Day 13: Confusing the Actor for the Character

"If such a simple, absolutely existing essence were said to have attributes, as has been contended, and were combined with extraneous elements, it would in no way be an existing thing, as has been proved by us; and when we say that that essence, which is called “God,” is a substance with many properties by which it can be described, we apply that name to an object which does not at all exist."  Maimonides

I have what might be called a "guilty pleasure".  I like listening to actor interviews and stories.  Somehow the real person behind the character intrigues me.  I am pretty confident in my ability to separate the two if I ever came across a Hollywood personality, but I am amused that a lot of people aren't that able or aware enough to separate the two.  A common observance with actors is that when they are in public, away from the camera, they sometimes get confused with their character.  I think even at a younger age, I understood that those people in the box were just performing and there were real people behind the performances.  

I only remember "fan-girling" once in my life, because I haven't had that many opportunities to meet famous actors in person.  But I did have a moment once.  When I was growing up in the northern bushland of B.C. I watched a Canadian children's program called "Circle Square".  It was put on by Crossroads Christian Communications out of the GTA.  There was a character on that program that talked to puppets and children.  His name was Dirk.  He became a childhood hero of mine, much like Mr Rogers for so many Americans.  Fast forward twenty years and "Dirk" came to my church in Calgary.  "Dirk" is Reynold Rutledge, the brother-in-law of David Mainse, the man who started Crossroads.  There were other people there that day, maybe even David Mainse himself... but I saw "Dirk" and got gun-shy.  I couldn't even go up and introduce myself.  Thankfully, it was a big church, so he didn't even notice me in my awkwardness.  Looking back, I think he would have enjoyed visiting with me and finding out that his character "Dirk" made an impact on me.  

Even with the awkward fan-girling, I knew he wasn't "Dirk".  But I was still too embarrassed to meet him.  I am amazed at how many actors experience people temporarily forgetting they are actors.  They have so become their characters in people's minds  that those people have forgotten that there is a real person behind the on-screen persona.  

What if the Creator of the Cosmos, that which gave me breath, that which is the Energy that moves and gives life to the Universe... What if that is the "actor" and as that Creator moves around the planet we call Earth, people mistake that Creator for the character played over history... called "God".  God is portrayed in a lot of stories and has garnered quite the reputation.  Some like that character and some don't.  But what if all "He" is... is a character.  A small part of the Actor that has to be minimized in order to be seen, heard and known (if that is even possible). 

One of my favourite actor stories is that of Michael Dorn who played "Worf" in the "Star Trek" Franchise.  He often talks about going to "Star Trek" Conventions and is not recognized without the Klingon makeup.  The real man Michael Dorn is not acknowledged because he doesn't look like his character "Worf".  Once the makeup is stripped away, the real man becomes visible, but not to the crowds that only have seem him as the character.  

Let's bring in the whole conversation about existing again.  Who exists? ... Michael Dorn or Worf?  Maybe when one can answer that question, one can start to answer the question... "Does God exist?"