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ISBN#: 978-1-329-22710-1
©2021 Valerie Lynn Stephens
BETWEEN REASON & FAITH:
LET US COME BEFORE HIM NOW
Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Can a rational person truly embrace the Judeo-Christian faith? The consensus is that they cannot. The consensus is that intelligence is in inverse proportion to one’s belief in those things that one cannot prove beyond the shadow of a doubt. The reductionistic stereotype of the ‘Scientist’ and the ‘Logician’ assumes that one must be engaging in some kind of ‘magical thinking’ and fallacy if they profess to believe in God.
The realm known as ‘Apologetics’ seeks to bridge, as much as is possible, this gap between Reason & Faith. It seeks to synthesize the Exoteric with the Esoteric. And indeed, many rational people begin approaching any kind of spirituality or religiosity with extreme skepticism. And this is not altogether the wrong approach. After all, the Scriptures make an allowance for honest, rigorous testing of all things, and in fact, admonish God’s children to exercise reason and discernment in all of our daily dealings.
Moreover, a descent into a kind of existential ‘Hades’ is how every believer’s faith is strengthened, refined and authenticated. The Lord answers all who seek him, and He gives wisdom to those who earnestly seek it. Asking questions, and even strongly doubting in numinous phenomena does not display a lack of faith-on the contrary, it demonstrates it! Only those who lack the humility to investigate everything because they think they know it all, are in danger of condemnation.
In Romans 1:20, we are told that God can be clearly seen in all of His creation and that no man will have an excuse in the end. I personally find it irrational to reject even a Pascalian Wager concerning the existence of a sovereign, omniscient and omnipotent Deity. Even given what little we currently have been allowed by God’s good grace to discover in the realms of Science, etc. I see plenty of evidence of the existence of God. Yet I see it, not only in the affirmatives, but in the negatives-or the lack of knowledge that our epistemological cup still runneth over with.
It seems therefore, more rational to me, (or perhaps just ‘wise’) that we lack any other equitably sufficient explanation other than what God reveals through special revelation and through general revelation through both His Word and His creation, and therefore, should not be embarrassed at all, as rational, thinking adults, to embrace the Judeo-Christian faith.
Furthermore, many mock the Judeo-Christian believer because they erroneously assume that they are merely taking the ‘easy way out’. Or they believe that they are engaging in childish naivete beyond their years. But I can attest from hard won personal experience, that choosing to follow Jesus Christ is anything but the easiest path. It is, if undertaken following a genuine conversion, that is, an entering into an intense battle between one’s basest nature and the will of God. And running this gauntlet is unlike any other than one will ever encounter.
In Ephesians, we are reminded that we are not battling against flesh and flesh, but against dark principalities which flesh alone, cannot slay. Becoming a Christian is also more of a choice to submit one’s whole being into a relationship with the Lord over all of creation who holds the power of both life and death. That, is anything but an easy commitment! That is to say, choosing to believe in God is not undertaken by genuine believers in a cavalier manner, or with an intention of escapism. On the contrary, embracing God’s will and choosing His Truth, places accountability squarely upon our fragile mortal shoulders in a way that no other so-called ‘religion’ or philosophy can or does. If that is not an indication of its authenticity, I don’t know what is. After all: What person seeking to escape reality and to abdicate their own personal responsibilities, would choose this?! None.
Moreover, even the naturalistic evidence points more and more towards the authentic historicity of the Holy Bible. Even the ‘miracles’ recorded therein, actually have naturalistic explanations, even if every little detail has not yet been revealed to us. In truth, what we refer to as ‘miracles’ are merely a manifestation of those realities (but realities nevertheless) which we cannot fully grasp. The realms of human study often referred to as ‘theoretical’, are merely ‘theory’ for the time being. Some ‘theories’ will become ‘discoveries’, and others, will merely fall by the wayside according with the will of the One who knows all, and providently guides and directs all towards his intention that all should be given a chance to repent and to return unto Him before the end.
Yes, in the end, we will all find it both wise and perfectly logical to bow before Him. But let us instead, taking a leap of both Reason and Faith, choose to come before Him at present, and He will tell us all that we need to know. And in due time, everything will make perfect sense.
TOWARDS A SOUND THEONOMY
“He who obeys God needs no other authority.”
-Petr Chelčický
A true anarchist is, in truth, fiercely righteous. Further, true anarchy seeks not freedom from ALL moralistic governance, rather freedom from the unjust oppression and afflictions of petty tyranny and a false and subverted moralism, either from within or without. And, contrary to common understanding, the orthopraxis of anarchy seeks to place full accountability upon the shoulders of the individual, rather than the State or any other external agency.
Anarchy in its purest form applies the sound wisdom of self-governance tempered with and guided by the individual's keenest conscience concerning Good & Evil, and help vs. harm. A true anarchist practices not lawlessness, but rigorous moral and intellectual discipline . A true anarchist seeks to be the author not of chaos and confusion, but of symmetry and synthesis. For the purpose of endowing man with a radicalized freedom is not to empower his lowest and basest impulses, rather, to free him FROM such shackles so that he may more authentically develop his higher self and aspirations.
Moreover, a true anarchist also knows that he cannot achieve a lasting bond between his primeval self and his spiritual self without a full prostration before the ministrations and daily instructions of His Creator God. For His God is a God of perfect and ultimate Law & Order. And insofar as he leans upon the sovereign authority of the Almighty God and the Holy Spirit, is he freed from the unholy contracts of a 'freedom', both facile and ultimately, eternally and insufferably binding. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there, there! my good anarchist, awaits your true FREEDOM!
HELL-BENT ON HEAVEN
If you have not gone through Hell to find Christ, and to reach Heaven, then your Faith is most likely false. So many of the so-called 'brethren' have deceived themselves that their brand of religiosity is 'superior' to that of those who have gone down a more labyrinthine, yet authentic path towards Truth. But true faith, if it is to be both dynamic & effective, must be borne from the depths of Despair & Faithlessness. Each individual disciple must separate from the 'masses' in order to become malleable to God's will & God's will alone. Sanctification is surrender-in-action. When left to our own fallible & reprobate intellects, we merely digress. When left to our own perception & 'opinion', we get lost in the world. 'Reality' and the perception thereof may indeed be 'relative', but Truth is absolute! That is its very essence. And Truth requires nothing less than a complete prostration before the shrine of human vulnerability & reverence before the One Who authors & guides its ministrations. Therefore, dear Truth seekers, never judge yourself or others by the seeming aimlessness or curvilinearity of the peripatetic's path, but by the endurance & persistence & sincerity of its sojourner.
THE EDENIC SCENE: AN EXEGETICAL SUMMATION
The tree of knowledge of good & evil is not merely symbolic of the inherent tendency of we human beings to stray from the will of God, but is also an allegorical representation of the “fall” from innocence & ignorance of both the good & evil within ourselves & within the world at large into the full prescience of these phenomena & of our inherent human weakness in the face of them. The “forbidden fruit” thus also symbolizes the epistemological and ontological limits God has placed upon humankind (us).
In essence, God is saying to us: “Surrender yourselves to my Sovereignty & Superiority alone or perish. Only I know all & can safely & effectively guide you through this mortal human life. You must therefore pay the consequences or “sin wages” for attempting to know what I know, as this is simply beyond that which you are able to handle, & I am your heavenly Father, & your eternal protector.” (Psalm 2:11-12 “Serve the Lord with fear & trembling lest he be angry with you & you be destroyed in your own way...”)
Thus, God is not some “Petty-Tyrant-In-The-Sky-God-Nazi-On-A-PowerTrip” or metaphysical fascist merely making rules which he knows full well human beings cannot & will not follow just so he can derive sadistic pleasure from torturing us or “punishing” us. That would be creating God in our image, as we can all attest to human beings behaving in this way from time to time. Rather, it is a matter of Him guiding us in the most fruitful & safest direction & teaching us the way to go so that, through our hard-learned surrender to Him & submission to His will, we can reap the fruits of true & everlasting Joy & Fulfillment. (Ezekiel 33:11 “As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways & live...”) (Romans 2:11 “For God does not show favourtism.”) For God does not wish to harm us, but to prosper us & to preserve us. (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you & not to harm you.”)
Furthermore, although it remains to be self-evident that we are self-evidently limited in that which we can know & could benefit from knowing, there are, of course, provisions made for humankind to have some limited access to God's knowledge & His wisdom. For He must afford us some advancement in that we might be best equipped & honoured with the task of fulfilling His plans for the good of all & everything. (Psalm 18:30 “As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”) Yet ultimately, the eating of that forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden in & of itself is not the problem. Rather, the root of all human ills & depravity lies at the heart of how we fail to recognize “why” we have been granted that which God has granted us & how we “sin” (“hamartia” (Greek): to fall short of the mark) & fail to properly employ it.
And this is where that demarcation between “knowledge” & “wisdom” is most sharply drawn. For as God's Word tells us, all are privy to the wisdom of God who are willing to submit to God's will for its subsequent employment & engagement in & with the outside world. All in all, a loss of innocence (a gaining of knowledge) or “the fall” of humankind is not merely an intractable aspect of the human experience & condition itself, but is, in fact, a necessity as it pertains to the gradual spiritual refinement & salvation of each individual. For the loss of innocence, or the gaining of worldly awareness & indeed, even world savvy is necessary to cultivate to a certain degree within the psyche of each individual in that we may live most wisely & honestly. It is also significant to build up within ourselves so that we may successfully navigate the world towards the ends of our own self-preservation as it pertains to the higher good (or righteousness) & God's will.
Ultimately, becoming equally aware of or “mature of mind” to both “good & evil” is a prerequisite in order that we may defeat those evil forces which seek to deceive & blind us to their methods & means. Yet, we must also keep in mind, that evil can only truly be defeated with good in the end. (1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled & alert. Your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers in Christ throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”) (Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil; rather, overcome evil with good.”)
Hence, although we must wisely heed the call to grant the realization & vigilance of both good and evil equal deference & equanimity, the only true way to defeat the devil is to take ownership & inventory of the darkness which always resides deep within our own human recesses of desire & potentiality. (Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned & fall short the glory of God.”) Indeed, we all must, in our own way, and much like that of Christ Himself, descend to each our own Hades, if we are to not only know the enemy which we battle against daily, but if we are to have ultimate victory through Christ's power over him. Integration thus, is always key concerning both our virtue & our vice, as both light & darkness depend upon one another for their fullest actualization.
In finale, we must also remember, that integration of our “shadow” or our “dark side” does not necessarily have to entail a full embrace or a complete engulfment by or immersion into its goading & callings. For wholeness, if we are seeking it in the righteous place through the Holy God & His Spirit & will themselves, is intrinsically synonymous with goodness & with eternal moral victory & salvation, not that further dehumanization, demoralization & fragmentation which this current world, ruled as it is by evil, can offer.
Therefore in closing, we must: (Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord & in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil & his schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world & against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground & after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, & with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation & the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers & requests. With this in mind, be alert & always keep on praying for all the saints.”
A MOMENTARY LIGHT AFFLICTION
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us, an eternal light of glory far beyond all comparison." (2 Corinthians 4:16- 17)
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
“...being confident of this one thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
The search and fulfillment of naturalistic human longing & desire often leads to the unleashing of some kind of evil or deleterious effect. Therefore, the question is: Should one keep oneself safely confined within the barbed-wire bounds of worldly abnegation or puritanical asceticism and thus quite bound within moralistic “freedom” from the flesh, or unleash oneself in sublimative actuality, thus risking both infernal & eternal engulfment? Indeed, sometimes it often seems that the whole task of this human experience & existence is in learning how to surrender, how to let go & submit ourselves to the will of The Lord. For more & more, & contrary to common wisdom, the older we get the more vulnerable we become-not the less. And here is where the message of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 comes keenly into focus: That His power is made perfect through our weakness.
Truly, we must all continue to relearn that fine, higher art of finding strength only in utter vulnerability before God, man & those "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12)". I think one of the main obstacles we continually put before ourselves is in how we have been conditioned by the phenomenon of socialization (the wounds that others have left us with) to fear that submission to the orthopraxis of humility will only lead to humiliation. And all things considered, some other people will exploit us in this way, but most people will not, if anything, because they are beholden to the same vulnerabilities & fears that we are. As someone once observed, “Fear keeps us sane.”
Furthermore, we all, as God's progeny, fear the loss of our eternal souls through that uniquely human quest to quell the flames of the flesh & its never-ending yearning for unbridled sensual indulgence. Yet the Holy Writ again consoles us with the reminder that he or she who wishes to be released from most mortal vagaries must first, and quite paradoxically, submit first to self-abnegation (at least, to be sure, as it concerns one's originally "sinful" nature). However, this is also not to be confused with the escapist sentiments of Eastern mysticism, as they believe there is no “self” to abnegate believing in no such thing in an individualistic way.
And yet, that soundness of mind granted to us through the Holy Spirit clarifies this issue by revealing to us how we must first agree to the relative enslavements of moral prudence if we can receive the rather misnamed “unconditional” gifts of both adequate comfort & prosperity here on Earth & absolution & reward to come in heaven. For ultimately, the Scripture very explicitly calls us to submission to the will of the Lord most pressingly, if we are to breach the transcendence of Eternality which will be granted to those who belong to him. (1 John 3:4-6 "But you know that he appeared that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.")
Moreover, keeping a disciplined & vigilant mind's eye on Eternity as we wrestle with Temporality is again, perhaps the highest, noblest & most sweepingly epic quest of humankind. And, for adequate hermeneutic synthesis, God offers these words (and all others throughout Scripture taken in holistic context): “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us, an eternal light of Glory far beyond all comparison So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal..” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Although it is true that the more a human being becomes what Carl Jung termed "psycho-spiritually" edified or evolved, the more they will, by virtue, become more endangered in a worldly sense. However, this is all a test (and perhaps the ultimate test) of our faith & fortitude. And, from a strictly Darwinian perspective, of course, many of this line of thinking mistakenly believe that as an organism complexifies & develops itself, the more of an advantage it has, or the less vulnerable it becomes. However, the human experience itself testifies to the fallacy of such thinking.
In continuum, as noted above, we do seem to grow increasingly more vulnerable as we age & increase in both fleshly infirmity & in our worldly and spiritual knowledge & wisdom. This is perhaps exactly what lends the choice of truth over inscience and growth over stagnation, their concomitant virtue & spiritual merit. As one rabbi put it: “A truly devout man cannot be ignorant.” And, as the Holy Writ declares it thus: “But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-if you continue in your faith established & firm, not moved from the hope held out in the Gospel.” (Colossians 2:22) Yet, we must also take heed of the Scripture which warns us of the accumulation of too much secular knowledge at the expense of higher truth & wisdom: “Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them (the Word of God). Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
Thus, in all things, he merely guides us towards moderation & a healthy, fruitful balance when we submit ourselves to His will & Law. Ah, again it reigns true that there is an ill for every scripture & a scripture for every ill. How sweet & satiating is the bread of the Word of God evermore. It goes down to the inmost parts, rooting out every toxic tare. (John 6:51 "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.") Nevertheless, when the battle scars of the human soul's earthly pilgrimage are felt upon the phantom limbs of memory, clarity can so easily become obfuscated. Sometimes we begin to doubt where we are in our Journey, & if we are on the right path. Some days are better than others, as the adage goes. It’s part & parcel of the human condition and our inherent limitations.
On darker days like these, we may be tempted to draw that black, velveteen cloak of Apathy, Nihilism & Inertia back up 'round us again, letting it all fall away. And yet, the paradox is, that it is in these very moments of letting it all go, that we find inner sanctity, wholeness & balance once again. We can find peace & consolation through every word that comes from the mouth of God, & through every promise we can have faith will return unto us, a recompense for our earthly spiritual victories & casualties. (“...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3) Because it is only when we are weary beyond that of our own will & power, that The Lord God is made perfect in His strength within us.
In essence, we must let go, to hold on in this life. And oftentimes, it seems a slight embarrassment that the basic human rights we should just be able to take for granted, are denied us, & no less, by our very own selves. Even I used to believe in self-improvement. Now, I believe in self-acceptance-but even better yet, I believe in submission to the will of He alone who saves. (Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.") The Greek theological term for this process of emptying the self, often used in relation to the attributes of Christ Himself is “kenosis.” For again, paradoxically, we must lose our lives to save them. We must lose our “self” to redeem them. (John 12:25- 26 "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; & where I am my servant will be also. My Father will honour the one who serves me.")
Popular psychology tells us, in so many words & in so many of its ways that we must “bolster our self-esteem” & “assert our basic human right to happiness & fulfillment.” But where these secularist philosophies fall short is that they place far too much power & competence in the hands of human beings who can never live up to these things-at least, not for long. Don't get me wrong, yes, we do have a right to be whole, & to be loved, but only as far as we surrender ourselves to the only source that can adequately offer this to us: The Grace of our Heavenly Father & atonement through His Son Jesus Christ. For we must always bear in mind that we will reap only what we sow.
If someone were to ask me why I believed that Judeo-Christianity was the one & only true religion & adequate philosophy to devote my discipleship to, I would merely say: “Quite frankly, because it is the only religion that holds each & every one of us fully morally accountable for our life choices & lifestyles.” In other words, I am a disciple of Judeo-Christianity precisely because it is the least reasonable road to take (at least inasmuch as we each now dwell in a "buy-now-pay-later" actuality). I suppose a proper play on words would be that such a belief is augmented by a kind of theological "credo quia absurdum", if you will. And of course, the reasons for my believing what I believe by no means stop at this.
