Stupid, Gullible West.
Apparently Jesus didn’t resurrect, just because there’s 3 names than line up. Fallacy: Appeal to unqualified authority (James Cameron, who, btw, ignores the QUALIFIED authority at the end of the article!) Likewise, the repeated devaluing of *worthy* and *important* evidence (like the biblical account and the common names for that time period) is another fallacy of suppressed evidence. AKA: Propoganda.
But not to be outdone in the states, the continent is ready to claim Communism “works” simply because China’s economy is growing.
Don’t get me started on the logical fallacies involved here! You don’t have a large enough “market share” to make the general claim that it ‘works’. You have to have at LEAST 50% of a significant number! One doesn’t count. Hurley calls this a ‘hasty generalization”, when “a conclusion is drawn from an atypical sample.”
Now, I’m a good skeptic on both fronts, willing to doubt either end of the stick, so how about this reasoning, suggesting I have a fallacy of presumption(like suppressed evidence): “How do we know what is ‘atypical’ or not? Perhaps all previous iterations of ‘communism’ weren’t true to true communist ideals, and FINALLY China is?” Ah, the joys of scepticism. This reasoning may be plausible, but I lack the historical knowledge of the details of the implementation of communism to bring any real conclusion to the matter, but I will say that from what I do know, it sounds like communism is impossible to fully implement, and thereby China isn’t ideally communistic, and hence, the original article’s title instills a fallacy of equivocation, or more likely, the hasty generalization I mentioned earlier, and perhaps, from the stories of the REST of China (quite poor) as compared to the wealthy leaders who AREN’T living on a half cup of rice(this is now an ad hominem argument on my part 
), it sure sounds like this propoganda piece is suppressing evidence as well.
The Americanization of Theology
So I’m a theology student. Have been for the past, oh 8 years. One thing that drives me up the wall is when Jesus(read: gospel) isn’t the focus nor centre of what we “CHRIST”ians seem to busy ourselves with. It’s amazing how side-tracked we get, and how most ppl don’t seem to notice. I fully understand- you can’t win a battle you’re not fighting. Nor can you win a battle you’re fighting for in the wrong front. (Some will whine here over my use of ‘battle’ language in a war-skepic country. Relax.)
But here in America, we have a tendency driven by our selfish natures and played to by capitalism: gimme what I want now. We’re no longer used to patience, sacrifice and dependence. Now the fun part of this blog: what has this trend done to theology?? What happens if I baptize the Bible into selfish living? This is an impressive feat, since the Bible itself is explicitly a call to self-denial(so much more than that, but it’ll work for now). Well, for starters, you have to edit the plotline. I can’t have my way and not have my way. One has to win out, and if we’re being good Americans, we’ll choose “gimme what i want now.” So any word of change and challenge is right-out. And in comes the “comfort food” theology. Here’s a prime list of “pet theologies” that you won’t have any luck finding in the Bible:
- Don’t think too much. It’s dangerous. You’ll lose your faith.
- Democrats are the devil.
- God wants you to be blessed (rich).
- Terrorism = persecution of Christians.
- Eastern culture has more ‘evil’ in it(America=promised land).
- Jesus is coming back in the next 5-10 years.
- The world is only 7k yrs old(it’s a great idea, but the Bible’s hoenstly agnostic on this one!).
- Heirarchy of sin (especially homosexuals who are so much more evil than me).
- The height of spirituality is praying and reading our Bibles all day long.
- The pastor is more holy than the rest of us.
- The pastor and missionaries are to do the work.
- You’re not saved if you’re not “Ba-yab-tist”(or within your own self-selected group)
Rather than these, what you’re going to find in the Bible is a nice warning against this load of crap. We’re told instead to keep(hold dear, cuz your life depends on it!) to His commands, and to teach others to hold on to ‘em too. Now, if anyone has a problem with me questioning ppl and seeking for their best, it’s evidence once again that america is a lover of herself, not of each other.
Credit where credit is due: She helped me with the list and the idea of this entry
RE: Thinker’s Lord’s Prayer..
