Perspective #1:
What Christ and the scriptures say are true. All things are to be tested as true by comparing them with scripture. If anything contradicts scripture it is to be accounted as false. There is no negotiation, scripture is the truth by which all other truths are tested.
Perspective #2:
Christianity is true and yet the truth of it is what the "truth seeker" clings too. If on their quest for truth they find Christianity is false, it is to be accounted as false. However, while Christianity remains true to the truth seeker, he must use (what appear to be) outside philosophies as the testing of its truthfulness. These other philosophies will either sharpen or make dull one's belief in the truth of Christianity.
For as much as these two perspectives compliment each other, one cannot be both. Because perspective one insists on the truthfulness of Christianity and its validity concerning all things. Making the Bible the very source of our knowledge of truth; enabling us to decipher what is true and what is not.
On the other hand, you have a perspective which relies mostly on man's reason, however it can lead to faith. Just as Dante is led by Virgil up to Paradise. What this perspective is assuming is, truth is the thing worth searching for. If Christ is true, then we must pursue Him in order that we might discover truth. Part of discovering the truth however, is learning how to discover it.
This leads me to my question then; how do we discover truth? And can it be found in scripture?
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Angelus Silesius
"If even in Christ himself there were Selfwill at all,
Despite his Blessedness, believe me, he would fall."
Don't know quite what to make of that....
Despite his Blessedness, believe me, he would fall."
Don't know quite what to make of that....
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Gift of Giving?
Is it really better to give than to receive? Seriously, I really enjoy being showered with gifts. I often venture to think that it is good for me to receive with a grateful or even ungrateful heart. What is the difference as long as I am still receiving and enjoying the newly acquired possession? Why am I told then, that giving is better than receiving? Is it because other people are being selfish and want me to shower them with gifts? Or do they know something I do not?
I have begun to see a certain theme running throughout all of philosophy and in Christ's parables. Plato talks about the goodness of virtue and how it ought to be followed for the sake of one's soul. Christ talks about the realm of the spirit and the goodness of His Father and the law He set forth. Which also ought to be followed for the sake of one's soul. Surely if as humans we want what is good for ourselves, then we will want to follow virtue and the law. Because ultimately not only would it be good for us but it would also bring about joy and gratitude. Both of which we find satisfying . However, we don't find any of those things to be what they are said to be. We think virtue is hard and if God is good then He would not condemn people to hell for breaking just one of His laws.
Perhaps, if these great men (one of them just so happens to be God!) exhort us to do these good things-things that we find difficult-then we must have a messed up view of what is good for us. Maybe giving is better than receiving because it satisfies a desire that we thought was manifested in a different form. What we thought would be good enough is not enough at all. Such as receiving to much or even the wrong thing could be damaging to our soul. (I realize that the argument "giving is always better than receiving" is pretty weak. Because it could work vice versa. Also it is not always bad to receive...such as receiving the gift of salvation.) Augustine conveys in his "Confessions", the same problem of not understanding what his desires are. When he was searching for God, he realized that what he thought was God, was not God at all. Making it nearly impossible to find the one true God instead of an empty fantasy.
"For what I thought of was not you at all; an empty fantasy and my own error were my god. If I tried to lodge my soul in that, hoping that it might rest there, it would slip through that insubstantial thing and fall back again on me, who had remained to myself an unhappy place where I could not live, but from which I could not escape." ~St. Augustine
It was after a severe destruction of Augustine's own pride and ego, that while his soul lay desolate before him, he found the raw desires of himself. Desires placed in us by God. And by seeking out those desires (as painful as it was) he came to the God he had longed for all of his life. It was then that he realized, "Our souls are restless until they find rest in You".
I have begun to see a certain theme running throughout all of philosophy and in Christ's parables. Plato talks about the goodness of virtue and how it ought to be followed for the sake of one's soul. Christ talks about the realm of the spirit and the goodness of His Father and the law He set forth. Which also ought to be followed for the sake of one's soul. Surely if as humans we want what is good for ourselves, then we will want to follow virtue and the law. Because ultimately not only would it be good for us but it would also bring about joy and gratitude. Both of which we find satisfying . However, we don't find any of those things to be what they are said to be. We think virtue is hard and if God is good then He would not condemn people to hell for breaking just one of His laws.