More plainly spoken, I know I am on the right path when I am in adherence to Judeo-Christian principles, every word of the Lord God proves its absolute inerrancy time & again. We have all felt that mysteriously compelling yet serenely superconductive life force when The Holy Spirit is once more ennobled within us once again, & we suddenly feel the full weight of Jesus' words, bearing that lighter yoke as it relates to our human condition & mortality. It is undeniably a feeling unlike any other (& with no egregious bodily harm & after-effects, I might add). Furthermore, one thing we all come to learn (if we are showing up for class) is how we simply cannot, while on this earth & in this stricken & infirm human condition, cease being wounded. We indeed, must take up the cross of each our own sufferings & afflictions. (Matthew 16:34 "If anyone would come after me, he must take up his own cross & follow me.")
Thus must we learn very quickly, no matter how difficult it might be, that highest art of all arts: How to remain malleable in the face of the call of raw survivalist mentalities, which goad us on to harden ourselves, & to become intractable. In other words, we must stay open to our humanity & especially, our vulnerability, if we are to reap the benefits of this life's fullest & truest purpose as it relates to the life to come. This is why, after all, Satan has set up the world to humiliate & persecute any & all displays of true emotional honesty & transparency. It is because he knows that the conduits of the heart & the Spirit are the only ways we human beings of God's splendid design can fruitfully experience the metaphysical.
This, too, I have learned thus far upon my journey towards he who dwells in that unapproachable Light spoken of in the Scripture: (1 Timothy 6:16: “...(Christ) who alone is immortal & lives in unapproachable light whom no one has seen nor can see.”): We cannot harden our hearts. We must stay in touch with feelings. Of course, feelings balanced by that moral reason & soundness which can be found only through dwelling in the absolute truth of God in each our daily wanderings. And the Evil One knows how difficult it is for us to do this, as he knows we also possess a keenly disturbing sentience of the method of demonic entities also afflicting us through our human emotionality. It is one of the most harrowing & often ravaging things we must vow to ourselves, but it is well worth it, once yet another battle has been won through Christ from within ourselves over the forces of this dark world.
Yet we also must remember that, as the old common colloquialism goes: It ain't over 'til it's over! We will suffer until the end of our mortal days. This is the burden we all must bear willingly & fully if we are to bear that fruit which brings complete nourishment & resurrection unto God's Kingdom. “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness, righteousness & Truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:8-11). We all grow faint & weary, but as long as we look inward in complete humility & honesty at ourselves through the eyes of our Lord, asking Him through prayer & supplication to root out any possible evil in us, we will, in due time (in His time), mount up with wings as eagles.
So, the next time we torment ourselves in doubt: Have I even made any progress? Or am I just deluded, seeing only what I want to see? When will this end? The Lord will always answer us, when we are ready to receive him: “...being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) No human on the face of this planet has no obstacles to overcome within themselves, despite the facade of those whom we often perceive are not in tune with the truth & the light within themselves & yet deceptively act as if they are. But again, the Scripture also consoles us in any possible way we may need, not to envy those who triumph in their evil, for their ways will someday perish. (Psalm 37: 1-2) We must first humble ourselves before the shabby shrine of our human inadequacy & susceptibility if we are to someday be able to approach Him in His Holy dwelling.
Indeed, time & time again, He brings many prodigal sons & daughters home after many dark travails (even if most are taken along the road of one's own neurogeography) to realize that we can possess full power in & through Him only when we have surrendered to our own powerlessness. And we must be prepared, for many demons will indeed, rise up to slay us once we have fully committed again to our spiritual ripening & quickening in Christ. Yet we must “...continue to work out your (our) salvation in fear & trembling, for it is God who works in you (us) according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2: 12-13)
All in all, perhaps one of the main purposes for our individual and collective human experience is to learn how to fall, surrendering ourselves only to all of the right things & for the right reasons. For even if our humanly (& yet beautifully) scarred psyches cannot see the fullness of His glory when we cannot access a feeling of worthiness or clarity within ourselves, nothing can separate us from the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is not dependent upon our perfection in order to bring His perfection into manifestation. After all, He tells us to be still & know that He is God. In finale, we all have been, according to The Lord God's perfect justice & design, equally blessed and equally cursed in each our own ways. Yet we still have a condition placed upon us in that we may receive salvation on the day of Christ's return. We are called to submit our will, despite the ways we might resist Him, in sincerity, humility & reverence towards the gradual actualization of the gifts & abilities He has granted to us.
Yet, & we all forget this too easily: We must do it in His name & according to only His Word & good plan. If it is said, at least according to secular (and, ultimately misleading) wisdom, that we cannot escape from the world, but must escape into it, let us acknowledge, with due diligence, our earthly & socio-political realities & responsibilities while carrying out the due diligence towards our spiritual stewardship. Only then can we fulfill the Holy adage to be in the world, but not of it. We will continue to “fall short of the mark” (Greek “hamartia”: sin, to fall short of the mark), yet Christ fulfilled our atonement when he made that epic descension to Hades as a condition of His divination.
Therefore, it is not perhaps so much that we, too, must descend to Hades so that we can someday become divine, but that we can work most gainfully towards our salvation only when we fully take up the yoke of submitting ourselves to the actualization of His will and His will alone. And although we also must keep in mind that what we feel we are missing out on in the way of earthly gratification & sensual indulgence, the Lord will some exultant day, more than compensate with the full reward of His promise of heavenly inheritance. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans to prosper you & not harm you, plans to give you hope & a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
AURIBUS TENERE LUPUM
Sometimes the darkness is there to lead us to the light. The darkness always finds the light, no matter how reluctantly, deriving its very being from it. Yet still, the outside often seeps in too keenly, no matter how hermetically sealed the Soul-no matter how hermeneutically well-schooled the Intellect. And thus are the strivings of the Spirit time & again stupefied by the arcane syllabus of Rationalist Empiricism. For these metaphysical ministrations are subservient only to the laws of Immaterialism, as they strive towards that canonical consummation wrought by those statutes scriven by the right-handed magistrate of the Triune God.
For only when we pray in the name of all three, the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit, can we then be miraculously released from the afflictions of Temporality, unto the exultation & expansion of Eternality foreseen within the here & now. Thus we indeed, must seize a wolf by its ears if we are to spare the Soul the infestations of its rabid claw & fang. For Eternity is often weighed in most measurably upon the wings of a singular moment, finding its most poignant expression in the wake of all Ecclesiastical realization & ecumenical synthesis.
Yet we are never so alone as when we are stricken deaf, dumb & mute in our most common coherence. And we are often never so rejuvenated as when tended by the metaphysicians of Disease & Despair. Yes, sometimes the ever immanent sense of one's own nihility, in a world of such negligence & broken dreams is the one thing, in the end, which spurs a Soul ever onward towards Epektasis, that striving of every human soul towards its truest & fullest actualization, wholeness & perfection.
How then can an entity as enriched & eternal as a Soul feel thus so vacuous, so futile, so chronically impoverished, & intractably ephemeral & finite? Perhaps this feeling, is what we have come to call “Time”, whether it is being experienced as Kronos or Kyros. For most things seem to equate more to an intangible & fleeting movement of experience, both external & internal, rather than to the casuistry so often ascribed, ad nauseum, to only those objects & subjects which we tend to classify as being “had” or “held”. Perhaps all which truly exists is best classified within the taxonomy of abstract thought alone as many philosophers have pondered. Perhaps all we are-perhaps all that is, is truly an infinite & glorious manifestation of intellectualis Dei, dreaming in endless & splendid perpetuity? For what is declared & sanctified as “real” by the all-too-cleanly-shaven bards of Positivism, in all of its subversively cynical negativism, housed as it is within the atrophic viscerae & leprotic skin of the Body Politic, is ultimately what begs all of these questions concerning the “immaterial”.
So then, perhaps we have known all along, that there are no such things as Nihility or Despair. There is no Rosetta Stone that will not bleed forth with an ever-flowing spring of Lux et Veritas et Vitae Aeturnum, so long as it is struck squarest upon its most fracturable fissures. For oftentimes, in never allowing life to dissect us, is to risk never being assembled rightly by the hand of our Creator Divine. For what so often desires unity must first allow disunity to assert its form so that the Master Sculptor may bring to completion the Soul's realization, most immanent and eminent, of the truest self it seeks to substantiate, of the personage God Himself envisages within the psychomantium of such hallowed projections alone.
Thus we, with Primal Intuition must declare ourselves definitively sane in the face of all of the salacious intensity & licentious delirium which this mortal human flesh may visit upon us. For only then, can we thereby discharging our wanton shadow from the ghost asylum of that puritanical tyranny so unnaturally cultivated as it is, by the pretenses & posturings of the Body Politic. For we are all too achingly aware of the true apostasy we must commit daily before the ecumenical altars of so-called Social Order & Industry. Yet, not unlike the true nature we must often shun, nothing is ever just either-or, but is always all-of-the-above and at-the-same-time. It is that infinite Quantum Void, ever teeming with mere probability or possibility, until we choose, thereby externalizing the internal.
Yet until this fateful moment, all remains in mere ontological suspension. And one individual's Civility & Order is another's utter Savagery & Chaos. Moreover, the "depraved anarchy" and portentous "damnation" often so sanctimoniously prognosticated by some of a more provincial-minded leaning, is, in actuality, usually experienced by others as their only Raison d'être & Redemption. It is often assumed that resistance to that which is most natural in human nature is rewarding in its preventive or safeguarding effects, but, we also must determine, for each individual context, what harm such resistance could also do to the human entity overall. For, some argue, that all was created to possess a particular intrinsic perfection of design & nature. And they also argue that, perhaps Essence should always be honoured as preceding Existence, even, & perhaps especially in the face of those dictates of ontological revision so militantly urged & enforced by the Political Architects & Social Engineers of any given milieu. Yet I suppose, many will continue to pay heed only to the stifling dogmas of Doctrine & Denomination.
Yet what we all often fail to realize is how this blind adherence to sacrosanct orthodoxy merely seeks to exact from Humanity, a diffusion of Ipseity, and therefore can prevent any ultimate ethical or moral soundness or efficacy to be achieved amongst any given society or within any given individual. For truly, all communal or civic duty begins within a commitment to individualistic accountability and governance. Furthermore, many Unitarian religions merely reduce the human essence to a kind of gross & unorthodox uniformity, as, to become "One" in a grander sense of communal altruism, each and every individual can so easily forget that they must cultivate a sense of such wholeness first from within themselves. For we are only as "divinely human" or "evolved" as we have earned this distinction of character through a kind of transpersonal practice of egoism. For some kinds of self-centrism are not only morally acceptable but are actually morally imperative.
As common wisdom recognizes, “We can only give unto others what we have given unto ourselves.” And indeed, we can also only truly and fully achieve spiritual & worldly synthesis & harmony when we have worked on cultivating such qualities from within our core inmost being, before such wealth can be shared, without undue debits, with the outer world. Speaking of seizing wolves by their ears in order that they may be tamed, the most potentially ravening wolf lies within each our own selves if we do not properly & diligently care for its most basic needs.
In continuum, percipience and the monitoring thereof is the most powerful & adept tool which we, the human species, have always had at our employment. And how we think, is indeed a life force in and of itself, as it determines so much. Hence, perhaps the most important question for each individual to ask themselves is not: How should I live? but How should I think? The verdict is in. What we think & believe is all that there is. Mind is what matters, and perhaps as theorized by quantum physicists and eastern mystics, is what all matter is composed of itself.
Thus perhaps we should seek both a cultivation of mind & spirit first from within ourselves, before we will ever be able to truly reap the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the outer world. The current, and many believe, anachronistic Cartesian-based paradigm of either-or, often dictates a kind of matter over mind, at the costly expense of that which ultimately and truly matters. This well-balanced approach to the Mind-Spirit synthesis has always been held in highest regard especially within the Judaist tradition of intellectuality and the refinement thereof as a means towards achieving spiritual enlightenment.
Moreover, the Judeo-Christian tradition better yet, achieves a perfect balance between a cultivation of both Mind and Heart. There is a Latin term: amor intellectualis Dei, which translates roughly as "a love for the mind of God". This translates roughly to the concept that to truly love God means seeking to cultivate as much of this same mind within oneself. And indeed, perhaps if we each, as the individual human entities that we are, continue to allow God to mold our innermost beings into that which we hope the outer world to become, then some fine day we may have reached full fruition despite all human err risked to get there. For if indeed the numinous substance of all things holy and evil are born from each our own cognitions and behaviour, then we all must take diligent heed of which mind-fruits we seek to cultivate, for not all kinds of fruit both sustain and nourish.
LETTER TO ECKHART, MEISTER
Sometimes when we are hurting, we begin our own slow but sure self-annihilation. It is almost a sort of wishing of ourselves into nonexistence, as if the phantasy of our own demise can somehow magically substitute for the inevitable actuality of our own mortality. So we construct all sorts of eccentric excuses and philosophies to pull the wool over our own eyes to the glaring Truth-that we do care, and perhaps even more so, in these lucidly sentient moments of quiet desperation. It’s not as if we wish for Death although we very well may have earnestly attempted to sever all possible ties with Life. For, as many intuit, Life is what we truly fear.
And the funny thing is, when we have emerged once again from our caves of isolation and darkness, how we look back and can never seem to recall what we were ever fighting against in the first place. Yet this is the nature of all war & truce. And perhaps we do this because we were mistaking what was truly our valiance and our virtue for self-preservation & its methods of retreat. And yet each phase & turn of suffering & then relief bears a seemingly new longing for a time when we will learn how to walk strong and proud, to never falter again. Yet just as much as we wish we could believe this into fruition, we also know that it can never be. So we just reason that maybe this time we will at least gain something worth suffering for.
Otherwise, the clock stops and every minute is an eternity, every hour, 100 of them, every day, every week, every month, every year, every decade, century, millennium and the cycle of our innermost evolution continues. And yet still we wonder: Can a human entity, thus so fragile, complex & limited, truly ever evolve? Can we ever really change? And then suddenly someday, we sense a shift from deep within, indescribably intangible yet there, nevertheless. And before we can fully decipher what it is exactly that we had passed our time so studiously & yet seemingly fruitlessly, the fog lifts, and, in a kind of perverse joy & unburdening revelation, we find that we have become the Soul Of Eckhart, laughing at its Creator, as its Creator God, smiles fondly back unto His Creation, knowing that the punch line could never be read in The Answers, but in the absurdist but in the end redemptive tragedy being played out in the edifying process of The Asking itself .
NOTITIA INTUITIVA:
ON THE PREEXISTENCE
OF HIGHER WISDOM WITHIN MAN
Sometimes we feel the Joy well up from deep within, only to just as surely, and just as quickly, beat down its indomitable flames with the highly flammable encloakments of Repression, of course succeeding in merely crafting an incendiary device with far more potentially destructive energial reserves. And the abiding dread of Uncertainty which holds us affixed & enthralled by this fire concerns matters which may consume us, if we heed them not. For that living Gehenna stoked by the friction of our resistance to Nature, & to Life's rites of initiation into the metaphysical membership of Faith & Surrender, is a fire so fierce that it singes either way.
But what is it that truly incites the anguish of Man? Perhaps it is not the ominous presence of some dark, unseen principalities which haunts & plagues us so, but rather the undeniable propinquity of the Holy & the Seraphic. For only the beaming face of Love, Hope, & all things transcendent, divine & altogether wholly elusive to the human entity are what rile him so to such Madness & Profligacy. But what of before? And had we an ontological precedent? And will we evolve to some higher ontological antecedent? Had we always, the foreknowledge of all matters celestial, hellish & ecumenical? Is perhaps the mortal's longing for Heaven & his compulsive push towards a Hell of his own making the trailing afterbirth of worlds prior & henceforth?
Furthermore, is this proof of the existence of a wholly sovereign Deity divine? The Platonists exalt The Ideal as the assured forerunner of “The Actual.” They believe that if the human Imagination & Intellect houses such Ideals, then surely they must consist of substantiality within some realm. In other words, they believe not only in mind over matter, but Mind as the original essence of matter. Nevertheless, in these current incarnations, this analogia entis is the only epistemic access that humankind has to such esoteric ponderings & pontifications. Although these ruminations indeed serve their purpose as well, guiding us with the aid of Phantasy & Mythos, to the sacred temples of our most meritorious & worthwhile endeavours.
And truly, perhaps an embrace of our more intuitive faculties need not be viewed with such hostility & suspicion, as the most egregious sin committed against the demi-gods of all Scientific Inquiry. Indeed perhaps it, in & of itself, is their Redeemer, their Sovereign, their Messiah. For all that we glimpse upon with the Eye of the Anatomy & the Eye of Higher Percipience first took seed within realm of Mind & Spirit. Moreover, a militant stance of corrosive cynicism merely degenerates into all forms of de-humanism, & digression. And as the numinous agencies within Man are again neglected & shunned, he forgets his foreknowledge of both The Future & The Now, leaving him sullen & empty before the crumbling shrine of the false idols of Exigency. For the stuff of the Ultimate can be attained only through the riches of the inmost self. For the implicate order is the Mother & the Father of the very Universe itself. Nothing explicate possesses true ontological bearing without this genesis. For it bears the seed, Pronoia, the forethoughts of God Himself.
In finale, truly what separates man from the Beast is not so much his reasoning faculties but that of his discernment, or his higher wisdom. For there is “knowledge” which is of the lower, earthier & ecumenical depths, and there is “wisdom” which is of the higher realms, a distinction which gets lost so easily amidst the socio-political hubris of human society. Yet perhaps we are here now to learn how to properly honour both our earthly, symbolically-denoted“mothers” & “fathers,” while also bowing before the altar of The Divine or Heavenly Father, with those offerings which bloom up from within a human soul, sacrificial offerings which we have salvaged from the ruins of this world's enmity. And perhaps in the process of our individual Life's lessons, we will someday gaze out upon all of the Universe, crafted as it is with such splendid architecture, & alas will see, not only the imago of our Creator God, but most of all, how equally wondrous & exquisite, that of our own.
