April 1916, Henderson, New York. 
Inventor George Washington Carver, born 5 January 1943, Diamond Grove, Missouri. 
Inventor George Westinghouse, born 6 October 1846 - 12 March 1914, Central Bridge, New York. 
Lawyer George Washington Adams, born 12 April 1801 - 30 April 1829, Berlin, Germany. 
Mathematician George Boole, born 2 November 1815 - 8 December 1864, Lincoln, England. 
Military Leader George C. Marshall, born 31 December 1880 - 16 October 1959, Uniontown, Pennsylvania. 
Military Leader George S. Patton, born 11 November 1885 - 21 December 1945, San Gabriel, California. 
Mountain Climber George Mallory, born 1886 - 8 June 1924. 
Paranormalist The Amazing Kreskin, born George Joseph Kresge, Jr., 12 January 1935, Montclair, New Jersey. 
Poet Lord Byron, born George Gordon Byron, 22 January 1788 - 19 April 1824, London, England. 
Political Relative George Prescott Bush, born 1976. 
Politician George Shultz, born 13 December 1920, New York, New York. 
Pop Musician George Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, 25 June 1963. 
President of Ireland Éamon de Valera, born George de Valero, later Edward de Valera, 25 June 1959 - 24 June 1973, New York City, New York. 
Radio Personality George Noory. 
Religious Figure George Fox, born 13 January 1691. 
Religious Figure Basil Hume, born George Haliburton Hume, 2 March 1923 - 17 June 1999, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. 
Rock Musician George Harrison, born 25 February 1943 - 29 November 2001, Liverpool, England. 
Royalty George III, born 4 June 1738 - 29 January 1820, London, England. 
Royalty King George VI, born Albert Frederick Arthur George Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 14 December 1895 - 6 February 1952, Sandringham, Norfolk, England. 
Soldier George Armstrong Custer, born 5 December 1839 - 25 June 1876, New Rumley, Ohio. 
State Governor George Wallace, born 25 August 1919 - 13 September 1998, Clio, Alabama. 
US President George Bush, born 12 June 1924, Milton, Massachusetts. 
US President George W. Bush, born 6 July 1946, New Haven, Connecticut. 
US President George Washington, born 22 February 1732 - 14 December 1799, Westmoreland County, Virginia. 
US President George M. Dallas, born George Mifflin Dallas, July 10, 1792 - December 31, 1864, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The name George is widely used; it has 86 variants that are used in both English and other languages. Variants used in English include Georgi (used in Russian and Slavic as well), Georgy, Giogio, Gorya,Gosha, Gunya, Jordy (used in Dutch as well), Jorge (used in Spanish as well), Jura, Yorick (used in Scandinavian as well), York (used in Scandinavian as well), Yorrick (used in Scandinavian as well),Zhora, and Zhura. The pet forms Geordie (used in Scottish as well) and Georgie are other English variants.

Foreign variants of George include Djordje (Slavic), Djura (Slavic), Durko (Czech), Egor (Russian), Georg(German, Scandinavian, and Slavic), Georges (French), Georgio (Italian), Georgios (Greek), Georgius(Dutch), Georgiy (Russian), Gheorghe (Romanian), Giorgio (Italian), Giorgis (Greek), Giorgos (Greek),Gjergj (Albanian), Gogos (Greek), Goran (Scandinavian and Slavic), Göran (Scandinavian), Gyorgy(Hungarian), György (Hungarian), Gyuri (Hungarian), Gyurka (Hungarian), Igor (Czech, Italian, Polish, Russian, Slavic, and German), Iouri (Russian), Jeorg (German), Jerzy (Polish), Jiri (Czech), Jirí (Czech),Joergen (Scandinavian), Joeri (Dutch), Jorck (Scandinavian), Jordi (Catalan), Jorgen (Scandinavian), Joris (Dutch and German), Jorje(Spanish), Jorn (Scandinavian), Jorre (Dutch, Finnish, and Scandinavian), Jörg (German), Jörgen (German and Scandinavian), Jörn(German), Jørgen (Scandinavian), Juergen (German), Jur (Czech), Juraj (Slavic), Juraz (Czech), Jurek (Polish), Jurgen (German), Jurgi(Russian), Jurgis (Lithuanian), Juri (Estonian and Russian), Jurik (Czech), Jurka (Polish), Jurko (Czech), Juro (Czech), Jürg (German),Jürgen (German), Keoki (Hawaiian), Schorsch (German), Seoras (Scottish), Xorge (Spanish), Yegor (Russian), Youri (Dutch), Yura(Russian), Yurchik (Russian), Yuri (Russian), Yurij (Russian), Yurik (Russian), Yurko (Russian), Yusha (Russian), and Zhorka (Russian).

George is a classic favorite. Today it is still a popular baby name for boys, though to a lesser extent than it was before. In 1900, 3.330% of baby boys were given the name George. It ranked at #4 then. The baby name has since steeply fallen in popularity, and is currently of occasional use. In 2009, its usage was only 0.112% and its ranking #163. Out of the group of boy names directly linked to George, Jorgewas the most frequently used. In 2009, it was used 6.417% more than George. The name George has been mostly given to boys, though it has also been used as a girl name in the past century. In 1955, the name George was given to 164 times as many boys than girls.

Baby names that sound like George include Jorje (Spanish), Jaric, Jerk (Scandinavian), Jörg (German), Jürg (German), Tjark (Frisian),Georges (French), Georgie (English), Georgius (Dutch), Georgiy (Russian), Georgy (English), Gerek (English and Polish), Gerick(English), Gerik (Polish), Gerreck (English), Gerrek (English), Gerrick (English), Gerrik (English), Giorgis (Greek), and Giorgos (Greek).