Perhaps, if these great men (one of them just so happens to be God!) exhort us to do these good things-things that we find difficult-then we must have a messed up view of what is good for us. Maybe giving is better than receiving because it satisfies a desire that we thought was manifested in a different form. What we thought would be good enough is not enough at all. Such as receiving to much or even the wrong thing could be damaging to our soul. (I realize that the argument "giving is always better than receiving" is pretty weak. Because it could work vice versa. Also it is not always bad to receive...such as receiving the gift of salvation.) Augustine conveys in his "Confessions", the same problem of not understanding what his desires are. When he was searching for God, he realized that what he thought was God, was not God at all. Making it nearly impossible to find the one true God instead of an empty fantasy.
"For what I thought of was not you at all; an empty fantasy and my own error were my god. If I tried to lodge my soul in that, hoping that it might rest there, it would slip through that insubstantial thing and fall back again on me, who had remained to myself an unhappy place where I could not live, but from which I could not escape." ~St. Augustine
It was after a severe destruction of Augustine's own pride and ego, that while his soul lay desolate before him, he found the raw desires of himself. Desires placed in us by God. And by seeking out those desires (as painful as it was) he came to the God he had longed for all of his life. It was then that he realized, "Our souls are restless until they find rest in You".
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Dr. Reynolds at it again!
Dr. Reynolds of the Torrey Honors Institute (THI) has been blogging a rebuttal against author Cornel West. Cornel West is a Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University. He is known for weaving the traditional Baptist church with transcendentalism and socialism (sounds like one big paradox to me...).
Anyway, Dr. Reynolds has just finished a five part series in defense of constantianism and the religious right. His last blog I found to be the most compelling. He talks about the need for education as a means to stand up for what is right. Unlike Cornel West, we need to not empower the young hip-hop artists of today but educate them. However, Dr. Reynolds points out, that a "conservative" retreat from education and listening to the many will pose the same problem. A problem that Mozart saw and displayed in his Opera, Don Giovanni. The problem being a failure to act.
Go check it out yourself and let me know what you think!
Anyway, Dr. Reynolds has just finished a five part series in defense of constantianism and the religious right. His last blog I found to be the most compelling. He talks about the need for education as a means to stand up for what is right. Unlike Cornel West, we need to not empower the young hip-hop artists of today but educate them. However, Dr. Reynolds points out, that a "conservative" retreat from education and listening to the many will pose the same problem. A problem that Mozart saw and displayed in his Opera, Don Giovanni. The problem being a failure to act.
Go check it out yourself and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Spanish!
What a roller coaster this semester has been!! All for the sake of one measly little class!! However, a class not to be taken lightly. Yes this is my third semester of Spanish at the local J.C. and could possibly be the last Spanish class that I will ever have to take. Chances are I will voluntarily take the final class offered at the college. "You're crazy!" some might say! Especially for those who know me....they are probably wondering why in the heck I would wish to put myself through this again. The answer is simple (the understanding of it is a very different problem): I would love to become fluent in another language and although I do not necessarily care for the Spanish language, I can't imagine starting all over again. I would be re-missed however, if I did not admit that the language is growing on me, despite my utter frustration.
Learning another language is an experience not easily found anywhere else. Through it, I think I have learned more about my own language than of Spanish. Its fascinating to learn why we put words in certain orders, and how a minor slip could affect the entire sentence. Making it either unintelligible or say the exact opposite of what was intended. This is especially obvious when translating. Often Spanish does not follow the English rule regarding adjectives and nouns (but then again, neither does English at times!!). When one is translating a sentence, they have to reorganize all that they are reading and then try to make the translation sound like the original.
A group of friends and I are in the middle of reading through Dante's Purgatorio together. One of my friends has the original Italian text written next to the English translation. Because the Spanish and Italian language are very similar, we often try to read it in the Italian and compare it to the English. We have noted a couple of times where the English translation does not read quite the same as the Italian. Thereby giving us a different perspective of what Dante is trying to relay. It has occurred to me, through these readings, that there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of a translator. Not only do they have to understand the other language, but they have to be careful that they do not misrepresent or inaccurately convey what the author is relaying. Not to mention that the work is extremely tedious and requires an enormous amount of patience.