ON SIN & CONSEQUENCE:
A Brief Exegesis
When we experience conflict & suffering as either a direct or an indirect consequence of sin, this is in large part due to the perception of the loss of God's protection & benediction over us. We are told in the Judeo-Christian Scripture that evil does indeed exist, albeit manifesting itself in ways both overt & subtle, through the malicious words, actions, and even inactions of human individuals acting either in service to Good or to Evil. We are also told that we are not battling against the flesh & the spirit insomuch as we are battling dark, unseen principalities. I personally theorize, as many scientific-minded do, that the spiritual forces we so often commonly refer to as “good” or “evil” are subatomic phenomena which, although they cannot be directly observed, are nevertheless very much sensed & intuited by many sentient beings attuned to them.
We are also told that when one serves other idols, demi-gods or gods before the one true & living God, that we will eventually face the consequence of the myriad bodily & even mindly manifestations of illness or disease which afflicts all creatures great & small. And these idols can take the manifestation of both those classical idols of stone, metal, gold, etc. or of more intangible idols such as those afflictions & addictions of thought & emotion. However, contrary to fundamentalist evangelical sentiment, God is not some petty, white-bearded tyrant in the sky who delights in sadistic glee whenever we humans succumb to our various foibles & weaknesses. This variation of theological anthropomorphism however, does seem to be a contentious issue of human cognitive tendency. But the analogia entis reminds us that we were fashioned in God's image, & not the other way around. And, thank God for that!
In actuality, it is when we are not seeing God accurately in who & what His character & imago truly is, that we are led into all sorts of venary, plight & other assorted unnecessary embarrassments. And what are these attributes that I refer to in the aforementioned insight? I speak mainly of those concerning how God's nature is to delight in the childlike faith & surrender of His children & to bless us in accordance to our allegiance to Him, rather than to punish us whenever we go astray. Rather, He chastens & corrects in order to protect & preserve. Moreover, as a matter of theological discourse, the Scripture, both Old & New Testament, teaches us that it is actually the work of Satan, or demonic forces, & the work of other human beings which we often confuse with the work of God Himself when we become afflicted.
Furthermore, it is these satanic forces which work to give us a distorted image of ourselves, others & especially, of God, which wreaks the most havoc amongst human society. For the Devil wishes to turn us in self-hatred against ourselves, as this is the clearest path he has towards getting us to commit all sorts of injurious and/or ruinous acts upon others. And contrary to the blindly obeisant Nicenean indoctrination that the inmost, core essence of man is vile, base & corrupt, otherwise known as the doctrine of Original Sin, I believe that it is important to come to terms with our darker potentialities & urges. Furthermore, it is also much more psycho-spiritually sound to focus upon cultivating & actualizing our inherent & God-given virtues & character. Ultimately, I have found this to be a much more amenable & efficacious approach to the resistance of Evil.
In finale, God's love is always available to us. Is is the immutable essence infusing all of the good, and all of the beauty of this existence. But, it is we who must accept it. It is we who must allow ourselves to be crafted into the person God knows that we can be. And as He builds us up from the inside-out, we may then feel thus empowered & worthy to accept His love & guidance. For I believe that the blessings of existential security & even prosperity offered up to those who live according to God's precepts, are desired by each & every one of His children. For the devil & his legions know when we are feeling unworthy & use our human vulnerabilities & character weaknesses as deft instruments to keep us from experiencing the wholeness & completion that the Holy Spirit offers us.
“But what of free will?” so many then ask? Yes, God has granted us our freedoms but with the caveat and the expectation that we will utilize this free will & choice towards pursuits that are most actualizing in a godly way, and that are then, by extension, worthy of God. And many attempt to twist the word of God, precisely because they do not want to be held accountable for their lives. But we forget all too easily the allegory of Eden, don't we? And we cry out “Antinomy! Antinomy! Antinomy! Everything is mere Antinomy and thus is meaningless, meaningless, meaningless!” “But aren't we unconditionally loved by God?” we argue further. Yes, we are. But if one still has the urge to sin against oneself & others, then one hasn't truly reached a place within oneself where they either feel worthy of the love of God, or they are merely resistant to the attendant kenosis & metamorphosis which they must undergo from the inside out, which come along with a genuine acceptance of God's Love & Redemption.
Nevertheless and in the end, when all of the semantic & legalistic reductio ad absurdum maneuverings are deployed & depleted, one more transcendental proof continually testifies to the Immutable & the Absolute: God completes us. He fulfills us. He is the Ultimate Source from whence we came & to which we strive to return. In addition, when we are ready to free ourselves to feel worthy of God's love, and let Him into our minds and our hearts, we no longer feel the ominously omnipresent urge to go forth living our lives in resistance to surrender, for we will have been made whole & our weary, trembling souls, will have been quelled by the inimitable presence of His Grace, Benediction, & Assurance.
We are all loved unconditionally by God our Creator, and His love & guidance are always available to those who seek it. But we are also still morally accountable to ourselves, others & our God for how we use the lives & individual gifts He has blessed us each with. And indeed, we are likewise responsible for how we navigate the obstacles we have been cursed with. For contrary to popular opinion, there are moral absolutes in this life, despite the compulsions of cultural reductionism, to reduce the wondrous complexity of life into excruciating banality. However, there is, in every circumstance we are placed, a choice to do “right” or to do “wrong.” The variables may be intricate, even tricky & complex, but the solution is ever constant. And its divine alchemations can be found both in God's Word & in the transcendent wisdom granted to those who ask for it.
For when we open this sacred tome, humbly asking God to grant us His Holy Spirit that we might reflect upon its immutable truths, God always shines forth His light to guide us in our exegetical travails, however humble or sophisticated they may be. For ultimately, in imago humanus we may struggle & toil, but in imago divinus we are are freed, we are redeemed.
UNITARY TRANSFORMATIONS: A STRIVANCE
We all battle with the conflicting instincts of Self-Preservation vs. that of what Abraham Maslow coined "Self-Actualization", or that of thrivance over mere survival. And truly, the whole of this human experience is consumed by the search, within each individual soul, for a blissful union of all opposites. Indeed, even much of what we as a humankind have come to discover within all branches of scientific inquiry, those of the hard & soft sciences, parallels this higher, transcendental wisdom. I believe however, not unlike many others, that Science & Spirituality not only must be reconciled to one another, but indeed, they already are. For as the field of quantum or theoretical physics verifies, everything is interconnected at more of a fundamental level than our myopically macroscopic view lends us. It also tells us that we each, in the quantum existential role of "The Observer", co-create what we refer to as "reality" in ways also taken for granted if not completely dismissed by us.
Furthermore, the truths inherent within both Science & Philosophy, despite the bifurcation exacted in the name of each their own enquiry & analysis, are a pre-existent actuality of what physicists refer to as "unitary transformations" which converge to meet their apogee of synthesis upon the steeple of a splendid cathedral of intellective architecture, where the meditations & supplications of both Humankind and its Creator find a sanctuary both celestial and ecumenical. And although we may never, due to our current human limitations, be able to sustain a sense & execution of this wholeness & unification, the laws of both Science & Philosophy concur upon the same observation: "Absence of evidence does not preclude evidence of absence."
In finale, despite our inherent myopia & finitude, we can all nevertheless strive to make a concerted effort towards the extension of ourselves & each our own special blend of character, temperament & abilities, in a positive direction within this world we now currently inhabit. And although the proverbial shadows will make themselves most manifest in contrast to our strivances towards Truth & Enlightenment, loitering as they do about those luminous effulgence which only a human soul in earnest search for Truth can propagate, the very nature & essence of Truth is to reconcile darkness with light, inscience with prescience, the profane with the transcendent, the inscrutable with the lucid, the simple with the profound. In science, this is that old Ockham's Razor & its principle again being employed which states that: "All things being equal, assume no more than is necessary."
And contrary to most worldly wisdom & sentiment, Truth is not more convenient to live by, nor is its path of pursuit the least treacherous or weathering, despite its inherent virtues of Simplicity & Candour. And many of us suffer under the delusion that we must gruelingly earn our keep in this life-that we must painstakingly strive for some sort of Redemption or Salvation. Yet the truth is, we are already saved, in the here and immanent-and indeed, eminent, Now. In the end, all human knowledge speaks, in its own semiotic eloquence of this one truth: Faith in the perfection of all things as they are, is the Master Key to the portal of Heaven above, and Heaven on Earth. But most importantly, the thing we must struggle to remember is that this key lies within each & every one of us. As above, so below? Perhaps first as within, so without.
TRUE FAITH
Ascetic abstention & abnegation, in & of themselves, are not a sufficient means towards an achievement of moral soundness or psycho-spiritual edification & fruition. In other words, merely refraining from giving way to a homicidal impulse & committing a murder (of any penal classification), doth not, a saint make. We often like to deceive ourselves that, as long as we have ticked off all the boxes of 'Thou Shalt Nots', that we no longer owe our debt to God & Society. We like to think that we can just fade away into the periphery of the landscape of Life, footloose & fancy-free, once we have met our sectarian obligations.
But of course, all of this religious piety & torpor is revealed to be yet another blunt yet deft tool of Satan's dark craft, weaving the illusion that ritualistic exactitude clothes one in the finest wear, when it in fact, merely succeeds in wearing one down. Faith, by virtue, exacts something from the seeker of it. True moral fortitude requires risk. It embodies both secular refrain & ecclesiastical dynamism. Although this metaphysical phenomenon often happens in a reverse manner. Instead of the methodology through which Goodness can manifest itself being related only to what we do, it seems quite the opposite most of the time, that we feel to have achieved some moral triumph from within ourselves more so when we have successfully resisted an action of potential or assured evil or destructiveness.
Of course, it may seem mere common sense that good must also be proactive and not just passive. However, it is often the simplest truths one most easily becomes blind to. For far less merit & applause are granted to these quieter, subtler & more internal moralistic triumphs. Yet these, of all meaningful & profoundly worthwhile endeavours & victories, are of primary & ultimate significance for the salvation of each & every individual human being. But, of course, this is merely further evidence of the satanic at work as a pernicious & insidious force within the world. For those “dark powers of this world & of the heavenly realms” are surely aware that the most effective way towards the oppression of the virtuous potentiation of a human heart & mind is in keeping them ever distracted & turned away from the very spiritual weaponry of their own salvation, which is always at their disposal through the orthopraxis of both secular abnegation & sacramental fortitude.
On the whole, one seeking true faith must submit to the soulsmithing mastercraftsmanship of God, asking in earnest supplication, for Him to craft oneself into a rare & holy shrine of both venal abnegation & discarnate concupiscence. For as Holt Writ tells, faith without works is dead. And furthermore, reading between the sacred lines, religious ritualism, without some sincerity of feeling behind it, is also dead-or worse yet, a putrefying remnant of the living dead, embedding its stench into the soul's flesh of those who don its regalia as proudly & insolently as the devil, his unmasked self flaunts, on All Hallows' Eve.
In a word, religiosity is easy, but true faith is scathing & arduous. Although in a reverse proportional sort of way, it also possesses the greatest potential for soteriological edificaton in any fully redemptive sense. Indeed, even Christ Himself had to make that descent into Hades before He was fit for Heaven. And likewise, for us, His floundering disciples, our lives are granted to enact this very same drama of the Grande Design, although we keep asking the same tired questions again & again: What is the meaning of this life? Why are we here? Perhaps we need just accept the fact that we already know the answers to these questions. And perhaps, quite simply yet profoundly, the aim of their nagging insistence which seems to be built into the very blueprint of our ontological machinery, is to goad us on evermore, in finding our way towards true faith & towards the answers to all of life's philosophical inquiries. Because, as any true seeker of faith & salvation comes to see, the answers lie only within the search itself.
A SALVATION WROUGHT IN FEAR & TREMBLING
(Philippians 2: 12-13)
“...continue to work out your salvation in fear & trembling, for it is God who works in you according to his good purpose.”
(2 Peter: 8-9)
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Philosophers, and indeed, even many scientists throughout human history have pondered upon that grand enquiry booming from the cavernous void of that branch of academic Philosophy known as Epistemology: “What is reality?” And indeed, although many shun the significance of such an enquiry and a search for its answer or answers, its nagging persistence nevertheless must lend it some credibility and relevance. Moreover, as we are all too keenly aware, we all inhabit the microcosm of the subjective, solipsistic “self” at the same we feel the demand of so-called “civilized society” to reconcile this individualistic nature into that of a more collectively amenable one.
And oftentimes I think that the cultivation of some kind of harmonic existential coherence between Self & Society, or between the “inner” world of subjectivity vs. that of “outer” socio-political forces & phenomena is perhaps the main task of this human existence as it seems to consume so much of our energies. For we are all indeed, individuals with each our own experiences & manners of expressivity, and yet we also inherently intuit the underlying unity which governs all things throughout Nature. For although the Cartesian reductionism still so pervasively entrenched within Western mentality claims that the “inner” & “outer” must ever remain in opposition and an epic battle with one another, the indisputable fallacy of its twisted logic is revealed within its very oversimplification of a design of both biology and ontology evident within all organisms to be much more profoundly complex, immaterial and elusive.
And although many still cling to these rigid, Lilliputian and indeed, anachronistic paradigms, perhaps it is a pardonable sin in the face of our utter human fragility, myopia & inscience. Thus...Can one ring anything but rancid juice from an over-ripened fruit? Can one ring any juice at all from an under-ripened fruit! Ah! It may indeed be over or under-ripe, but it is by far not yet rancid. For as long as one still has the life-blood flowing in them & the spirit of El Shaddai sustains them, there is the ever-immanent choice of repentance & the due diligence of moral submission. Nevertheless, oftentimes in this life, world-weariness creeps into the bones, & that dark light of worldly knowledge seeps all too deftly & deeply into the cracks of the battered & weary human soul. Yet the problem lies not in this phenomenon itself, but in how we often confuse such perspicacity with depravity. In other words, what we know is not necessarily what we are.
Perhaps this is born from the mistaken notion most pervasively expounded upon throughout the millennia by the philosophies of Cartesian dualism & Platonism, that thoughts & feelings, in & of themselves are either completely severed from our behaviour or that mere thought is at best, immediately & quantifiably as affective & effective as actions. Or, as another author put it: “Ontology & epistemology are not independent.” (Paul Alan Wolf, Starwave: Mind, Consciousness & Quantum Physics). Although, for the record, I think he got a little carried away, as we all do sometimes, upon the gossamer wings of esoterica. Not to mention that this particular inquiry of psychological dialectics & its seemingly infinite modalities may perhaps be best left to another essay, where such flights of intellective fancy can best be indulged. However, abstraction is, for some of us, an exercise of affability.
Furthermore, Saint Jerome coined the term “synderesis” to denote that innate moral cognizance evidenced within man. And later on, of course, that prolific & ubiquitous Saint Augustine further differentiated Jerome's “synderesis” from what he termed “conscientia”. Augustine's “consciencia” denoted the purely intellectual realm of moral discernment, deduced from human reason or intellect alone. Thereby, did Augustine also conclude this purely human phenomenon of moral prescience to be both fallible and, although not altogether useless, incomplete. Moreover, Augustine was keen to dichotomize the “knowledge” of man vs. the “wisdom” of God thus imparted to man. He believed the “synderesis” of Saint Jerome was never in err, as it was possessed only of the very wisdom, omniscience & absolute moral truth of God Himself.
He also compared, if only by analogy, these “metaphysical” laws with the invariancy of those “physical/natural” laws which govern our universe. In a word, Saint Augustine classified the mind of God (Logos) from the mind of man (Conscientia). Augustine understood that the conscience is always subservient to the “logos” due to its need to struggle against that of its inherently human & creaturely limitations in order to discern & actualize “synderesis”. In essence, he clarified for many, how the “conscience” of a man in & of himself, is not only incomplete in its intelligence, but is, by virtue of its entrapment within a mortal & creaturely (rather than demi-deific) incarnation, utterly lost without the inerrantly edifying teachings & scourges of the Spirit. Otherwise one rather shamefully lapses into digressive discipleship with such empty, vapid philosophies (if they can be called that) touted by the likes of those insidious imps called “Atheism” & “Agnosticism”.
Without further ado, (and it is, in this case, much ado indeed about quite something), in regards to the lattermost proclamation, it is my own conclusion after many years of grappling with the same issues of theological and philosophical contention myself, that agnosticism & atheism are essentially one & the same doctrine cleverly camouflaged in the doublespeak of sophistry (and yes, atheism, especially, is a doctrine of dogmatistic fervour unparalleled). Agnosticism & Atheism, therefore it seems, are feeble-minded concepts & terms of redundancy. To put it in less fanciful terms: You either believe in God or you don't. One cannot half believe these postulates which most directly & violently subdue & subjugate the “other”-being faith, with equal devotion. Thus yet another tautological & especially, ontological inconsistency lies inherent within this state of esoteric negation, rotting out the very prefrontal cortex of mens sana.