(Die Daten werden von G F Xavier gesammelt.)

Protest becomes tourst attraction (g.f.xavier)

The Institut für Jüdisch-Christliche Forschung which come under the Theologische Fakultät in Luzern Universität has organized a lecture about The Palestinian Wall (Bilateral iconoclasm).

Dr.Avinoam Shalem from Israel, in whose seminar on Clash of Gods I attend, lectured on the topic.

It was totally new information for me and i would like to share with you what i have understood. If it goes wrong due to my limited knowledge of German, Please do verify.

 

The wall is constructed by Israel to defend the country from terrorists, as they interpret, and so it is called Anti-terrorist wall. It separates Palestine from Israel. The Palestinians call it Racial separation wall. It has the similarities of the Berlin wall and social workers and human rights activists expect the fall of it in the same manner the berlin Mauer was pulled down.

 

The Graffiti on the either side of the wall is intriguing and on the Palestine side it represents the protest and depicts the tension between Israel and Palestine.

Some of the interesting writings on the wall read as follows.

• To exist is to resist.
• Israel, ‘Thou shall not steal’, still applies.
• Palestine will be free.
• CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
• Believe in the power of underwear.
• With love and kisses – nothing lasts for ever.
•  I am not a terrorist.
•  Ich bin ein Berliner.
•  The wall must fall – Al Mobadara. 
•  Knockin’ on Heavens Door.
•   This wall will soon fall.
•  Scottland supports Palestine.
• Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.

 

The interesting part is that the artists from all over the world painted graffiti and the British painter Bansky painted nine such Graffiti.

Some of the graffitis are the following

 A fact: You pay and send the graffiti to the palestianians and they will spray the caption on the wall. 

The whole of the wall and the places around are tourist attraction now. They folk together and there are self made guides now explaining every picture.

I don't put myself in hot water by discussing a politically international issue in my blog. But the fact of separation and segregation is not to be promoted. Anything that divides people is to be brought down, whether it is a wall or a regime or religion or an organization or anything. Let us unite in the name of humanity. But I never digest why those who promote the idea of global village, support the dividing elements on the globe?

I eagerly wait for an oppurtunity to visit this place.

I quote Woody Guthrie.

  As I went rumbling that dusty highway 
  I saw a sign that said private property 
  But on the other side it didn't say nothing 
  This land was made for you and me.

  This land is your land, this land is my land...

  Nobody living can ever stop me

     As I go walking my freedom highway 
     Nobody living can make me turn back 
     This land was made for you and me.
(This Land is Your Land, by Woody Guthrie)

(Picture courtesy to google. This is not based on a study by myself, but only on a presentation of an interesting fact heard in a lecture by Dr. Avinaom Shalem held today, who is my proffesor at the University of Luzern. He is not responsible for the opinion and I am responsible for the opinion and the rest)

THE MOUNTING TREE - G F Xavier (in view of the feast of St.francis)

Dad Franz called his three sons one day to his drawing room. He wants them to sketch a mail greeting to his closest comrade during younger days. The three ran and finished the work in time. But dad Franz tore the younger one’s picture and threw it into the dustbin. He said ‘Cross is a bad omen’. It was a picture of a cross.

The purport of the cross is still the same. It is an instrument execution. The Persians first used it. Cross always presumed a culprit on it. The semantics of the cross in the pre-Christian tradition still jog on. Then what dad Franz said is right ‘Cross is a bad omen’. Still a bad omen.

        

         Cross was never the brand mark of Christian in the first four centuries. Even in the second century, when Christianity was thriving, there is a reference of Emperor Aleximanes worshipping a cross with an as head. Factually speaking, the cross gained sanctification only in the 4^th century by Emperor Constantine, connected to the finding of the true cross of Jesus. (In principle, the meaning and significance of cross was changed by Jesus’ death on the cross). Still its alteration of interpretation was limited only in liturgical arena.

         In fact, cross is spoken of as synonymous to sins, burdens, mistakes, nuisances, bad omen, etc…. It has recourse to the often misinterpreted verse ‘take up your cross and follow me’. The contextual meaning of the verse is undermined and the absurdity of validating the clause to the people of the day persisted. Jesus said this much before his crucifixion. The then meaning of the cross swerved after his d4ath on the cross. It became a symbol of salvation. But still we consider cross parallel to the old meaning of burdens, sins, etc… and carry it in the form of guild and grief.

         Francis gazed at the crucifix in San Damiano. He never took the cross and followed Jesus in guilt and grief. He asked for a new teaching, a new way of life ‘what do you want me to do?’. For the cross, which had the so-called bearing of mistakes and sins, was carried ‘once and for all’ by Jesus. It was an unrepeatable act of accomplishing the redemption there in that moment of history, the mission of Francis was not carrying cross but to carry Jesus on the cross. Francis was well aware of the words of Jesus ‘you will do better things than me.’ So he became cross and carried Jesus. Jesus carried the cross and Francis carried Jesus. Why should we carry the burden of the sins by ourselves? Why should we be ashamed of our mistakes? Why should we be blamed for? Jesus carried all those ‘ones and for all’ as an unrepeatable act. Then it is not fair (it is not Christian) to cogitate and cerebrate over the faults we committed and others have done. Rather than making reparation, let the concern be of its reason and cause. No more stain of sin, no more black dots of grief and guilt, but Jesus, only marks of Jesus’ victory. No more carrying cross but we bear Christ.

         Francis mounted the hill in prayer. Hours later Leo went in search of him. As he climbed up he saw a shadow of cross down to him. He went up only to find Francis in stretched hand, praying. Francis became a cross to carry Jesus, the saviour.

         No more his life was to carry crosses (burdens, sins, mistakes, guilt, faults…) but to bear the one who carried the cross.