However, what makes this art of language so amazing is it is a talent that everyone is born with. Everyone can speak at least one language. To learn a second or third language is skill that all people have the ability to do! By naturally speaking one language one already has the building blocks to learn another. Take it from me...you don't have to be a genius to learn. This is not to say learning another language is easy, but it is a joy that most people miss out on. The joy in expressing oneself more fully through articulation.
This Thursday I have my Spanish final which the professor so happily told us was going to be cumulative! That was just before he informed us that we were going to have another test a couple days before the final as well! Now as I frantically search for class notes, previous tests, and begin to feel the weight of the up coming final, I'll try to remember that I am doing this for the joy of expressing myself more accurately (no telling what that will sound like)!
Learning another language is an experience not easily found anywhere else. Through it, I think I have learned more about my own language than of Spanish. Its fascinating to learn why we put words in certain orders, and how a minor slip could affect the entire sentence. Making it either unintelligible or say the exact opposite of what was intended. This is especially obvious when translating. Often Spanish does not follow the English rule regarding adjectives and nouns (but then again, neither does English at times!!). When one is translating a sentence, they have to reorganize all that they are reading and then try to make the translation sound like the original.
A group of friends and I are in the middle of reading through Dante's Purgatorio together. One of my friends has the original Italian text written next to the English translation. Because the Spanish and Italian language are very similar, we often try to read it in the Italian and compare it to the English. We have noted a couple of times where the English translation does not read quite the same as the Italian. Thereby giving us a different perspective of what Dante is trying to relay. It has occurred to me, through these readings, that there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of a translator. Not only do they have to understand the other language, but they have to be careful that they do not misrepresent or inaccurately convey what the author is relaying. Not to mention that the work is extremely tedious and requires an enormous amount of patience.
However, what makes this art of language so amazing is it is a talent that everyone is born with. Everyone can speak at least one language. To learn a second or third language is skill that all people have the ability to do! By naturally speaking one language one already has the building blocks to learn another. Take it from me...you don't have to be a genius to learn. This is not to say learning another language is easy, but it is a joy that most people miss out on. The joy in expressing oneself more fully through articulation.
This Thursday I have my Spanish final which the professor so happily told us was going to be cumulative! That was just before he informed us that we were going to have another test a couple days before the final as well! Now as I frantically search for class notes, previous tests, and begin to feel the weight of the up coming final, I'll try to remember that I am doing this for the joy of expressing myself more accurately (no telling what that will sound like)!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Dr. Kent Hovind
This is a sad story for any who new of Dr. Hovind. During my elementary years of schooling, I used to watch his videos as a part of my science curriculum and was a huge fan. As a kid, dinosaurs were extremely fascinating. Not to mention my mom enjoyed the videos because they were not only educating but a great way to occupy my brothers and I! :~) He has been convicted of tax fraud and found guilty for 58 various tax related laws. Currently he is being held by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office until his final sentencing. Apparently he could serve a max of 288 years in federal prison. His wife was also found convicted for not reporting to the bank certain payments. However, she is free pending on what the final sentencing outcome is.
All of the evolutionists are probably having a field day with this news. I can only hope the media will keep this on the down low...so far so good.
Personally I'm not sure how I feel about the sentencing. Especially when I hear stories about how a 19 year old kid faces a mere 10-14 years in prison for killing a 12 year old girl while driving drunk. His blood alcohol was .10, the legal limit being .08! Not to mention he isn't even legal to be drinking alcohol! When I compare this with the sentencing of Dr. Hovind, I can't help but feel a slight unfairness. Maybe I'm missing something.....
Anyway, check out the story and let me know what ya think!http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS01/611030338/1006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
And the saga begins!
Well, now that football is over I find myself in the beginning of a new stage of life. I have been applying for a job these past couple of days and have found the job aspect of life not quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be. The deal was, as long as I was in school and playing sports my parents were not going to require me to get a job. That utopia has finally come to a end.