I, too, finally had to come to terms with this truth. One cannot, indeed serve two masters, namely as we are speaking of here, the master of Doubt & the Master of Belief. To be sure, it ain't over 'til it's over as the old battle hymn goes, & we will continue to wrestle with some doubt about ourselves, but thank God Almighty I have doubt about myself alone being up to the Sisyphean tasks of this life. Quite frankly, because I, myself, alone would and have already merely floundered in such staunch self-sufficiency (or, self-insufficiency is more like it)! As Gilbert Keith Chesterton once noted of that most ignoble doctrine of self-reliance: “Shall I tell where the men are who believe most in themselves? ...They are all in lunatic asylums!” Of course, we today might brandish the verbal swordplay of our forthwith idioms of discourse, nevertheless, philosophical & theological truths always transcend politics.
Or even better, as G.K. Chesterton keenly & in his delightfully playful style once observed: “It would be much truer to say that a man will certainly fail, because he believes in himself.” Yet, should one cloister oneself away from the world in order to avoid one's own nefarious actualization? Or is this merely, the null exchange of one sin for another? And is this is so, which is a worser sin? For after all, virtues, when overextended, become sins, although all sins will always remain, sins. Good can be transformed into evil, but evil, never into good-at least not by the will of man alone. But perhaps this is that paralytic agent thus identified, of the human soul, as its makes its perilous way towards its fullest potentialization. Perhaps it is crippled by its very own discernment of the nature of good & evil, hence, the Edenic scene.
It knows all-too-well that evil, or the darkness, once fully embraced is that much more harrowing to be released from. Thus we fear our own actualization towards the light & towards good, for we know how impotent we often are in the face of our own temptations towards evil. However, we are not completely helpless. For after all, the very fact that we exist to be gripped & plagued by such anxieties must mean that there is a sovereign & benevolent Deity there to sustain & guide us, for we certainly did not create ourselves & cannot manage of our own accord. The old argument from ontology might be perceived as some, as a weak argument, nevertheless I would then concede that the doubt & even hostile refutation of the agnostics & the atheists is bound by the same phenomenon of consciousness.
And, paradoxically & amusingly enough, it often seems to some believers that atheists and some agnostics seem even more dogmatic in their convictions than the average Christian. As a matter of truth, most believers & practitioners of Judeo-Christianity are rather even-tempered. The very submission to both Old & New Testament principles in fact, provides the perfect synthesis & balance for the human soul. Judaism is a perfectly edifying tool for the Intellect, & Christianity, for the Spirit. Yet, regardless of all esoteric musings, I think it comes down to allowing God to train us in not only the way that we should go, but most importantly, in the way that we should think. And sometimes I think that we've got it all wrong. Instead of overly focusing upon the methodology through which Goodness can manifest itself being related only to what we do, it seems quite the opposite most of the time, that we feel to have achieved some moral triumph from within ourselves more so when we have successfully resisted an action of potential or assured evil or destructiveness.
Of course, virtuous actualization must also be proactive and not just passive as in the latter sense of self-restraint. Yet, rather unfortunately, far less merit & applause are granted to these quieter, subtler & more internal moralistic triumphs. Yet these, of all meaningful & profoundly worthwhile endeavours & victories, are of both primary & ultimate significance for the salvation of each & every individual human being. Yet this is merely further evidence of the satanic at work as a pernicious & insidious force within the world. For those “dark powers of this world & of the heavenly realms” are surely aware that the most effective way towards the oppression of the virtuous potentiation of a human heart & mind is in keeping them ever distracted from & turned against the very spiritual weaponry of their own salvation , which is always at their disposal through the orthopraxis of both secular abnegation & sacramental fortitude.
Satanic principalities also attempt to oppress the healthiest aspects of human thought, emotion & expressivity, because they are aware also, how these things are a human individual's most superconductive conduit for holy communion as it relates to the self & God, & towards fruitfulness within the world as it extends in full faith from God to self to other human beings. Furthermore, we also tend to think about spiritual phenomena in the wrong way as well, as being something not only wholly quantifiable, but as something that is permanently fixed or static. Yet in fact, because physicists have now verified this to be the ultimate nature of subatomic physical reality, all is in a constant dynamic of flux, or in the process of some kind of energial transformation according to the first law of thermodynamics & the various laws of symmetry.
Evil can also, as a metaphysical phenomenon just as quickly transform into good with the catalyst of the right choice made by a human individual. And good, in turn, can also quickly become evil if the wrong moral choice is made. And, not unlike the electron-positron pair annihilation observed by physicists being in a steady state of activity, the epic battleground of Good vs. Evil also plays out on a more metaphysical scale. Indeed, there are some, myself included, who have pondered whether or not subatomic phenomena itself is not perhaps those “unseen principalities” (see Ephesians 6:12) referred to in Holy Scripture. Of course, even the so-called “hard sciences” can never compare, in their proclaimed sacrosanctioning, to intellectualis Dei (the Mind Of God). Most of what we think we know is still mere postulate.
In essence, what I am relaying is that we must all each continue to “work out our salvation in fear & trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13) as there is no fixed guarantee that any one person can rest on their laurels, or indifference about their fantasized “goodness” or “badness.” The only thing which truly & ultimately exists is personal accountability & the choices wrought from either an embrace or an abnegation of this golden principle. It is our choices, and only our choices which determine both our earthly & celestial reaping & merits in the eyes of the Lord God Almighty.
“...being confident of this one thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
BLESSED ASSURANCE
Sometimes we must tap into our own loneliness before we can find completion in Christ alone. It is often when we feel the least truly seen by others that we come to a higher and much deeper understanding of ourselves. Our view sharpens most in clarity when we feel mired within the murky uncertainty of our existence. Tethering our intentions and channeling our energies becomes both much harder and much easier in the face of life's vagaries, the indifference and often cruelty of others, and in the face of our own overwhelming ennui.
But thankfully, our Heavenly Father always provides for us, something to renew our spirits so that we can continue on in the uniquely calibrated and fated purpose for our lives. We may never be able to predict with specificity what form that empowerment and encouragement may come in. But we can rest in the knowledge and in the hope that if we persevere, it will come. Resilience in the face of opposition is more a matter of determination and self-respect, both of which have been finely cultivated through all of our trials and travails.
He indeed shall perfect His works both without and from within each of our individual souls and bring it all to completion some fine day. And then, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt what it has all been for. And not being certain but choosing to trust in an Almighty and Holy God is the root of true faith. And He shall also continue refining that as well. We only must choose each new day to move forward in self-actualization and courage.
THE HIDDEN SINS OF BLIND CONFORMITY:
SELF-ACTUALIZATION AS A MORAL IMPERATIVE
Psalm 51:6
Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
I find it absurd how many self-professed ‘Christians’ demonize those individuals who take full accountability for their own individuation instead of merely ‘fitting in’. It’s rooted in a false doctrine that to be ‘obedient’ is to be totally devoid of any individual characteristics or discernment! This view is, in fact, not supported ANYWHERE in the Holy Word. I like how David Schrock put it when he said: “The body of Christ calls for individuality, not individualism.” Although he was addressing another issue. We are each called by our Father Creator to develop each our own unique personalities and gifts so that we can put them into proper service in His Kingdom. If we don’t develop self-knowledge, we will not know how to grow and learn as disciples, but will instead be tossed about by the waves and will remain double-minded and digressive.
Furthermore, speaking of 'blind conformity', I am addressing the kind of blind obedience which certain people might use as justification for malfeasant and/or socially harmful actions and/or inactions. The positive and pro-social kind of conformity is, of course, a necessary societal construct in maintaining moral order, etc. Yet, while conformity certainly has its virtues and I am not disputing that, there are many ways that it can also be harmful and unhealthy when it is the kind of conformity adopted blindly.
Each individual person has a moral imperative to develop each their own talents and interests in order to better serve the collective. Individuality must be honoured to a certain degree so that this synthesis and symbiosis between the individual and the collective can thrive best. Now, I am not speaking of the generic kind of 'individuality' spouted by popular culture, the likes of which David Schrock's words were addressing that I mentioned earlier. This kind of individuation is shallow and facile. In a word, we are all inherently 'different', so any kind of forced cultivation in most cases is false. The kind of differentiation of which I speak is that spoken of by Abraham Maslow and Carl Jung in particular.
Maslow, who was a North American born psychologist active mainly during the early part of the 20th century, developed the theory of a 'hierarchy of needs', which explored the necessity of what he coined 'self-actualization' for each human individual to achieve maximum health and happiness. Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss born psychiatrist who is considered the 'father of modern psychoanalysis.' Jung also recognized, as an ontological necessity, what he termed 'individuation', to be a part of any human being's mental and what he called 'psycho-spiritual' health. In this brief article I will be outlining what I consider to be the benefits of self-actualization and individuation, as well as briefly touching upon the more deleterious or harmful effects of a neglect of one's own unique design.
Primarily, the first benefit is pretty basic and speaks for itself. When an individual works to develop their own identity and skills even at the expense of becoming 'cast out' by the social majority, society as a whole is much better off for that individual's efforts at sharing those abilities and talents within it. Furthermore, when we 'take up our own cross' of individuation, we are generally much happier, healthier and productive and pro-social beings. Therefore, contrary to the misconception, the cultivation of each our own happiness and contentment and success in life is not an ANTI-social act, but rather a decidedly PRO-social one! And it is not 'selfish' in the way that most people classify it.
There are two kinds of 'self-centeredness'. One is narcissistic and pathological and the other is empathic and healthy. As the adage goes, “One cannot serve from an empty vessel.” And to that I would add, “One cannot serve from a shattered vessel.” Thus, we can see how we are actually called by our Father God and Creator to develop our gifts and unique interests and talents to better serve Him and our fellow human beings. In essence, when we 'love' and respect ourselves enough to embrace our own development, we are also in turn, heeding God's very command to love and serve others as we love ourselves, and to love and dedicate our lives to honoring God with our devotion, time and gifts.
The world is so much better off and much more interesting and challenging with each our own truest selves being deployed in it! And although this journey can be frightening and arduous more often than not, at least we have paved the way for the next brave soul who follows in our footsteps on their own path to self-actualization.
Furthermore, let's explore the 'dark underbelly of the beast' known as blind conformity. During many dark periods of human history, many individuals, full of malice and motivated by all sorts of reprobate and evil ideologies, have caused unimaginable suffering to the human race, all rationalized and indeed, even championed, under the guise of nationalistic, religious or otherwise general communal 'solidarity'. And as Oscar Wilde once observed “Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious.”
Although I personally think the word “nationalism” to be more apt, what he was getting at was, that the 'majority rule' does not preclude a system of moralistic checks and balances which needs to be operant in order to ensure less abuses of power. In fact, many would surmise that, the more people who seem to be blindly and vigorously jumping on the bandwagon about something, the less likely what they are supporting is both rationally and/or morally sound. Thus, bringing me to my main point concerning blind conformity as an inadequate and actually sinful substitute for individuation.
The main ways that blind conformity contributes to more evil rather than good in society is that it interferes with the mental, emotional, spiritual, social and vocational health, genuine self-esteem & wholeness of each person who adheres to it. Societal evils such as physical, sexual and mental/emotional abuse, especially of children become prevalent. Many do not see the connection between this, but I guarantee you, there absolutely is. One's own personal accountability for one's own life trajectory are essential to each our own ability to proceed in a positive and pro-social manner towards psycho-spiritual growth and functionality.
In finale, many character disturbances and disorders are both directly and indirectly the result of neglect of one's own spiritual, moral and general existential responsibilities to the collective AND the individual. Moreover, a daily application and practice of self-reflection and examination are moralistically imperative towards the proper development of our innermost being and character. In essence, we must first 'Know thyself,' if we are to be able to contribute in any healthy and robust way to those persons and causes whose paths we will cross and whose tasks we shall undergo out in society.
Cultivating self-awareness is also elemental to our ability to develop empathy towards others as well. On the whole, all human beings, despite our inherent uniqueness, share a common enough psychological makeup to be able to understand one another. And all that is required for the most part to understand another, is to reflect honestly upon ourselves, as we are fundamentally and philosophically similar. Thus, we can see how the striving for self-actualization and individuation enables us to be the best that we can be both for ourselves and for others. For every person who chooses the long, hard and often lonesome road of inner truth, that many more choose the wide and smooth road of blind conformity, and the world does suffer for it.
We are all so valuable to our Father God that He calls each and every one of us to develop each our own talents, skills and personalities not only for others' benefit, but also because He wants us to be happy and fulfilled. And the only way towards an authentic sense of deep and abiding peace and joy is by compromising the illusory pleasures and glittering generalities of 'fitting in' at any cost. Because in the end, 'fitting in' with ourselves is what we all desire deep down.
Each individual is a part of an irreducibly complex matrix of give and take. What I have to offer others and the world at large may not seem to always carry that much weight considering the vastness of our universe and the ever-increasing human populace, but I can at least take assurance in the fact that what I contribute is helping someone out there and is coming from an authentic place. The mysterious and wondrous workings of metaphysical mechanics have always been calculated to be a quality over quantity equation anyhow.
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
GNOSIS, AN EMERGENCE
It is oftentimes easier to believe in the devil than it is to believe in God. For such a thing is so easy to fall prey to when the sentient organs of mortal human experience, by Truth's indiscriminate hand, are dealt the first blows of the profane.
Yet without first, recognition of Tragedy, even Comedy turns tragic and then there would be no evident or immediate cause for redeeming ourselves. But perhaps Tragedy is overrated and we do not need it as much as we think that we do. Perhaps the true Tragedy is in how we continually seem to compulsively create something out of what is essentially, nothing of true substance or importance.
But now, once the acknowledgment has been made, how exactly do we let go of it all in order to better our species? For as anyone beyond a certain age of cognizance is all too sentiently made aware, nothing can truly be held onto or even let go of for long in this life of transience.
And the very act of surrender requires an inscience of self-sense which we do not even naturally possess and that probably would not be in our best interests to coddle anyway.
In continuum, perhaps however it is within human nature to still wonder if it is necessary for life to be so consumed and potentially jeopardized by this existential juggling act which we must perform with such exactitude every day. Yet this is where the Metaphysical comes into play: the matter behind Mind vs. Matter, Good vs. Evil, the Material vs. the Intangible, the Logical vs. the Intuitive, and, last but certainly no least, the Self vs. Others.
Although many believe these struggles to be the very meaning of this human life journey itself. And this philosophy indeed does not betray legitimacy, as more than half of a human life is expended upon the pursuit of some higher knowledge as to how this life can best be lived. And indeed, perhaps it would not be hyperbole to state that every moment of human consciousness is wrought with the weight of choice. For no matter how seemingly large or small, the energy expended for the seeming mundane minutiae of this life seems to interfere with the fullest actualization of our higher selves and faculties.
In finale, I suppose the philosophical theme of Survival vs. Thrivance will always play itself out no matter how we may attempt to ignore it. Yet it cannot be wholly denied, that no matter how much we attempt to attribute a factor of nihility to each our own existences or fates, we all nevertheless feel a pull towards something far from arbitrary, nor worthy of our feigned Apathy or Indifference. For every organism throughout Nature possesses an undying instinctual drive towards the pursuit of Life over Death, or Production over Destruction.
And no matter how melancholic or even ambivalent we may feel, there is always a faint murmur of Exultation and Life-Force felt within us, striving to potentiate itself. And even in those moments of human extreme, such as with suicidal ideation or inclination, there is never a true desire for Death, but rather, a fear of facing Life and what this might further exact from us beyond what we, in these moments, already feel we have had stolen from us or has been ravaged within us.
And indeed, whatever we choose to call this invisible yet dynamic force guiding us all towards our transcendence or our demise, we all feel and sense it. We all sense that there must be a greater purpose to our existence, and not merely because it is comforting to think so. As a matter of discourse, I personally find it much more trying to believe in a God or a Higher Power behind all things. Life is in truth, not so much easier to adopt an atheistic attitude towards, all things as many deistic skeptics may believe. Life is actually not only more challenging to believe in things like a God whom I must honour and revere in word, action and even intent, but it is also much more complicated as such.
Nevertheless, I have always believed such concepts to be inherent within humankind anyway. To clarify, even the self-professed atheist cannot truly and fully disbelief in higher spiritual realities because I believe these things are a part of our design. I suppose this is in tandem with St. Augustine's ontological argument for the existence of a higher spiritual being. But in closing, is not humankind's ability to imagine and to conceptualize the very foundation upon which all of our greatest achievements are solidly built? And if we could continue working to synthesize the Metaphysical with the so-called Practical, or rather, the Platonian weltanschauung with the Aristotelian one, there is no telling what we might achieve.
EX TENEBRIS, LUX
Sometimes the Darkness is there to lead us to the Light.
I have come to believe in Good, because of the intractable presence of Evil.
I have arrived upon a faith in a higher power, because of those principalities which reside below.
I have managed to cultivate Virtue, only through the refiningly dark graces of Turpitude.
I have gained priceless Wisdom in the face of abject Inscience.
I have come to know of the infinitude & omnipotence of Love only while seized by the terminable torpidity & inconsolable despair & anguish, of Hate.
I have only truly glimpsed of Heaven only after a descent into Madness & Hell.
I have found Salvation only on my way towards Damnation.
I have learned of Surrender & Serenity only in the face of futile Resistance & Dissonance.
I have found common ground with Communal Solidarity only while walking alone the full distance, in Stoic Solitude.
I most gaily danced with Destiny whilst languishing within an unshakeable sense of Meaninglessness.
I courted Canonical Consummation & Existential Bliss while being savagely spurned by Godlessness & Nihility.
Within the rapacious arms of Terror, I found myself indescribably comforted & delivered by the indomitable presence & sovereign power of Grace.
In my perpetual Affliction & Exile, do I continue to find Healing & Hearth.
Through the blindingly harsh glare of lights which seek to brand upon me, an imago false & unjust, have I always found my Truest Self & Actualization.
Through the simplest of Life's Joys, have I also always briefly touched upon the least mundane revelations & Inward Transformations.
