NoblePath's recent activity
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentI’m truly sorry we are missing each so widely. I hope if you run across me preaching anywhere you won’t take it personally.I’m truly sorry we are missing each so widely. I hope if you run across me preaching anywhere you won’t take it personally.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentI mean, I certainly don’t find any of that inverse statement ignorant or offensive, and could see how that could be someone’s genuine perspective. In fact, it is the experience I would expect an...I mean, I certainly don’t find any of that inverse statement ignorant or offensive, and could see how that could be someone’s genuine perspective. In fact, it is the experience I would expect an eastern person to have approaching Christianity. This is not to say some won’t find their way through anyway. But I am not alone in my thought in this regard, even Jung shared it.
My bigger point throughout this post however, is not that one way is right, or that multiple ways are incompatible, or anything like that. What I am saying is that western ideas of goodness are primarily Christian in origin, and that makes Christianty the best way to promote goodness in the west, regardless of whether God is real.
Side note, seems like pure land buddhism might not be the best buddhism to counter the unconditional/affirmative thing, seeing as how it requires a fair bit of effort to make it to a pure land where it’s still not guaranteed you’ll meet a good bodhisattva.
Edit: side note 2, choosing first century as the technical requirement is meant to be a subtle commentary on placing too much value on scripture.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentWell, why don’t we start with like the fourth most scariest passage you’ve read. Lay the chapter and verse, and maybe share a little about what it means to you and why it feels so scary?Well, why don’t we start with like the fourth most scariest passage you’ve read. Lay the chapter and verse, and maybe share a little about what it means to you and why it feels so scary?
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentI'm having a very different experience. Studying it scholarly, I mean. I'm engaging with believers, from a point of view of skepticism but faithful to experience. I'm finding that I'm gaining a...I'm having a very different experience. Studying it scholarly, I mean. I'm engaging with believers, from a point of view of skepticism but faithful to experience. I'm finding that I'm gaining a much deeper understanding not just of Christianity, but also of humanity.
FWIW Elaine Pagels calls herself a Christian and teaches at Princeton Theological Seminiary iirc.
It is sad how much of the later parts of ancient Christianity gave way to political expediency (Constantine declared it the official religion in 325 or so?). But as I've said elsewhere, Christianity was not here to eradicate humanity, but but to move it toward virtuous congruence.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentIf you'd care to, I'd love to help you unpack some of that from a theological point of view. Not with an endpoint of you becoming Christian, but of your having a little more freedom at least from...If you'd care to, I'd love to help you unpack some of that from a theological point of view. Not with an endpoint of you becoming Christian, but of your having a little more freedom at least from a rational point of view about what you read. It will be up to you and your therapists and friends to translate that into an emotional change.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentYou are absolutely correct. I recognize that you have a particular tenderness around this issue, and don't want to be preached to or proselytized. Neither do I! Despite my predelictions and...You are absolutely correct.
I recognize that you have a particular tenderness around this issue, and don't want to be preached to or proselytized. Neither do I! Despite my predelictions and professional turns, I am driven by a desire to love all creation more deeply, and that can't be done with any kind of coercion or judgment. Jesus only ever judged those who would judge or defraud others' spirituality. I promise to always be mindful of those who are sensitive to Christian coercion and fundamentalistm (and all coercion and fundamentalism). It should be easy, I am one.
It should be easy, but it isn't always. A really sad effect of trauma for some people like myself is we adopt the voice and point of view of the perpetrator, and punish ourselves and others like us for having experienced the same trauma. It is, quite literally in my view, insane. It's also a defense mechanism, and it really sucks.
I believe that Christ can be a part of the solution to this issue, and am working to make it so for myself and others.
One point of clarification. I do not believe "the west is the best." I do believe that western values, at least at their best, are Christian values at their best. Probably the greatest example is the Quakers, and all the influence they had on the U.S. Constitution and the bill of rights. I also believe that for better or worse, it is the dominant framework where I am geographically and culturally, and therefore the best framework within which to work for Good.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentA couple responses to this. I don't just mean theologically. I mean, humans have an animal nature, and that nature favors genetic redistribution over everything. Which means individuals have a...A couple responses to this.