A friend of mine offered me a job working for the city. It pays $10.55 an hour and I am basically in charge of my own schedule! Not a bad deal....at least working won't be. It has been this application process that has been the most frustrating. The lady who takes my transcript has been anything but helpful....however, after 3 trips to her office I think I have finally got it all in order. All that remains is getting fingerprinted (just in case I decide to break the law...then they can track me down!) and then a trip to the doctors office and I should be good to go!
Through this process I am beginning to see a need for time management (not one of my strengths!). Time management has been one of my biggest enemies...just within the past year or two. Whenever I am told I must be more efficient with my time an ugly sinking feeling begins to build in my stomach. Not because it is bad but because maybe my perception of it is bad. During these past couple of weekly meetings at my house, we have been discussing time management and what it means to save time. My definition of time management has slowly been changed and is still changing.
My original disdainful feeling towards such efficiency was the fact that it does not allow one to live life. It is as if one writes their life for one day on a piece of paper eager to get as much done as they can. Only to use what ever "saved time" they have left to sit in front of the t.v. and "veg". People miss out on life because of their burning desire to hold off on living and finish what is "required" of them. Instead of looking at one's job as apart of their life, people look at their job as an unfriendly obstacle that they must endure in order to start living. Often I hear on retirement commercials, "now that you are retired why not start living?...(insert advertisement here)". How SAD!! You mean to say that people aren't actually living until their old and retired??? Is this what time management is about? Nonsense I say! I will have none of that! Why hold off on spending time? Why not experience the work force...instead of trying merely to appease it by getting done what is required. Besides, how does one save what one already has?
I have found it is nearly impossible to save time. Why? Because I already have it. It is mine for the spending...not saving. Through my discourse with others, time management is becoming more of a surveillance of what I am doing already and what I wish to do more of. By writing down what I have done at the end of the day, I then begin to evaluate what I wish to do more of. There is of course always the requirements (such as school, work, and chores) but ultimately I am finding that those requirements are what I want to do. This process has revealed to me that I have very bad ideas of what is good for me and what I ought to do. While working through this alternative way of time management, I am finding that through the act of actually experiencing those obligations, such as school and work, they are more pleasurable. And now I question why I would even wish to fulfill those obligations faster for the sake of "saving time", if with that "extra" time I am going to waste it by watching t.v. or playing video games?
Now after giving my self a little pep-talk, I shall attempt at becoming more organized with my time! (pray for me!!! :~)
A friend of mine offered me a job working for the city. It pays $10.55 an hour and I am basically in charge of my own schedule! Not a bad deal....at least working won't be. It has been this application process that has been the most frustrating. The lady who takes my transcript has been anything but helpful....however, after 3 trips to her office I think I have finally got it all in order. All that remains is getting fingerprinted (just in case I decide to break the law...then they can track me down!) and then a trip to the doctors office and I should be good to go!
Through this process I am beginning to see a need for time management (not one of my strengths!). Time management has been one of my biggest enemies...just within the past year or two. Whenever I am told I must be more efficient with my time an ugly sinking feeling begins to build in my stomach. Not because it is bad but because maybe my perception of it is bad. During these past couple of weekly meetings at my house, we have been discussing time management and what it means to save time. My definition of time management has slowly been changed and is still changing.
My original disdainful feeling towards such efficiency was the fact that it does not allow one to live life. It is as if one writes their life for one day on a piece of paper eager to get as much done as they can. Only to use what ever "saved time" they have left to sit in front of the t.v. and "veg". People miss out on life because of their burning desire to hold off on living and finish what is "required" of them. Instead of looking at one's job as apart of their life, people look at their job as an unfriendly obstacle that they must endure in order to start living. Often I hear on retirement commercials, "now that you are retired why not start living?...(insert advertisement here)". How SAD!! You mean to say that people aren't actually living until their old and retired??? Is this what time management is about? Nonsense I say! I will have none of that! Why hold off on spending time? Why not experience the work force...instead of trying merely to appease it by getting done what is required. Besides, how does one save what one already has?