Whilst enthralled by the illusions of the Flesh, have I learned of that true Freedom found only, in Bondage to the Spirit.
ATHEISM VS. THEISM
Without further ado, (and it is much ado indeed about quite something), it is my own conclusion after many years of grappling with the same issues of theological and philosophical contention myself, that atheism is a term (& credo) of both fallacy & redundancy. I often think when people profess their Atheism: “Yes, but deep down, do you really believe that?” To clarify, it is self-evident that we “mere mortals” possess at least a working knowledge of things deific, otherwise how could I be writing this essay? “God” or “a god” or “gods” would nary be on my mind at all, let alone in dispute. My contention is that, therefore, such an entity (deific) must have endowed homo sapiens with the ability to discern him, her, or it. Higher wisdom (notitia intuitiva) & knowledge of morality, virtues, salvation, damnation, etc. are self-evidently innate in humankind. Therefore, I do not even believe that there can exist such a creature as “an Atheist”, from a strictly logistical standpoint, that is.
I also finally had to come to terms with this truth, as we all will at some point, that one cannot, indeed serve two masters, namely as we are speaking of here, the master of Apostasy & the Master of Belief (or Faith). Now, to be sure, we will continue to wrestle with some doubt about ourselves, & about other prescient matters, but thank God Almighty I have doubt about myself alone being up to the Sisyphean tasks of this life. Quite frankly, because I, myself, alone would and have already, merely floundered in such staunch self-sufficiency (or, self-insufficiency is more like it)! As Chesterton once noted of that most ignoble doctrine of self-reliance: “Shall I tell where the men are who believe most in themselves? ...They are all in lunatic asylums!” Of course, we might enjoy brandishing the verbal swordplay of our forthwith idioms of discourse, nevertheless, philosophical & theological truths always transcend politics or as the Ancient Greek philosopher Parmenides addressed in his didactic poem “Doxai”, “the opinions of mere mortals”. Or even better, as G.K. Chesterton keenly & in his delightfully playful style once observed: “It would be much truer to say that a man will certainly fail, because he believes in himself.”
Yet all in all, there is a major distinction between “doubt” and outright apostasy. In fact, “believers” are often plagued with more doubt than self-proclaimed “non-believers”, mainly due to the fact that we remain open, at least to the possibility that we may be in err, & atheists, for the most part, remain quite closed off to self-examination (which is perhaps in some cases a salient purpose which their “atheism” serves). Yet, should one cloister oneself away from the world completely in order to avoid that of one's own nefarious actualization? Or is this merely, the null exchange of one sin for another ( as in the case of “evil” triumphing through atheistic passivity & apathy)? And if this is so, which is a worser sin: To embrace “atheism” & perhaps find salvation (at least in a strictly “materialistic” sense) through nihilism, or to embrace “faith” & risk doing more harm than good by being actively engaged with the outer world, whilst battling the forces of evil which seem to push more strongly against “believers” than “non-believers”? For after all, virtues, when overextended, can also be transmogrified into sins, although all sins will always remain, sins. Good can be transformed into evil, but evil, never into good-at least not by the will of man alone.
But perhaps this is yet another paralytic agent thus identified, concocted specially for the human soul, as its makes its perilous way towards its fullest potentialization. Perhaps the human soul is crippled by its very own discernment of the mercurial, & tumultuous nature of evil, hence, the Edenic scene. It knows all-too-well that evil, or those “dark principalities unseen”, once fully embraced, are that much more harrowing to be released from. Thus we fear our own actualization towards the light & towards good, for we know how impotent we often are in the face of our own temptations towards evil & the extraction therefore, from its Herculean grasp. However, we are not, completely helpless. After all, the very fact that we exist to be gripped & plagued by such anxieties must mean that there is a sovereign & benevolent Deity there to sustain & guide us, for we certainly have not thus far managed of our own accord. The old argument from ontology might be perceived as some, as a weaker argument, nevertheless I would then concede the doubt & even hostile refutation of this to be bound by the same phenomena of consciousness. Meaning, that an Atheistic stance often springs directly from a limited human mind reacting in absolutist refutation to matters that it feels overwhelmed by & cannot fully comprehend.
And, paradoxically & amusingly enough, it often seems to some believers that atheists and even some agnostics seem even more dogmatic in their convictions than the average self-professed Christian. As a matter of truth, most believers & practitioners of Judeo-Christianity are rather even-tempered & level-headed. The very submission to both Old & New Testament principles in fact, provides the perfect synthesis & balance for the human soul. Speaking colloquially, Judaism is a perfectly edifying tool for the Intellect, & Christianity, for the Spirit. Furthermore, Judaism has always planted its roots in a strong intellectual foundation, along with a moralistic one. And to that I say: Let's put the Judeo back in Christianity! After all, I take it on faith that our Lord & Saviour intended it no other way. As a Rabbi once noted, “An ignorant man cannot truly be devout.” The more one comes to know, in fact, the more one comes to a solid synthesis of truth & understanding, especially as it applies to the realms of Esoterica & the like. Intelligence, contrary to the “Atheistic” viewpoint, is not always in inverse proportion to a belief in God or a sovereign & supernal force which created, sustains & guides all to its eternal resting (or toiling) place. Which is why any “religion” or “philosophy” worth its salt-of-the-earth, so to speak, will encourage its disciples to actively seek out the methods of not just that of its own spiritual edification & submission, but that of its own intellectual fruition.
To be sure, not everyone is a born intellectual, & that is perfectly okay. Yet we are all endowed by our Creator with enough cognitive capacity to at least be earnest in our search for how to submit our lives, skills, talents, etc. to His bidding while we are granted life upon this earth. God measures what spirit we live in, not how “clever” we are (or are not). In finale, as with all things, balance. No more of this: Head over Heart! No! No! Heart over Head! Nonsense. We have both & we should strive to develop both to the best of our intentions & abilities. Of course, each human individual is inherently endowed with an uneven balance of intellect & intuition, on way or the other. But it is important, if even just for our own mental health, (which has a direct influence on all else), that we continue to grow in the most optimal & positive direction. As it has been said: “One cannot serve from an empty vessel.” To that I add, one can serve from an empty vessel, but most likely will not serve the world well & may even commit egregious evils against oneself & others in the process. Personally, for me, it is decidedly more difficult to embrace Faith than Atheism, as it holds me 100% accountable for every waking moment. Yet we should let this serve as refutation of the Atheist's claim that we believe in things such as God & an afterlife in Heaven merely because it is more comforting.
In its own way, this can also serve as proof to some extent that there is a benevolent & sovereign Deity who created me, sustains me & wishes to guide me to my optimum actualization, & who knows, in His infinite wisdom, that an “easy”, life would ultimately do me more harm than good. After all, remember the teacher in school who actually helped you to learn & challenged you above & beyond what you thought yourself capable or who helped you to unearth some latent talent or ability? These teachers are often the least liked & popular, but the most efficacious in the end. Hmmnnn... I think there just may be something to that.
HE MEETS US WHERE WE’RE AT!
Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy & dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness & patience. Bear with each other & forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
As I have made my way through this perilous world, somewhere along the way my sense of self became damaged by some of the erroneous & harmful ideas disseminated by the culture. One of the main ways that I was damaged in my sense of self, was in how in many different ways, some subtle, others more blatant, I was given the message that being the way that I was was either not good enough, not worthy, or just not welcome. According the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory, I am mostly identified with the INTJ classification. This means that I am an Intuitive Thinker, with a depth of feeling & keenness of discernment. I am also a very conscientious, broad-minded, & highly creative individual.
Apparently, my “type” is not only rare, but is also one of the types least acknowledged by this world, & coincidentally, the least existentially actualized & fulfilled. Although this is definitely through no fault of our own, as another salient feature of INTJ's is that we have strong desire & need to continue growing & learning as people, so that we can help others & be the best we can be. We are the type that often steps outside of our comfort zone, as we possess a genuine & profound love for soul expansion.
We are also very selective & usually reserved when it comes to our social interactions & the people that we let into our lives. This is often shamed, & misunderstood by this current milieu as either being snobbery and/or anti-social tendencies, but we just have very healthy & strong boundaries, because we understand the harm that can come out of not exercising good boundaries, both with ourselves & with others. Another way that this feature of our personality is wrongly labelled, is as being some sort of social ineptitude or 'shyness.' In truth, we are often circumspect & discerning, but rarely 'shy,' being as mature-minded as we often are.
Although, I have to admit that we are a 'type' that is very awkward when it comes to more superficial social interactions. But this is not, as it is often shamed, a quality of inferiority. On the contrary, we are often the type that others refer to as one of the most congruent, or authentic & deep. And some of the rigours of sociability in Western-especially modern, Western society are exhausting for us, & we just desire to use our time on this earth wisely & not waste it on things that ultimately do not promote & nurture that of our own growth in a healthy, positive direction.
Nevertheless, every 'type' gets misunderstood in some way, & shamed for being the way that they are in this world. I just wanted to give a brief segue into the purpose of this article/essay. The message that I wish to share with those who are reading this is: You are perfect exactly the way that you are, and that God can meet you wherever & whoever you are. Now, of course I don't mean that we should never grow or learn, or allow the Lord to 'prune our branches', & weed out some of our more sinister and pathological qualities. I just mean it in the sense that there isn't just one way to serve the Lord, & there isn't just one 'personality type' who is equipped and called to serve the Lord.
His creation is magnificently & awesomely diverse! And so are we as individuals! What you have to offer is uniquely yours, just as what I or anyone else has to offer are uniquely mine & theirs. For example, I am often plagued with a feeling of inadequacy because I am not an 'evangelist' or a servant of God in the conventional sense of being a Lead Pastor of a church or even a deacon or some other such Public Figure. And I often feel like I am not a 'good enough' servant of the Lord, because the culture & society in which I live exalts a very specific image of what an 'ideal' servant of the Lord acts like, walks like, talks like, and just is like. Many of us who are more systematic & meticulous about our approach, especially in regards to matters which we know are of utmost gravity & seriousness, such as spreading the Light & Hope of the Gospel to people through our ministrations, just do not fit into the 'Type A' extroverted model of what a spiritual 'leader' should be.
But the Lord God created & molded me into the person that I am proud to say I am today. And no one should allow, if they are called, anyone to discourage them in their own individual nuances of godly service. The main way that I minister to my fellow human beings is not only through living, to the best of my ability, by the commandments set forth by God to love & serve God with all of my heart, body, mind & soul, but also to love others & to treat them with the same dignity & respect that I wish to be treated with. It's really very simple when you think of it. And I also use my linguistic & other intellectual abilities in service to Him & others who need enlightening, uplifting, comforting, & empowerment.
Now, I cannot accomplish these things when I am living in my flesh instead of walking by the Spirit. But I can when I pray without ceasing throughout my day to remain connected to the voice of the Lord & how He wants to live through me, & then follow that up with a full submission to Him & a total faith & trust in Him, placing Him as the Lord over my body, my mind, my soul, my talents, my time & in general, my life. But, like everyone else, I am a work in progress.
But thankfully, the Lord looks at the heart-the inner man. And when He sees us meeting Him in the middle, He blesses us. We must just persevere & go wherever He leads us, not matter what our natural temperaments, personalities, or capacities might be. It breaks my heart-and certainly also the Lord God's-to see so many people discouraged & shamed into non-being, merely because of the works of the Evil One to use the culture to make people feel inadequate or somehow unwanted merely for being the wonderful, beautiful way that they were created to be. If you minister & serve the Lord by writing poetry, do it unto the Lord with all of your Being!
If you are a Pastor of a church, do it unto the Lord with all of your Being! If you are a Barista at a coffee-shop, serve the Lord there & do it with all of your Being! There is no one path that we have to take in order to serve Him & to fulfill His purpose & perfect plan here upon this earth. He can do all things for those who are willing! He meets us where we're at!
When I was younger, I, too, was plagued by all of these questions: Which University should I attend? Which church should I attend? Which job should I take? What vocation should I devote my life to? And it worried me that maybe, when I had finally made a decision, this wasn't where the Lord wanted me to go & perhaps I had taken the wrong path. Now, He has blessed me with the perspective that comes with experience, & I know that the where, when, what, & how are not important. It's the why. Why did I choose this particular job, or this particular church, etc.? If my motives are anything by completely submitted to pleasing & serving His purpose for my life, then, and only then, am I amiss.
There are an infinitude of paths that any one individual can take. Do not let the Evil One hang you up on particulars. Take the first step in Faith & godly pursuit, & He will lead you! Most of us do not live the glamorous lives as depicted on television & in 'celebrity culture'. But guess what? Neither do they! Being an 'ordinary' vessel of the Lord Jesus is, for me, truly the highest honour, for He is the only being worthy of all praise & glory. That is not to say, that being a mere mortal vessel of Almighty God makes anyone dull, or lacking in talent, or brilliance. Everyone is gifted by our Creator & Heavenly Father with something that makes us all shine, & makes us all “fearfully & wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) It just means that we acknowledge as His Word reminds us that, “In Him we move & have our being. (Acts 17:28).”
Furthermore, it acknowledges that, in a very literal sense of the term, He is our Creator & our Sustainer. We do not take any breath upon this earth without His express consent! He truly is Lord over all, & we are nothing without Him! All that I have ever managed to accomplish on this earth is only because of the magnificent Spirit of Christ at work through me & in me! I could not even be writing this essay without His power & life flowing through my veins! Indeed, even when we are servile to the darker aspects of this human condition, & choose to do evil over good, it is still He who protects us from total ruin, & chastises us afterward to draw us back to Him. (Revelation 3:19 “Those whom I love I rebuke & discipline.”)
No mind or heart can conceive of His love & care for us with every step we take, & every breath that we take. And no mind nor heart can conceive what He has in store for those who love, revere & glorify Him! (1 Corinthians 2:9) And although it is process, & everyone begins imperfectly formed, spiritually speaking, we can have faith that He will complete His work in us as long as we submit in total dependence to His works within our innermost beings, & lives (Philippians 1:6). God does not show favourtism to either 'Introvert' or 'Extrovert.' He values & loves all of us equally & expects us to devote our time, our talents, & ourselves to Him, & Him alone. We will stray, but He will never allow us to walk down that dark path for too long before reminding us to Whom we belong, and before reminding us that the Evil One always works the hardest to dim the lights of those who shine with His Truth, Light & Love.
“For Thou hast made us for Thyself, & our hearts are restless 'til they find their rest in Thee.”
-St. Augustine
Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
P.S. And remember, dear ones, do not mistake a lack of worldly recognition for a lack of worth or value. On the contrary, if you feel a constant sense of existential nullity as it relates this world, you are probably on the right path! And there is nothing wrong with being an outcasted, mocked & spurned treasure-storer in Heaven. Amen!
Philippians 1:6
“...Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 3:1-4
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you have died, & your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.”
REMAINING IN THE VINE
Oftentimes, for the vagabond human heart, taking root somewhere wholesome can be one of the most challenging tasks of our existence. And I refer not necessarily to geo-spatial locality, but rather, to one of a more existential, philosophical nature. Moreover, one of the most arduous, & yet, rewarding endeavours of our Judeo-Christian faith is what Jesus referred to in John 15, verses 1-4 as “remaining in the vine.” As we have all at one time or another noticed, opening our hearts to Christ & even surrendering our will to the will of the Father is difficult, but not nearly as difficult, we soon find out, as remaining submitted to His will & His will alone.
Yet we are also reassured that, as long as we genuinely repent & go & “sin no more”: “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him nor known Him.” (1 John 3:6) However, since no one can always keep this promise to resist sin in every possible way, the Word in Romans 6:12 tells us that it is perhaps healthier & ultimately better for our salvation to focus on not letting “sin reign in our mortal body.” We will sin. This is an intractable aspect of our fallen human nature: “For surely I was sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 51:5) Yet the key is to quickly apply the atoning ash of self-examination & repentance to our sinful words, thoughts, & deeds so that we can prevent ourselves from further, & more deleteriously, being deceived by the “powers of this dark world & the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
And, on a more ecumenical & colloquial note, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt once keenly observed: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” And to this the Scripture also offers precedent & solace: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, & of love & of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) We indeed can, (& are expected), to submit to a daily discipline of reverence before & praise of God for His providence & grace, through honest self-reflection &, when necessary, repentance of our sins. But, after weighing both the pros & the cons of such a trying task, what a joyous & strengthening thing it is to know that God's mercy never fails; that God's mercy shall never cease for those who love Him & continue to seek Him.
FIDES ANTE INTELLECTUM
It is oftentimes easier to believe in the devil than it is to believe in God. For such a thing is so easy to fall prey to when the sentient organs of mortal human experience, by Truth's indiscriminate hand, are dealt the first blows of the profane. Yet without first, recognition of Tragedy, even Comedy turns tragic and then there would be no evident or immediate cause for redeeming ourselves.
But perhaps Tragedy is overrated and we do not need it as much as we think that we do. Perhaps the true Tragedy is in how we continually seem to compulsively create something out of what is essentially, nothing of true substance or import.
But now, once the acknowledgment has been made, how exactly do we let go of it all in order to better our species? For as anyone beyond a certain age of cognizance is all too sentiently made aware, nothing can truly be held onto or even let go of for long in this life of transience. And the very act of surrender requires an inscience of self-sense which we do not even naturally possess and that probably would not be in our best interests to coddle anyway.
In continuum, perhaps however it is within human nature to still wonder if it is necessary for life to be so consumed and potentially jeopardized by this existential juggling act which we must perform with such exactitude every day.