I’ve been on about this one lately, and showed up elsewhere. Here’s my version of how these 2000 year old words of our Lord and Savior hit me hard daily:
Our Father,
Father has got to be the word with the most meaning for me.. especially being male. Especially having gone through the ‘bitterness’ stage a few years back towards my own dad. But aside from the history, it is what my heart needs.. wants nearly most of all: to know that for each and every way my dad dropped the ball with my emo’s or attention or otherwise is fulfilled in my heavenly father. I can rage and rant, dance and sing. Matters not. He’s cool with what I bring Him. Maybe having “the whole world in his hands” has a way of putting things in perspective. And having His Spirit in me reminds me of the truth I need. Daily.
And yes, it is more than just me. I’m not alone. He’s given me brothers and sisters through Him being my father. And that’s a good thing to have for encouragement back to that truth I get reminded of.
who art in heaven
Sometimes I’ll skip this, “well duh, where else is He?” But putting the philosophical theology aside on the location of heaven (a fav. topic of mine to be agnostic about!) I’m glad he’s in heaven. That’s a good thing to rejoice over. That means there’s more than this planet which drags me down. And in a minute we’ll see that as a good thing too..
Hallowed be thy name!
What? THY name? Not.. my… name.. darn. I like the attention. I like to get the glory/praise for stuff. I like to be the stud. But as much as that may be my first reaction, if I go on living my day like that, I go crazy. My soul affects my emo’s & inside I turn into a writhing knot! Cuz the day doesn’t bow down to me. I fuss & whine like a little 2 year old, “I want MY WAY!!!” but I can do nothing to bring it about so often. And lest I throw myself on the floor at work, screaming and beating my fists on the floor (or being sharp with fellow employees, a jerk, etc etc..) Maybe it IS a good thing His name be exalted. Maybe it is a good thing for me to bow my knee (not physically, but with my emo’s and my will and my decisions.) More on that later.
Thy Kingdom come,
Dangit! Not again! Yes.. THY kingdom.. not.. my ..kingdom. As much as I want things my way, that’s a bad thing.
Thy will be done,
Again! Man, this whole submitting to authority of God is pretty central. Thy will, not my will. That is so hard to say when you feel it hard.. when my emo’s are hurting. And why is it hard? Cuz I’m basically thinking I know best. More often than not, I find myself automatically, subconciously trusting myself. Cuz I’m afraid of God. I don’t think he’s gonna keep me safe. If I feel like a wreck, then I’m seeking to save my life, cuz good golly! I can’t handle another wound coming at me! So I use that as excuse to trust me. No good. It’s trusting me that got my heart hurt/angry/etc in the first place. This is daily! Hourly at times! I’m writing this out now because I know it to be true, but HOW many times do I have to tell myself this truth: Jesus is worthy to be trusted. HIS will is for my good. Even if that means countering my will and fighting against me to break me of my pride. It’ll hurt, but my best life is HIS will.
On earth as it is in heaven.
Yes, heaven, the place where You dwell. Where your will is accomplished, because your rule is absolute. Let me be apart of bringing your will and kingdom to this earth.. today. I believe the 2nd chapter of “The Divine Conspiracy” states this well. God has given me a measure of authority over my life and my day and those things “under” me(that I own/have). What am I doing with those things/ppl? Am I exercising MY will or His will over/with them? That is, am I treating my family, friends, dog, coworkers(less than dogs? KIDDING!), car, house, $ like God would spend it? Am I demonstrating to a watching world what the life of God is like? And isn’t that life of love and truth! Often we have SUCH a misconception about what God would do with those things/ppl in our lives. I’ve dedicated MUCH thought to it (i.e., the rest of my blog!)
Give us this day,
Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year. Today. One day at a time. It’s more than enough.
Our daily bread.
Man may not live on bread alone..so (1) Father, I admit I need today. I’m a mess. And YOU are the solution. Not my will, not my brain’s scheming. and (2) yes, I do need bread. So thank you for giving me the talents and opportunity to provide for myself & those around me. And if I have more than what I need for today, may use it as You would.
And forgive us our sins
Willing to admit I’ve messed up? Not usually. But necessary.
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Elsewhere there’s a crazy story about this. Simply, I’m not allowed to be bitter. To be against someone for my own reasons and purpose. It’s not God’s will, therefore it’s not best for me.
And lead us not into temptation.