I have found it is nearly impossible to save time. Why? Because I already have it. It is mine for the spending...not saving. Through my discourse with others, time management is becoming more of a surveillance of what I am doing already and what I wish to do more of. By writing down what I have done at the end of the day, I then begin to evaluate what I wish to do more of. There is of course always the requirements (such as school, work, and chores) but ultimately I am finding that those requirements are what I want to do. This process has revealed to me that I have very bad ideas of what is good for me and what I ought to do. While working through this alternative way of time management, I am finding that through the act of actually experiencing those obligations, such as school and work, they are more pleasurable. And now I question why I would even wish to fulfill those obligations faster for the sake of "saving time", if with that "extra" time I am going to waste it by watching t.v. or playing video games?
Now after giving my self a little pep-talk, I shall attempt at becoming more organized with my time! (pray for me!!! :~)
Constantine
Over at the blog of http://middlebrow.com, Dr. Reynolds has recently posted a very interesting blog about Emperor Constantine. Often when I have learned of Emperor Constantine, he seemed to be portrayed in a very mixed light. He of course was the one who ended the persecution of the early church in Rome and established the city of Constantinople. However, what has always confused me (and still does) is the praise he receives from some, for freeing the church of its oppression and the accusations of those who accuse him of endowing the church with to much freedom. Thereby causing the purity of the church to fail.
Dr. Reynolds interpretation of Constantine is filled with a refreshing optimism...especially when one looks practically at what Constantine did accomplish. I will stop there and allow you to check it out for yourself!
Dr. Reynolds interpretation of Constantine is filled with a refreshing optimism...especially when one looks practically at what Constantine did accomplish. I will stop there and allow you to check it out for yourself!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Christmas season
I find myself to be very cynical about the Christmas season at times....mostly because of how the media has created it into one big gigantic commercial, forcing upon the culture product after product hoping to make one more almighty dollar. I've always been drawn to the Charlie Brown type Christmas. One that doesn't require a perfect looking Christmas tree made out of metal, or the competition of the best decorated house.
No I would prefer to have the only real tree in the Christmas Tree lot...even if it is drooping and not up to par with the other trees. I also think I would prefer to have the only house in the neighborhood who either used the old fashioned different colored lights or no lights at all.
However, as a side note, I will say that the one thing I do enjoy about this Christmas commercialism is the holiday coffee's!! The egg nog latte and ginger bread latte are both muy bueno!
Cindy Lou Who asked an excellent question regarding the hustle and bustle of Christmas. She asked, "Isn't all of this Christmas shopping a bit...superfluous?". It may be that it is...and it may not be. Perhaps I am to much of a simpleton? However, something appears to be lost in all of it. People are reduced to obstacles (far more than usual) and relationships are measured by the amount of money spent on a gift. Even the Nativity scene is used as a sort of appeasement rather than a heart warming remembrance.
In that light, everything does seem to be a bit superfluous....however, (to venture and become the optimist now! :~) this season is a time where relationships often are mended and families brought back together. All for the sake of recognizing a holiday which celebrates the birth of our Lord. Perhaps the best thing we can do is gather around the Christmas tree and sing, "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king!"
No I would prefer to have the only real tree in the Christmas Tree lot...even if it is drooping and not up to par with the other trees. I also think I would prefer to have the only house in the neighborhood who either used the old fashioned different colored lights or no lights at all.
However, as a side note, I will say that the one thing I do enjoy about this Christmas commercialism is the holiday coffee's!! The egg nog latte and ginger bread latte are both muy bueno!
Cindy Lou Who asked an excellent question regarding the hustle and bustle of Christmas. She asked, "Isn't all of this Christmas shopping a bit...superfluous?". It may be that it is...and it may not be. Perhaps I am to much of a simpleton? However, something appears to be lost in all of it. People are reduced to obstacles (far more than usual) and relationships are measured by the amount of money spent on a gift. Even the Nativity scene is used as a sort of appeasement rather than a heart warming remembrance.
In that light, everything does seem to be a bit superfluous....however, (to venture and become the optimist now! :~) this season is a time where relationships often are mended and families brought back together. All for the sake of recognizing a holiday which celebrates the birth of our Lord. Perhaps the best thing we can do is gather around the Christmas tree and sing, "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king!"
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