Yet this is where the Metaphysical comes into play: the matter behind Mind vs. Matter, Good vs. Evil, the Material vs. the Intangible, the Intellectual vs. the Intuitive, and, last but certainly no least, the Self vs. Others.
Although many believe these struggles to be the very meaning of this human life journey itself. And this philosophy indeed does not betray legitimacy, as more than half of a human life is expended upon the pursuit of some higher knowledge as to how this life can best be lived.
And indeed, perhaps it would not be hyperbole to state that every moment of human consciousness is wrought with the weight of choice. For no matter how seemingly large or small, the energy expended for the seeming mundane minutiae of this life seems to interfere with the full actualization of our higher selves and faculties.
In finale, I suppose the philosophical theme of Survival vs. Thrivance will always play itself out no matter how we may attempt to ignore it. Yet it cannot be wholly denied, that no matter how much we attempt to attribute a factor of nihility to each our own existences or fates, we all nevertheless feel a pull towards something far from arbitrary, nor worthy of our feigned Apathy or Indifference.
For every organism throughout Nature possesses an undying instinctual drive towards the pursuit of Life over Death, or Production over Destruction. And no matter how melancholic or even ambivalent we may feel, there is always a faint murmur of Exultation and Life-Force felt within us, striving to potentiate itself.
And even in those moments of human extreme, such as with suicidal ideation or inclination, there is never a true desire for Death, but rather, a fear of facing Life and what this might further exact from us beyond what we, in these moments, already feel we have had stolen from us or has been ravaged within us.
And indeed, whatever we choose to call this invisible yet dynamic force guiding us all towards our transcendence or our demise, we all feel and sense it. We all sense that there must be a greater purpose to our existence, and not merely because it is comforting to think so. As a matter of discourse, I personally find it much more trying to believe in a God or a Higher Power behind all things.
Life is in truth not so much easier to adopt an atheistic or completely indifferent attitude towards all things as many deistic skeptics may believe. Life is actually not only more challenging to believe in things like a God who I must honour and revere in word, action and even intent, but it is also much more complicated as such.
Nevertheless, I have always believed such concepts to be inherent within humankind anyway. To clarify, even the self-professed atheist cannot truly and fully disbelief in higher spiritual realities because I believe these things are a part of our very design. I suppose this is in tandem with St. Augustine's ontological argument for the existence of a higher spiritual being.
But in closing, is not humankind's ability to imagine and to conceptualize the very foundation upon which all of our greatest achievements are solidly built? And if we could continue working to synthesize the Metaphysical with the so-called Practical, or rather, the Platonian weltanschauung with the Aristotelian one, there is no telling what we might achieve.
ON MORALITY & RELATIVISM
Contrary to popular opinion, there is no relativism in morality. In fact, the very essence of what makes 'relativism', relativism & 'morality', morality, reeks of mutual exclusivity, from both a purely logistic as well as an orthopraxic standpoint. Reality may be relative, or at least the perception thereof, but Truth is absolute & immutable. What we call 'reality' deals mainly with the basic physical senses & the phenomena which arise out of our experience of these, often in combination with our psychological state.
Truth, however, transcends these 'fleshly' phenomena altogether, although it can be enhanced by them, at least during a direct experience of higher revelation and those deeper insights which can be arrived upon during states of mystical contemplation. Seeing as Truth concerns matters more 'otherworldly' or 'metaphysical', if you will, some may argue that perhaps we cannot definitively declare Truth, or any mortal human experience, as 'absolute', due to the limitations inherent within our species & in our intellective capacities. Fair enough. However, one could also counter that argument with an equally valid statement such as: “Yes, but, despite the limitations of the 'perceiver', there is also no way to disprove the workings of a power & force of mind which is perhaps enabling a mortal human to escape those bounds, at least within a finite period of time.”
Thus, there we have it again. That old paradox. Yet even within certain scientific & academic circles there is a credo to, at least, partially ameliorate this cognitive dissonance: “Absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence.” Nevertheless, let us continue on with our dissection of 'Reality', which is indeed, often subjective & relative to the 'perceiver', and 'Truth', which is presumed to be absolute & immutable. One simplified way of putting it would be: “The perception of 'reality' is processed by the eye, the ear, the nose, etc, & overall, the brain or our 'neuro-apparati', and 'truth' is processed by the 'soul', or the 'spirit'.
Yet many believe that the 'brain' (and some the 'heart') is the seat of the soul/spirit, so this breakdown may not work for them. Thus, another way of describing the experience of 'reality' versus the experience of 'truth' could be: Reality is how we make sense of the mundane world in which we live. Truth is how we make sense of the more profound mysteries & psycho-spiritual struggles of this life and of our human condition. Yet, no matter how we dichotomize these things with mere words & sentences, morality & relativism, which are the subject of this essay, indeed are complementary, and yet still mutually exclusive. They are mutually exclusive at least in the sense of their form & function, but not perhaps, in their complementary co-existence or in the bipartite unity inherent within the human mortal.
Our perception of 'reality' can either aid or impede our ability to discern 'truth', for example. (Although when discerning truth, we will be able to maintain & perhaps even experience a refinement of our clarity as it relates to 'reality'. Indeed, if one experiences a distortion of perceptual experience of 'reality', one is most likely not truly in touch with 'truth', but merely just an unfamiliar variant of 'reality', whose novelty & intensity may be mimicking a transcendental or mystical phenomenon.)
Furthermore, there is the age old dispute amongst laymen & epistemologists alike: What are the varying 'types' of perceptual/cognitive experience and/or 'knowledge'? Where does our 'knowledge' come from in regards to each of these 'types'? Are there limitations to what we can know or claim to know? And the list goes on. Some may again claim the relativity inherent in each individual person's answers & beliefs on these particular inquiries. And often, that will prove to be somewhat true. Yet the boundary will eventually be crossed from 'relativity', over into 'absolutism'. It's gonna happen. Ya can't stop it, folks. Such a thing as 'Absolute Truth' does exist.
I believe that truth is found mostly within the realms of Mysticism & Morality. I do, however, appreciate & understand the revulsion which some feel in the presence of any kind of Aristotelian-Exclusion-Of-The-Middle, either-or kind of thinking. I have the same initial reaction. Yet the truth remains, that there is such a thing as phenomena which does not contain within it, a 'right' or a 'wrong', at least as it relates to interactions between sentient beings & the environs in which they must both survive & thrive.
In a word, what I'm saying is: We all possess an inherent moral cognition or a knowledge of right & wrong, and indeed of all attending oppositionally constructive/destructive forces at work within ourselves & the world around us. In Judeo-Christian scripture, these forces are referred to as “unseen principalities.” Despite our seemingly keen ability to 'rationalize' our 'sins' into gentler, more spiritually sound (or even just benign) entities of intention & effect, they still have a destructive effect nevertheless. Confusion of intention & effect seems to be a tool which we often use to weasel our way out of the truth in many cases. But, as the saying goes: Right is right, and wrong is wrong. No matter which way we try to spin it. I believe the branch of thought which touts 'situational ethics' as an acceptable way to approach moralistic issues to be fallacious. There is a difference again inherent in these two realms of thought.
Ethics deals mainly with the world, or, with more ecumenical matters at hand. Morality concerns itself mainly with the 'afterworld', and with more 'extra-mundane' matters. (Although, to be precise, both realms do often intersect & complement one another in their missions & tasks.) I am mainly addressing the problem of an over-extension which seems to plague humanity, of a claim to 'relativity' in service to depravity & evil. In other words, in order for me (or anyone) to be able to rightfully claim something as being 'relative' either to the culture in which I live, or any other extenuating factor, it must, indeed, be found to qualify for such a distinction! Because, not all things are relative!
To use an example: Killing a human person in self-defense, or in defense of someone else. I personally believe this to be morally justifiable. I should respect & honour that of my own value-of-life just as much as I respect & honour another's. Now, mind you, I do not believe that this is 'right', morally speaking, just that it is justifiable. Hence, we have been led into another area of 'legalistic' (and semantic) distinctions & classifications. But when we are having a hearty & open discussion about things, this will happen. If our inquiry is answered quickly, without leading us into at least one more question, then we may not truly be onto anything.
On the whole, we can presume that each individual has the moral right to choose whichever path they need to take in their journey towards Truth, but one thing is both universal & absolute: Those actions taken upon self & 'other' which cause harm, & those actions taken upon self and 'other' which cause healing. Whichever one we choose to contribute to, does indeed, have a very real effect upon ourselves, others, and the world at large in which we live. This, we can be absolutely sure of.
ON TRANSGRESSION & FORGIVENESS
Excusing an offense without holding the offending party accountable is merely enabling them to go on sinning. Repentance is a part of any sound relational equation.-V.L.S.
Matthew 5:22 King James Version (KJV)
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother WITHOUT A CAUSE shall be in danger of the judgment...
"If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and IF HE REPENTS, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying, "I repent", you shall forgive him" -Luke 17:3-4
James 5:16
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
We can all identify with the feeling of indignation that comes along with having been usurped in some way by a fellow human being. And Western society, especially, has a lot to say about how we are supposed to act & feel in these situations. One misconception which we all, I'm sure in some way, been indoctrinated with, is that getting angry at someone else is bad. We shouldn't feel it, & we most certainly are expected to not express it. Yet there are as many variations of this emotion as there are of all of the emotions attendant to the human condition & experience. And one 'shade', if you will, of anger that we have been unfortunately discouraged from owning within ourselves & feeling, is righteous indignation.
The Judeo-Christian Scripture, for one, shows precedent for allowing such feelings towards our fellow humankind when evil has been enacted upon us and/or those we love & care about. We have not only a right to set boundaries up to those who have ill-intent towards us, but we must set those boundaries if we are to prevent ourselves from falling into the ways of evil ourselves. One Scripture, in particular that I will use as a referential point in this brief essay is found in Psalm 101. The first verse is taken from Psalm 101:3-4: “I will set before my eyes, no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me. Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will nothing to do with evil.” If that doesn't speak for itself, I don't know what does!
I often think to myself: “Being a Christian does not mean being an enabler of wickedness, or being a doormat!” It most certainly does not. We are also told by Scripture to “expose the deeds of darkness”. And one very effective way that we can do this is in erecting a foundation of self-respect, so that when we are abused by our fellow humankind, we can stand firm in our disallowance of it. Hating wickedness & injustice is not necessarily equivalent with hating “the perpetrator” him and/or herself. Yet, in all honesty, we must, at least until such time as the danger which they pose has passed, allow for a strong enough dislike or or even contempt of these persons so we can protect ourselves properly from their depraved influences over our spirit & our minds.
Furthermore, getting back to Psalm 101, there is precedent found in verses 6-8 as well, for the kind of self-protection of which I speak. The verses read thus: “My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.” Personally, for me, I am careful to interpret these verses symbolically rather than literally. For example, “my house” could also refer to one's own 'inward dwelling of mind & spirit', as being in need of protection against unsavory, outward influences. Also “the city of the Lord” could also be interpreted as one's innermost being standing firm in righteousness so that the “evildoers” cannot penetrate it.
As we can plainly see, our Lord & Saviour most definitely wants us to set up good fences with our fellow humankind, so that we can operate to the fullest efficiency & safety within the bounds of human society at large. And sometimes, this entails the regulation of “the borders”, if you will, so that we ourselves do not fall into the ways of evildoing & wickedness. Yeah, but isn't that “segregation” & being unforgiving? some may wonder. Yet, there are many instances in Scripture, including those to be found in Psalm 101 which I have included in this brief essay, that not only acknowledge the necessity for this sometimes, but in fact, advise us to practice on a daily basis so that we can keep our discernment between those individuals who are truly “blameless”, & thus possessive of good intent towards us when they “minister to us”, & those who are not.
It is thus, a very “Christian” thing to do in taking good care of oneself so that no evil may unduly influence us. It is not about being “hateful”, “stuck-up/elitist”, or “hypocritical”, to not allow ourselves to be abused and/or exploited (whether financially, emotionally, or in some other way) by our fellow human beings. It is about staying on the right path, & making sure that we are empowered from within ourselves to do so by treating ourselves with respect & consideration as regards our own feelings, inward states, & the actualization of our inward talents & skills out in the world. In order to be able to do all of these things, we must nurture ourselves, & protect ourselves from those darker principalities which seek nothing but that of our own enslavement & destruction. Allowing for this kind of kowtowing, does not do anyone any good.
Moreover, another issue that I feel needs to be elucidated upon (for my own edification as well), is that of “forgiveness.” Yes, the original “F-Word”. First off, I will start out by saying that this is largely the Lord's purview. Secondly, that such an event “takes two to tango”, so to speak. Let me elaborate. I say that forgiveness is largely in the Lord's purview, as He is the only Being to whom anyone must answer (myself included) in the end. Furthermore, He is also the only infallible being who can see things with absolute clarity. Also, it is through the power & grace of the Holy Spirit that my own merely mortal inclination & spiritual skill-set can rise to such a grande gesture as the offering of Absolution for another's transgressions and/or sins.
After all the Scripture says that each one must bear their own burdens. Quite frankly, in and of myself & my own limited, spiritually-feeble human ability, I am just not qualified for that. It's not about an insolent unwillingness to offer forgiveness to someone actively & sincerely seeking it. On the contrary, I feel humbled by the realization that perhaps they should ask God our Father for forgiveness, as I might fall short on my end and therefore do not wish to cause any more damage than has already been done. I just personally don't feel that it is my place to wield that kind of power over another human being, & in fact, I would probably tell them that they shouldn't be offering me that kind of power over them. Furthermore, the Scripture says that we must CONFESS or REPENT to the Lord and to others when appropriated, in order to be healed and to find absolution. It says, in a word, to CONFESS and be healed-not DEFLECT and be healed!
Nevertheless, all personal idiosyncrasies aside, let's examine what is required for a successful “atonement” between Violator & Violated. What a lot of people don't realize & automatically judge as “harboring a grudge” or as “being unforgiving” is that: The guilty party must first ask for forgiveness to begin with! And, more specifically, this person must be sensed as being sincere to the potentially forgiving party. Yet, even with that part fulfilled, it ain't over yet. The “offender” must also actively seek to not commit the same violation (physical and/or emotional/psychological) upon the “offended” again. In fact, this is a key element required for the completion of any act of contrition/repentance-namely, that we “go & sin no more.” Why not direct all of the energy used to give a lengthy apology into instead self-reflecting & focusing on not doing the same thing again? I've often thought to myself: “Don't say you're sorry, just don't DO IT AGAIN!” That to me, is a truer & more trustworthy sign of atonement. Even the Scripture bears precedent about this being a two-way street. Scripture even makes an allowance, in the event that our offender is unwilling to make amends with us, to go our separate way & to move on the best that we can.
In finale, Romans reminds us that “all have sinned & fallen short the glory of God.” But this does not preclude each person's right to choose what elements to let in & what elements to keep out of themselves & their homes & their lives. It's not always about “passing judgment on other people”, but is often merely about “securing the perimeters for oneself” so that one properly govern oneself & take accountability for oneself, as we are instructed to do by our Father in Heaven. As G.K. Chesterton once put it: “Good fences make for good neighbours.” And these “fences” exist both from without & from within the minds & hearts of each individual person. In fact, “good”, and conscientious Christians are mindful about not only how they treat others, but of how they allow or don't allow themselves to be treated by others. In a word, if I don't first respect myself, how in the world will I ever be able to teach myself how to respect & to love others? It all starts at home, indeed.
Fundamentally, we are all created equal by Our Father in Heaven, and seen as equal in His eyes. “For God does not show favourtism.” Yet we each are also required, as He would not violate the sanctity of our freedom of choice, to willingly submit and to prostrate ourselves before Him, and before those whom we may have wronged when we seek absolution. As some Christians are fond of putting it: “It's about what's in our hearts that the Lord sees & cares about.” We just must be careful not give sway to “popular” opinion regarding our own feelings when we have been transgressed by another and/or others, & allow ourselves to disown those negative emotions or to feel ashamed or unworthy of them. All this does, is give power to the destructive forces that are at play within the transgressor and the situation at large. It is perfectly okay to feel angry, or indignant when you have been unjustly maimed in some way. It, like all things, is about what we do with our feelings & thoughts which determines whether they end up doing harm or good from within ourselves and then, out in the world.
But, we have to feel to deal, and we have to deal, in order that we may finally, heal. But yes, it is also okay, should someone who has hurt you come to you, sincerely asking for your forgiveness, to grant it to them under your own conditions. In my eyes, no matter how deeply another's transgression may have wounded me, an act of genuine contrition on their end is worth a whole lot more in the long run. And often the hardest and trickiest part often comes down to forgiving ourselves first, when we have erred or hurt someone else. But, we all must earn that part, just as we also must re-earn another's trust whenever we have trespassed against them. And we also have a right to expect others who have trespassed against us to earn their keep as well. This makes for good human relations, all around.
Summary:
I'll say it again: Erecting a boundary against abuse (overt or covert)
is NOT the same thing as 'holding a grudge' against someone.
Nevertheless, the Scripture ACTUALLY says, "He who is angry at his
brother WITHOUT A CAUSE is in danger of judgment."
(Matthew 5:22) Furthermore, the Scripture also says, "If your
brother sins against you, rebuke him, IF HE REPENTS, forgive him..."
(Luke 17:3) We are instructed throughout Scripture to hold one
another accountable if we truly care about creating a godly and
just society in which everyone can thrive and do His bidding
in the world.