Cuz I’ll lead me there well & good enough on my own! O Lord, keep me from myself.
But deliver us from the evil one!
There is an enemy after me. Ready to stop me from all of this I’ve prayed.. even stopping me from praying, whether trying to make me feel that God doesn’t love me or wanna hear from me or that He’s gonna beat me down.. or sending my mind off on other worthelss tracks. Yeah, the one who wants me to live MY will not yours, who will whisper in my ear and convince me that “It’s just you.. I’m not here.” Lies! Damn Lies! That is the death of us all to listen to! Years of my life WASTED on this one belief that each and every thought was my own and not somehow placed in my path like an innocent (sometimes not so much) little piece of candy. “Ooh! Sugar is so TASTY!” (have we forgotten about Edmund in Narnia??)
For thine is the kingdom, power and glory forever and ever.
Well, this is a potential “add in” later than the rest (only in the western greek manuscripts, not the eastern..) But all text-criticism aside, nothing wrong with this confession: Even if I don’t submit to your will, doesn’t matter. You will WILL be accomplished. YOU are God here. And that’s a good thing.
Amen.
A good old fashioned way of saying, “May it be done.” Yes. May I submit. May you be glorified. May you get all the best out of me. And I’ll enjoy it.
Early warning..
Just to let everyone know, we’ll be switching the clocks around earlier this year.. (which means 1 hr less over some ppl’s spring breaks! <<can’t ya hear all the college kids crying?? I know I am!>>)
If evolution is microsoft, then ID is linux!
..and ID needs to build/become Mac OS X.
..and some ppl would say that ID is ‘vaporware‘.
So, here’s to ID’ers who will do more than find an article and say, “See! I told you so!” It’s a funny thing what ID’ers are up to. If evo is creating the “structure” of how scientists think, then ID is the antithesis that keeps nagging & prodding it saying, “Yeah, no- there’s more than what your little idea says.”
Evo is a framework. So is ID. It’s all about which coat rack you hang the data. Sadly, both are ultimately fideistic when it comes to contrary data. Hence the trouble.
For those of you who need an explanation of the title: Microsoft “owns the market” like evo. Linux is a bunch of hacks who’ve made something quicker, better, faster, but isn’t in the market because it doesn’t have the ‘pretty’ factor. Mac OS X has the quicker, better, faster AND the pretty factor. What that means, by analogy is that Evo has the intellectual “market share” but isn’t the “best thing going” & While ID may be the “best thing going” it doesn’t have market share because it isn’t “full fledged”.
What’s good?
J.S. Mill joined the ranks of the famous with his utilitarian ethical system. “Greatest good is the greatest possible happiness for greatest number of people.”
Now, as much as I hate that, I do love it. I can *DO* something with such a definition. Take the historical alternative: “God is the source of goodness. We learn what good is by what he does.”
Somehow, you just can’t “do” as much with that. I suppose what I mean is the the usefulness, the pragmatic qualities (i can’t say ‘utility’ like I want, cuz that’ll be a different meaning that JS Mill who I already referenced..) of such a definition are different.
I can extend the Mill’s definition of good- I can think about it and come up with finer uses and get a set of experiences which it prescribes. It’s a scientific definition.
But God’s definition is a blur. We need to know something either about ‘good’ or about ‘God’ to know what I’m saying, lest “Fargishads are mufotu.” (that actually sounds like a few languages.. unintended) The ambiguity in the mind of humanity over God’s nature and actions in this world are the srouce of the lack of easy-extention. But even then were we to select a nature of God of our own mind’s creating, could we not then have a set of experiences which we could say fit under our definition? Sure we could make such an argument, but even that isn’t what ppl are after. Would the argument be sound– corresponding to our daily experiences? Do we really have all the information we need to say “This is the mind of God”?
And that’s where I think most ppl don’t like God, as Biblically portrayed. They can’t “use” him. He’s not science. You can’t extend particulars from His general nature. All you have is a set of historical actions (which many balk at being arbitrary) and a set of statements on morality, relationships, etc. Whaddya do with that? It’s a bunch of particulars, from which the thinker tries to build a general model of, to build a definition of God which we can then “USE” like a good pragmatic. We thinkers just can’t live with a set of unrelated particulars.