THE TRUE ENEMY
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”
-Ephesians 6:10-11
Sometimes the Evil One will plant others in our path to afflict us. Yet we also have to be careful that we are not merely taking what this someone else is saying &/or doing the wrong way. Sometimes we invent enemies in our own heads to defeat, mainly because that is what we are used to-fighting & 'surviving' others. I suppose in part, we also do this because it gives us some semblance of familiarity, and hence, control over our lives & those 'dark principalities' which conspire against us at seemingly every impasse-and of course, a sense of control over that of our own mortality-ever immanent.
Then again, sometimes we are correct about someone's ill &/or false intentions towards us, & we are merely utilizing our God-given 'interpersonal radar' to protect ourselves. It is hard to tell the difference sometimes. This is, I suppose, for those such as myself, one of the byproducts of C-PTSD, I suppose, of being a survivor of systematic childhood emotional abuse. As someone once remarked: “Between the Past & the Present lies many crossed wires!” Nevertheless, the 'damage' is often already done, even if we happen to find out that this 'other' person's intentions weren't what we thought they were.
And this failing of my own “Interpersonal Broadcasting System”, however much a 'venial' sin it may indeed be, is still a sin, nonetheless. It is a failing of my fellow human beings which brings me much grief & abiding sorrow. Oftentimes, we hurt others the most due to our own self-protective reflexes &, at least what we perceive in the moment of emotional danger, our assumptions of others' intentions behind why they did what they did &/or said what they said. All that we can each do, of our own accord, is to continue making a sincere effort to continue treating our fellow human beings with the dignity & the respect that we, ourselves, would like to be treated with. Although, for the time being, one may have to erect a healthy boundary to another person that we either perceive has wrongfully transgressed us in some way.
I am often tempted at the start of new 'relationships' to give a warning: “I am giving you the benefit of the doubt by letting you in. Please do not make a fool of me & make me regret it. And don't mistake my human decency for an invitation to transgress.” Unfortunately it seems, out of about every 300 people that you meet, you are blessed & fortunate to cross the path of even just one person who has no ulterior motives towards you, & who truly understands & is capable of respecting you. But, let it be. Let it be. That, in my book, is more than enough to make it out of this Life with your Soul, unsold.
And as always, a cultivation of self-awareness is our most impenetrable shield against those 'dark principalities' which conspire against all servants & children of God out there in the world merely trying to bring some Light & some Truth to this dark world. Although we must take heed, when wielding this 'Shield of Self-Possession', to not leave that 'Shield of Faith', that 'breastplate of righteousness', that 'belt of truth', that helmet of Salvation & that 'Sword of the Spirit' forged alone through the power of the Holy Writ, at home in the closet (Ephesians 6:10-18). Self-reliance is all good, until we come up against our humanity, & the dysfunctionality of our 'crossed wires' & past wounds.
Because truth be told, yes, there are some 'deliberately' (even if perhaps unconsciously) treacherous & mean-spirited people out there, but we must remember that they, too, sometimes act out of their own woundedness-not that this is an 'excuse' for their behaviour, but it can enable us to erect healthy boundaries while also treating those who wish us harm with dignity & sensitivity. And by the way, being 'guarded' is not the same as being callous or cold-hearted. As a matter of fact, healthy boundaries against those who mistreat us serve the main function of preventing our own feet from 'slipping into evil'. As the Scripture so sagely reminds us to: “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”(Proverbs 4:23) To that I would add: “Guard your Mind, for it can become the wellspring of Death.” All priceless treasures must be well-guarded, & well-kept.
And truly, Scripture also reminds us: “For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:12-13)
ON SANCTIFICATION & THE CONTINUAL STRUGGLE WITH SIN
Even after our conversion, believers continue to be besetted by the temptation to commit and/or the committal of bodily sins. Yet as we allow the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to sanctify & anoint us, He will remove these 'thorns' from our flesh one by one. We must only persevere in our submission to the Lord's will for our lives and our bodies. And we can always take comfort that: "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) And soon enough we will find, that those offerings of the 'flesh' which we once revelled in, pale in comparison to the pleasures & nourishing of the 'fruits' of the Holy Spirit. The 'feelings' and experience we have while walking with the Lord will eventually cause the 'sins of the flesh' to lose their allure as we experience more & more fulfillment & joy in Him.
DO WE AUTOMATICALLY ASCEND TO HEAVEN UPON OUR PHYSICAL EXPIRATION?
For the sake of expediency & clarity, I'll try to keep this summary spare. What we do know & can deduce from the Scripture itself is that no one but Jesus Christ has actually ascended to heaven in His totality of being. This Scripture is pretty clearly spoken in John 3:13: “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who came down from heaven.” Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 6:16, we are told that Christ alone “is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light.”
Thus, the issue becomes one of semantical differentiation & assignation. The 'spirit' spoken of in Ecclesiastes that 'returns unto the one who gave it' most likely refers to God's sustaining life breath itself (ruach) which departs the body at physical death. Secondly, the immortal human 'soul' (psyche) is not to be confused with the 'Holy Spirit' which is imparted unto believers. This aspect of the believer by essence also most likely returns unto the One Who gave it upon somatic expiration.
Our individual 'souls' must therefore be assumed to remain in 'sleep' before they are 'awoken' to appear before God & Christ at the 'White Throne Judgment' to be judged before being either accepted into Heaven or condemned. Based upon the imperative of Scriptural integrity, this should be the only answer to our inquiries which stands to reason, in both our 'intellects' as well as our 'hearts'.
ON EVIL
Evil is the natural theological effect of the Satanic force arising out of the Enemy's oppositional intent towards Good. Yes, God created all things & creatures/entities, but 'allows' for freedom of will & choice in that His plan may be manifest & brought to its utmost completion & perfection. Now, this is not to suggest that God merely allows for evil to play out for His own sadistic amusement. But rather, that He is Good & Holy, & that this world in which we now live is ruled by dark, unseen principalities with the purpose of bringing all to completion & perfection.
Without the Darkness (Evil), God's Goodness & Light would not be complementarily contrasted & thus, fully revelled in & spiritually benefited from, by His children. The presence of Evil brings us nearer & nearer to spiritual maturation through the necessary submission of ourselves to the workings of the Holy Spirit. And, speaking personally, if I had not encountered and had to be subject to certain evils in my life, I would not have been nearly as motivated to seek out God's Word and God's will & plan for my life.
Suffering & Darkness draws us nearer to our Heavenly Father & to His Love & Light & Truth. Therefore, God created beings with the potential for evil, although this is merely a naturalistic outcome of the world which He allows to run its course. But we must never forget that the Lord's reasons for doing anything that He has done or will do always stem from pure Goodness, Love & Perfect Wisdom.
ON THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY
Philosophically speaking, all human beings are potentially vulnerable to sexual immorality. And sexual immorality assumes many forms, even known to being practiced in the so-called ‘marriage bed.’ As in the case of homosexuality, I believe that these urges are mainly due to corruptive exposures in one's earliest environment and to the culture at large which pervert one's views on things related to gender, sexuality and morality. I also believe that in most cases, it is due to some kind of trauma having been experienced where violations of one's person of a sexual nature have interfered with normal psychosexual development. However, all of God's professed children are called to strive to resist each our own temptations, whatever our perfidious proclivities may be. And though we may stumble along the way, he will never let us fall, as long as we sincerely repent and give Him control over our lives again.
PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY
Overall, the study of Philosophy can prime our minds for critical thinking development, which can certainly be useful in this life. But I also believe that God imparts reason and higher wisdom where cognitive dissonance may be present, through His Holy Spirit and His Word. In other words, one's intellectual and spiritual development are not solely dependent upon 'secular' academic pursuits, or upon mere biblical scholasticism, but one can complement the other. As with all things, it's a matter of application.
ON THE INFALLIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE
Many ‘false brethren’ out there will make the claim that there is only one proper version of the Scripture. Yet what they fail to realize is that it is important not to equate a version of the Bible that uses different words and phrasing with one that is therefore, merely because it is referred to as 'another version', steeped in perverse or unsound Theology or exegetics. Reputable Exegetes who have studied both the KJV as well as the NIV versions of the Bible, agree upon the uniformity of their shared soundness of Theology.
Certain words & phrasing may differ, but in this case, this does not equate to a deviation of inerrancy. This is why it is essential that we interpret Scripture in light of God's intended meaning of each passage (“exegesis”) and not our own fallible, sin-self-serving interpretation (“eisegesis”). If either the KJV and/or the NIV or others, are perceived to be errant, the fault lies with the reader and not the original Authors and interpreters.
SACRED VS. SECULAR LITERATURE:
To Read Or Not To Read?
In many cases one still arrives upon a discovery of Ultimate Truth, which I believe to be found in the Holy Scriptures of Judeo-Christianity, while remaining open to more 'secular' avenues of thought. This is mostly due to all so-called human intellectual endeavours being, I believe, a mere iteration of either God's intelligence and wisdom or Satan's deceptions.
This is not to say that a well-rounded exposure to other avenues of thought, when undertaken with a sincere intention of arriving upon God's Ultimate Truth, can strengthen one's faith and also authenticate it, as it has withstood the test of false doctrines & cognitive fallacy. A healthy flexibility of intellect, when exercised in subordination to the Scriptures, can actually support one's spiritual development and growth.
However, 'secular literature', etc. not explored in tandem with the Scriptures, can and will lead one into the darkness of perplexity and existential angst and despair. I have personally walked down both paths, and thankfully never traveled down the latter path so far that my Heavenly Father and Saviour could not reach me and restore me to health in both mind and Spirit. I like to look at Judeo-Christianity as being the perfect synthesis of Intellect- or 'Head' (Judaism), and Spirit-or 'Heart' (Christianity). For truly, all is made complete in Him.
THE FINAL FRONTIER: A PHYSICS/METAPHYSICS ANALOG
What we discretely refer to as 'Science' vs. 'Spirituality', or 'Physics' vs. 'Metaphysics', are not mutually exclusive systems. In fact, the very same phenomena observed by physicists and the like, are also referred to in the Scriptures. From the Book of Genesis and on, naturalistic phenomena are recorded which we are merely referencing in the annals of humanistic discovery. That is to say, we are merely reiterating in our observations, the verity of pre-existent actualities created and set forth not by humankind, but by God Himself.
In the Book of Revelation, we also find eschatological references which correspond with inferences drawn in the 'hard science' and 'soft science' realms of Cosmology, Astrophysics and Quantum Mechanics (this area of study, while steeped in 'hard science' datum, may be considered by some 'purists' to be a 'soft science' due to the theoretical base imposed upon it by quantifiably observable naturalistic limitations). For example, when our sun exhausts its nuclear energy and begins its transformation into a red giant star, thus baking all of the earth and those who dwell upon it in cosmic radiation, after which it will collapse into a black hole, we find parallels in 2 Peter 3:11-12 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” as well as in Isaiah 34, verse 4 (possible black hole reference) “And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll...”.
Furthermore, the findings in Physics, Quantum Physics, Astrophysics, and just Physics in general concerning what is most commonly know as Albert Einstein's 'Theory of Relativity', also bear Scriptural precedent. For example, in 1 Timothy 6:16 it refers to Jesus Christ as someone "who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.” This could be a reference to the constants as observed by scientists regarding the limit imposed upon earthly biological entities regarding superluminosity, gravity and quantum mechanical limits such as Pauli's Exclusion Principle which observes how no two electrons (of which no atom can have more than two electrons) can occupy the same space at the same time (or have the same four quantum electronic numbers, hence 'spin' in atoms with half-integer spin such as electrons and fermions). This Principle also more metaphorically parallels the infinite complexity and uniqueness of each and every thing and being which God has created.
Moreover, the verse which refers to “unapproachable light” by many is thought to allude to the speed of light constant, which no human entity since Christ has been able to breach. Furthermore, according to Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, and what physicists who study black holes have correlated, as one approaches the speed of light, time, to an earth-dweller would appear to come to a complete stand-still. This could be just another way of describing what happens when one has surpassed the light-speed constant for earth, or in essence has breached 'eternity' or timelessness. Of course, to us it would appear to have 'stopped' for the individual who has reached beyond the event horizon of a black hole, because the ability to observe 'time' is limited to our current biological and physical calculations and extrapolations.
Also, when pondering things such 'eternity' and 'infinity' in a theoretical sense, we, upon our glimpse into areas such as physics and quantum physics, more specifically regarding astrophysical bodies named by theoretical physicist John Wheeler as 'black holes' (a term first introduced by him in 1967), (who also introduced the term 'wormhole' in 1957), begin to see striking and fascinating parallelisms. Polish theoretical physicist Nicodem Poplawski has made striking observations related to black hole behaviour. Instead of the postulation that the intense gravitational pull of every black hole inevitably leading to a singularity, he has postulated another viewpoint, with torsional vortexes being instead created which lead to a 'white hole' portal into another universe. This strikingly parallels the Scripture which refers to the Kingdom of Heaven as being "many mansions" being created. (John 14:2)
When Albert Einstein proposed his Theory of Special Relativity in a paper published in the German physics Journal Annalen der Physik in 1905, he posited the existence of an electromagnetic particle which he called a 'photon' which would have be the cornerstone for what would develop into the area of Quantum Theory later. He also posited in this Theory of Special Relativity, that only non-accelerating observers would experience a uniformity of the observed laws of physics regarding the speed of light outside of a vacuum. His theory of General Relativity, which postulated gravity as being not a 'force' per se, but a warping of space-time due to the presence of a massive object, or a gravitational 'field', took him about ten more years to flesh out.
Yet there is an undeniable correlation between Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity and Biblical concepts such as the 'eternity' or 'timelessness' of the nature of God, or God's omniscience and the nature of His dwelling or Kingdom:
Isaiah 46:9-10 "Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”
2 Peter 3:8: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”
Psalm 90:2: “Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
Romans 16:26: “But now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.”
Isaiah 40:28: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired His understanding is inscrutable.”
1 Corinthians 2:7: “But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.”
Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
Proverbs 15:3 - “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”
Psalm 33:13 - “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth…”
1 Chronicles 28:9 - “…for the Lord searches every heart, and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, we will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”
1 Kings 8:27 : "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!”
Jeremiah 23:24: “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.”
And many more...
In finale, one could reasonably surmise not only that Physics are just as legitimate as Metaphysics, that 'Science' is just as legitimate as what we call 'Spirituality', and that religious/spiritual concepts and beliefs in things like 'Eternity', 'Infinity' and 'Everlasting Life' are just as much a part of 'hard science' observed phenomena as 'Special Relativity', Quantum Physics, and the like. We have seen their effects, no matter which language we use to describe it. And what humans are capable of 'seeing' and 'observing' I believe, doesn't even come close to what ultimate reality actually is in its totality. Thus, as physicists and like-minded people all across God's great Earth continue their search for the Holy Grail of Physics and Quantum Physics: Grand Unified Theory, the Creator of it all is the one who ultimately decides what humankind needs to know and will be granted access to. But nevertheless in the end, all will have been given adequate knowledge and insight, and all will be without excuse.
ON AI, THE BURGEONING TECHNOCRACY & ITS PORTENDED ESCHATOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
In 1948, mathematician John Von Neumann theorized the potential existence of a kind of computational machine which would evolve at such a pace as to soon be capable of replicating itself in an exponential mode of systemic upgrade. He postulated that with each new 'replica' of itself, there would be improvements made upon the previous version, and so on, much like we employ in computer science and the creation of hardware and software systems today. This came to be the basis of what we now refer to as “Artificial Intelligence” or more tersely as “AI.” Further, it forms the basis for the portentous idea that there may come a point in human history where the things that we have created, specifically machines, could someday surpass our ability to control them and may thus lead us into a kind of an AI Apocalypse or Armageddon.
While I do not personally follow this line of thought, and do not believe that a created thing could ever surpass the limitations inherent in or programmed by their creator(s), there may be some Scriptural precedent or hinting at this kind of eschatological course of events. In Revelation 14-16 we read: “Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed. And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead.”
Therefore, it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the 'end times' could in some way involve some type of artificial intelligence or machines. After all, idols all throughout the ignominious evolution (or devolution?) of human endeavours have assumed many forms, and have been crafted from many variants of earthly minerals and materiel, thus, why not an idol fashioned of gold, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc, cobalt, nickel and silicon? Indeed, many individuals believe that we are already living in that age as we speak, due to the increasing prevalence and domination of such technology in our modern lives. Thus the questions which arise are: Can the created ever surpass that of its Creator? As stated before, it seems self-evident to me, from a strictly logistical and, indeed, even from a philosophical/existential standpoint, that Artificial Intelligence ever dominating intellectually or functionally over human beings is perhaps possible but highly unlikely. And as first observed by Ada Lovelace, who is credited by most computer scientists as being the first computer programmer, we humans are the ideologues over such inventions and therefore must also be the immediately assumed lords over them.
Furthermore, much like many believe that humankind was created in the image of a sovereign Deity, computers and the technological accouterments which both encompass and aid them, were fashioned in our human image. However, the ontological antinomy of the latter statement is this: We may have been fashioned in the image of our Creator, or as traducianists believe, merely in the image of our genetic human ancestors, but we cannot, as in the former credo, become such a sovereign Deity ourselves, lest the fulfillment of this verity of ontological equality completely negate the concept of such a Being in and of itself. Nevertheless, AI will continue to be made within the human imago.
However, while I do not believe that machines or AI could ever insidiously or maliciously dominate over humankind, as any invention by natural extension must possess the limitations inherent in that of its Creator(s), certain human beings are exerting their influence over advanced technology to suit their evil agendas even as we speak. Thus, if AI ever does 'take over' humankind, human beings will undoubtedly be at the helm of said 'machinations'. And yet we must expect that the questions will persist and that not every human soul will remain at rest in the face of Reason and sound Theology. Many will continue to inquire: Can a human being manufacture or implant a "soul" into a machine? What is the soul or a soul if it exists at all?
But most of all: What is the essence of that which makes us human, and could an electronic entity ever become incarnate with such an essence? For if a human being could create a cyborg completely in that of its own image, could it ever possess total human status? And if so, wouldn't this then change the very ontological status of this electro-mechanical entity possessing so-called "artificial intelligence" into one possessing authentic human intelligence & sentience and it would be therefore, merely a clone of a pre-existent species? And last but certainly not least, from the epistemological standpoint, is there an inherent demarcation built into the design of our humanity which limits our knowledge, ability & creative, industrial potential? And if there is no such limit inherently imposed upon the human species, and a human being(s) could create a perfect facsimile of itself crafted from metal, minerals and silicon then perhaps this is the “new body” into which we will be changed, "in the twinkling of an eye" into the immaculate imago of our Creator someday?
These are all very valid enquiries, most of which may or may not find their edification in this current epoch. Until then, keeping an open-ended discussion related to all issues pertinent to our species and the human condition is key to each our continued industrious, intellectual and spiritual edification process & actualization.
DO ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN?
A BRIEF EXEGESIS ON THE IMMORTALITY OF ANIMALIAN SOULS
Many have often wondered whether or not animals have souls. In the Bible it does not specifically say that God breathed life into one animal or even plant. However, in man’s case it does declare in Genesis 2:7 that “… the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” In some other versions of the Bible the words, “spirit” or “soul” are replaced for “being,” but at least man having a soul or being or spirit come directly from God Himself, is not in question. It also states earlier in Genesis 1:26 and in verse 27 that “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Off note, verse 27 also answers the question of female humans being, in God’s eyes, just as equal as the male human being. So, from these three verses taken from Genesis, we can conclude that both the male and female person were granted the life of the Spirit, which is that of their Creator, God. However, in Genesis 3:14, it strongly suggests that, although God did not breathe life directly into any one animal or anything else of His creation, these creatures still have a direct connection with and towards their Creator, God. For God “…said or spake to the serpent…” Yet this does not answer fully the question of whether or not animals or any of God’s creation other than us, have a soul, or in other words, will take any part in the afterlife.
Furthermore, there are specifically two other places in the Bible where this question is partially answered. The third place is contained within, again, an Old Testament scripture to be found in Genesis 9:3. In this scripture, God grants to Noah and all humankind “…every living creature that breathes and moves…” for food. And it is important to note that it does use the word “every” living creature, therefore not excluding any creature from the serpent to the tiger to be appropriate and edible as a source of food for man, child and woman. And I suppose that even insects and other reptilian creatures would have been included in this feastful menu. So, for humor’s sake, John the Baptist probably wasn't chastened, for his taste for honey and locusts!
All throughout most of the Old Testament it does speak of not eating any meat from an animal or creature which still has its lifeblood in it. But the serious implications of a punishment wrought from this moral abomination in God’s eyes, was compensated for or “fulfilled” by the life, crucifixion and completion of all sacrificial and otherwise rituals, in the death and resurrection of the Lamb Jesus Christ in the New Testament. This means, simply that we no longer need to use the lifeblood of any animal as atonement for our sins. Out with the old, in came the new covenant. But this subject is, I suppose fodder for another essay.
In continuum, the fourth scripture which deals with the spirit of the animal vs. that of man and woman comes into play also in Genesis 9:5, where God speaks to Noah, “And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting, I will demand an accounting from (and “from” is the key word here) every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.” Now, let’s stop here and conclude that animals, contrary to post-Darwinian sentiment, do not kill merely out of “instinct” without any wrongdoing actually having been done. For God clearly states here that animals, too, are to be held accountable for any killing of any man.
And having a master presupposes generally, that not only is the person or animal accountable to this master and inferior to this master, but also where there is an “accounting” there is also something wrong or “bad” to be accounted for. In other words, animals must eat not unlike us to survive, but any killing not directly done out of this basic survival need for feed is not a completely justified act whether it be by man or beast. But this scripture may suggest that animals do have souls, since they must answer to their God much like we must.
In addition, and on a side note, in the part of scripture Genesis 9:5, where God says that man will also be held accountable for any killing or lifeblood shed in regards to his fellow humans, we can conclude that God finds any deliberate taking of the life of another human being wrong. Now, philosophically speaking, some believe it to be okay to kill another human being as long as one is protecting or preserving one’s own life and/or the lives of others in the process. But in this case, that would not be premeditated but would be more instinctual & reflexive. The main premise is that to not do so would be not honouring & valuing your own life or those of others. However, I don’t think one should “aim to kill” but should instead aim to “maim” in these instances. Mainly because we do not possess God's omniscience into that person(s) character or life circumstances.
In other words, one does not have to shoot one in the heart or the prefrontal cortex to render a person no longer a danger to oneself and/or others. Although, this does sometimes, out of reflexive action, happen. But this gray area becomes quite white and clear in Genesis 9:6 where God says, “Whosoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Without straying too far from the main thesis of this essay, the first part of the scripture is not to condone what we call today in the West, “capital punishment”, although this may be necessary in some cases. My understanding of this scripture means that in killing another person, I will naturally be gaining a lot of individuals who will want to do the same to me and who may succeed in doing so. Revenge or vengeance is a part of our natural desire, but it is a sinful desire that does not come from God. As we often say, however, what goes around comes around-even if not from our own hand.
In finale, getting back to the question of whether or not animals have spirits, or rather, have the spirit of their Creator within them much as we do, the fifth scripture is to be found in Ecclesiastes 3:18-21. In this scripture, the teacher, Son of David, King of Jerusalem pontificates rather brilliantly, “I also thought, ‘As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.” And it goes on, “All have the same breath (in the footnote it says “or spirit”), man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all will return.”
Most significantly we have verse 21 where the teacher ponders, “Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” As for the first part of the verses, where he says God tests us “to see that we are just like the animals,” the only thing we can conclude this to mean is stated in the second part which is that everything will die eventually, and even the earth itself has a limited span of life. He also did not mean that we are held any less accountable for what we like to endear as our “instinctual” or “animalistic” drives because we are like the animals.
Now, as for our last verse, verse 21, we are still left questioning, but this concludes that, although we are creations of the same God and we as humans were given dominion over all, that we must also not forget to forgo some of this control, for we are also, after all, mortal and ruled over by and accountable to a superior being, God. Thus we must live our lives as such, respecting our place in the order of God’s wondrous universe, while also respecting the places of all others as well. For the one who is granted the most power and capability, in the end, will also be held most accountable.
THE MYTH OF COLLECTIVISM
It is often assumed by the more conformant members of any society, that the collective as placed before the individual, is of a higher moral order. And while traditionalism, in itself, does perhaps initially seek a higher moral imperative just as non-traditionalism does, the latter approach is, in the end, more holistic and sound. The issue with blind obeisance and conformity is that it fails to employ, as a kind of psycho-spiritual tool, the necessary resistance to the very system which it supports; a system that is inevitably ill-fated to transmogrify into its moral opposite in the face of human turpitude and lassitude.
Swiss philosopher and psychoanalyst Carl Jung once defined individuation as the end result of the strivings of the individual's own need to more authentically actualise itself in the face of oppressive collectivism. It is, in a sense, a psychic collection of 'scars', skills and revelations acquired in the struggle for self-mastery and fulfillment. Further, assuming that the 'individuated' and more 'actuated' self should naturally have more to contribute to society as a whole and not less, and in a much healthier and efficacious way, the latter approach of individuation over conformity more comprehensively addresses the moralistic gravitas and ethos of each individual's higher calling and needs as well as those of the society they dwell in.
Furthermore, concerning the current taxonomy of speciation, every human being is, when all is seen not only as is, but as it is enacted upon by the 'external' world, their own species. Moreover, the same could probably be safely deduced about most forms of life on earth. But this especially applies to human beings, as we are all each so uniquely calibrated & so complex and ever-evolving, both philosophically speaking and physiologically speaking, especially on a 'quantum' or subatomic level. To be fair, taxonomical systems serve their attendant purposes, most of which are well-intentioned. Nevertheless, this can very quickly devolve into a kind of reductionism and myopia which, in turn, can do more harm than good, particularly on a humanistic & moralistic level.
Furthermore, let's explore the 'dark underbelly of the beast' known as blind conformity. During many dark periods of human history, many individuals, full of malice and motivated by all sorts of reprobate and evil ideologies, have caused unimaginable suffering to the human race, all rationalized and indeed, even championed, under the guise of nationalistic, religious or otherwise general communal 'solidarity'. And as Oscar Wilde once observed “Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious.”
Although I personally think the word “nationalism” to be more apt, what he was getting at was, that the 'majority rule' does not preclude a system of moralistic checks and balances which needs to be operant in order to ensure less abuses of power. In fact, many would surmise that, the more people who seem to be blindly and vigorously jumping on the bandwagon about something, the less likely what they are supporting is both rationally and/or morally sound. Thus, bringing me to my main point concerning blind conformity as an inadequate and actually sinful substitute for individuation.
The main ways that blind conformity contributes to more evil rather than good in society is that it interferes with the mental, emotional, spiritual, social and vocational health, genuine self-esteem & wholeness of each person who adheres to it. Societal evils such as physical, sexual and mental/emotional abuse, especially of children become prevalent. Many do not see the connection between this, but I guarantee you, there absolutely is. One's own personal accountability for one's own life trajectory are essential to each our own ability to proceed in a positive and pro-social manner towards psycho-spiritual growth and functionality.
Moreover, many character disturbances and disorders are both directly and indirectly the result of neglect of one's own spiritual, moral and general existential responsibilities to the collective & the individual. Moreover, a daily application and practice of self-reflection and examination are moralistically imperative towards the proper development of our innermost being and character.
In essence, we must first 'Know thyself,' if we are to be able to contribute in any healthy and robust way to those persons and causes whose paths we will cross and whose tasks we shall undergo out in society. After all, the world is so much better off and much more interesting and challenging with each our own truest selves being deployed in it! And although this journey can be frightening and arduous more often than not, at least we have paved the way for the next brave soul who follows in our footsteps on their own path to self-actualization. Thus, we can see how the striving for self-actualization and individuation enables us to be the best that we can be both for ourselves and for others. For every person who chooses the long, hard and often lonesome road of inner truth, that many more choose the wide and smooth road of blind conformity, and the world does suffer for it.
Furthermore, applying a taxonomically inductive solipsism, if you will, no matter the similarities which may exist between two human individuals, these similarities are almost so generic and ambiguous as to be rendered superficial and moot. Because ultimately, we live in a world which thwarts vigorous individuation & actualization at every impasse. I have often found it amusing how Western culture is referred to as “Individualistic”. In truth, conformity & mediocrity, or the status quo is encouraged and even coercively enforced. And perhaps the illusory concept of & the almost militant adhesion to “The Collective”, is an ersatz manifestation of this. To be sure, on the surface, a ruggedly individualistic “Marlboro Man” persona is encouraged, especially amongst the male human population, but upon further analysis, this is just that: an illusion & a persona.
That is to say, that genuine & robust individualism or individuation, to borrow a Jungian term, whenever people attempt it, is not only met with suspicion, but often outright contempt, hostility & interference. And this is truly a travesty of epic proportions. Because this not only effects the individual in very deleterious & profound ways, but also adversely impacts the larger collective from achieving upward psycho-spiritual mobility. It hinders collective health & vigour by engaging in oppression dynamics which prevent individual persons from being able to excavate & employ the skills & talents which only they can offer in the precisely calibrated & configured manner which only they can.
Moreover, all organisms thrive in the right environment. And many who take up the cross of individuating themselves find to their chagrin & abiding existential angst, that no 'room at the inn' will probably ever be extended to them on a less than contingent basis. And so they must somehow become almost existential vigilantes in constant pursuit of the plunderers & pillagers of their own rightful dues & lot in life. Yet this soon exacts from them, more energial reserves than they have to spend. For they truly need to learn how to not devote such time & energy trying to get others who oppress them, to become enlightened in all of the ways that they, themselves, have become awakened. Instead, they hopefully learn how to cull all of their resources, both inward & outward, in order to carve out their own niche no matter how long it may take.
PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY,
MANO A MANO OR MANO EN MANO?
“But be not conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then will you be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing & perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Why is Philosophy a worthy scholarly and even common intellectual endeavour? And why is Philosophy primary in order (although definitely not importance) to Theology? Well, to begin with, Philosophy asks the Questions & Theology answers them. And even more obviously & simply put, the human mind must first be open to the full ponderance of any question before it can effectively seek & find an adequate answer. In other words, the contemplative realm generally referred to by academicians & the like as Philosophy, is a tool that we can each utilize to reach deeper spiritual or theological understanding & edification. Moreover, epistemological specificity is always precedent by nature, to a more general or broad inquiry.
In other words, the human mind begins most naturally by posing a general or broader question before its search can lead us to (a) more specific & helpful answer(s). Or, to put it colloquially, the devil is in the details (or in this particular case perhaps we should say “the angel” is in the details). Furthermore, what Carl Jung called “psychospiritual” actualization is a painstaking, arduous process inherent in the very purpose of this human experience & existence themselves.
And far too often we dwell in a socio-political climate whose sun shines only for a certain “externality” of focus & being rather than that of an “internalized” one. Indeed, as someone once aptly observed: Our current culture is a shrine to “The Extrovert”. Yet even Extroverts, they too quickly forget, have their pratfalls. In truth, all human persons can benefit richly from a life well-balanced in both Extroversion and Introversion.
Now, to be sure, not everyone is as naturally as comfortable with depth of introspection, namely that having to do with one's own self-examination, but we all must cultivate self-awareness & honesty with ourselves and others if we are to fulfill our higher spiritual purposes here upon this earth. Similarly, not all persons are most naturally adept at or inclined towards easygoing and outward sociability, yet can nevertheless work to hone their skills in such an area, if for no other reason than becoming a more competent & well-rounded individual for both oneself & for others out in the world & “society”.
In continuum, another benefit that one can bless oneself with through the diligent application of the tools of Philosophy & its many variations & modes, is how, in coming to better understand oneself, we can come to better understand our fellow man in ways both akin & foreign to us. In general, such edification makes us much gentler & compassionate in spirit towards those whom we feel are both similar to ourselves, but especially towards those we might not identify with as inherently or strongly. Indeed the age old adage born from the fruits of the Renaissance age still reigns true: Knowledge is Power (or perhaps a better word to use would be “Empowerment”). Or, for “hellenomaniacs” such as myself (for those who prefer the Latin (and Greek) terminology): “Scientia est Potentia (Latin)”.
Self-actualization (coined by Abraham Maslow) is a holistic endeavour. We cannot truly grow in healthy, fruitful ways unless we are exercising all aspects of our being in relation to such a goal. We must dedicate body, spirit and mind if we are to prosper as God intends within this life. As a Jewish rabbi once put it: “A truly devout man cannot also be ignorant.” We must come to love each our own minds & innermost landscape with just as much deference as we love the mind of God Almighty Himself (amor intellectualis Dei). And indeed, as The Holy Bible of Judeo-Christianity commands us: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength and with all your mind. (Luke 12:27)”
For after all, divine (or agape) love requires some action on the part of the lover. We must come to love the mind of God & thus also seek to cultivate this same “mind” within our own selves to fulfill this quest for psychological & spiritual purification & edification. Thus, one cannot thrive in such a way without the teaching supplements offered up both by Theology and Philosophy.
Indeed, those who have sought out a higher education, whether in the orthodox or unorthodox academic sense, would agree that, contrary to how they are often pitted one against the other, Philosophy and Theology actually go hand in hand. True edification is thus, an all-or-nothing gamble-but a gamble that we can be assured, reaps victory here upon this earth, with an eternal gain immeasurably exponential in the heavenly Kingdom of our Lord to come.
BETWEEN REASON & FAITH
Why do I believe Judeo-Christianity to be the one true Religion?
Judeo-Christianity is the only system of worship which requires complete submission of one's will & life over to the will & laws of God alone.
All other philosophies & religions have at their core, an egocentric, escapist &/or hedonistic aim.
I also believe in Judeo-Christian Scripture as the ultimate source of all wisdom, earthly & metaphysical.
This has been tested through the application of Judeo-Christian Scriptures to my own life & journey, & I have found it thus far to be consistently inerrant.
Moreover, contrary to the almost militant Manichean paradigm still so prevalent in Western thought, one can be both systematic-minded & spiritually-minded as well.
A cultivation of both Intellect & Spirit is not only possible, but is necessary towards achieving a full & authentic sense of faith & understanding.
Intelligence & Spirituality are not mutually exclusive phenomena, but are complementary.
As for the Augustinian postulate of "fides ante intellectum” (faith before understanding), I propose that such things must not necessarily proceed in this order.
Sometimes, in the process of cultivating one's intellectual comprehension of something, one also finds faith and/or “higher understanding”, otherwise known as “wisdom”.
Thus, we can proceed adequately from either a stance of "fides ante intellectum" or "fides post intellectum" (faith after understanding).
Although it is true, from an ontological standpoint that one's intellectual understanding of “spirituality” or of the metaphysical may indeed be quickened by the precedence of faith, just as one's faith can be quickened during the intellectual syntheses of theological inquiries & edification, let us just assume, from “analogia entis” (an analogy from being) that it is inherent in human nature itself to possess a general thirst for truth & understanding as well as a desire for faith (higher wisdom) as both a mentor & a consolation.
In finale, Judeo-Christianity holds each and every one of us fully accountable and manages to achieve a rare & perfect synthesis of Faith and Reason. This is why I find it to be both most challenging, as well as compelling regarding its relevance & legitimacy.