I don't just mean theologically. I mean, humans have an animal nature, and that nature favors genetic redistribution over everything. Which means individuals have a biological impulse to favor the survival of their offspring in decision making. This leads to all kinds of awful, deadly behavior. There's an argument to be made that civilization is just a really complex form of this.
My observation is that Christianity has done much to provide people a framework to endure and also to do great good in the community, limiting somewhat the impact of this genetic predisposition. I agree that without Christianity people would have done good and evil both. I don't know whether there could have been something better the last few thousand years, that's an academic question.
What I believe is that Christianity is the framework where I am now, and it is therefore the best framework for me to do good in. My faith is that there is a loving God behind all that.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentFirst, western for me is both geographical and cultural. Lots of theses to write about this issue, I'm not sure I can summarize or if I even really know myself, but having been married to a...First, western for me is both geographical and cultural. Lots of theses to write about this issue, I'm not sure I can summarize or if I even really know myself, but having been married to a Japanese woman at one point I can say there are some pretty divergent ways of viewing the world.
Second, based on conversations I have had with buddhists in Japan and from China, much Buddhism that could be said to be truly "Western" is not fully Buddhist. Of course, Buddhism has it's own vagaries and differences and subdivisions and conflicts and bad actors. I've studied under someone who studied under Thic Nhat Han, and could never truly sync up. Mindfulness practice is definitely beautiful though, and I practice daily meditatiion still, huge fan of Pema Chodren. At least my experience required some efforts and commitments before I would be considered "in."
I'm not sure what you mean by "redemptive." My understanding is one of being called home.
Regarding the asking, yes I suppose that's technically a condition. But it's on offer without even asking, so there you go.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentSorry for the poor rendition of a joke. If we're going to get technical, if it ain't 1st centry aramaic and greek and coptic and possibly syriac, it ain't bible.Sorry for the poor rendition of a joke. If we're going to get technical, if it ain't 1st centry aramaic and greek and coptic and possibly syriac, it ain't bible.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentWell, if you find me preaching on Tildes, I would absolutely want everyone offended to share their feelings, and welcome all counterviews and questions and challenges. I am susceptible to changing...Well, if you find me preaching on Tildes, I would absolutely want everyone offended to share their feelings, and welcome all counterviews and questions and challenges. I am susceptible to changing my mind, there are comments around tildes to demonstrate that, and I love the repartee I find here.
But what I think might be objected to here is not preaching but folks being subjected to moral jugdement. Many preachers do this, and many people (myself included) have suffered in communities that judged us harshly and punished us. In my mind, there is no place for that kind of behavior anywhere, except maybe some kind of fetish club.
Preaching for me is about spiritual affirmation. It's about realizaing the divine within us and around us. It's what morpheus provides to Neo. Gandalf to Frodo, etc. It's about understanding our truer purposes, and finding ways to treat each other and all creation better.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentA couple of things I'll lay down here. First, the "no true Scotsman fallacy" is not universally accepted among scholars, and certainly not among professionals. True or not, it's not always...A couple of things I'll lay down here.
First, the "no true Scotsman fallacy" is not universally accepted among scholars, and certainly not among professionals. True or not, it's not always appropriate.
Second, if I can adequately define "true Christians," then I can certainly distinguish between groups that are similarly identified but not equally qualified. Simply because I buy bmw wheels and replace the emblems on my VW don't mean it's not still, in fact, a true VW and not, in fact, a true BMW.
If I can discern that a group identifying themselves as Christians are behaving in a way that is not in accordance with the way of Christ, I have no problem apply a label of "false" to their Christianity; although I am more likely to put it in theological terms and call them "fallen" Christians.
That said, there are Christians who do awful things, same as non-believers. The question I ask is not whether Christians to bad things, but can Christ be effective at helping people do good things?
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentDo you have a religious background? What you are describing sounds like it might be trauma related (I am not a medical provider). I have spent many nights of my life in terror of a god-strike, so...Do you have a religious background? What you are describing sounds like it might be trauma related (I am not a medical provider).
I have spent many nights of my life in terror of a god-strike, so I know the pain. It still comes up, it's deeply embedded in my psyche.
For me it is the result of what I would consider to be the highest order crimes-those that take advantage of innocent vulnerability. I believe we are are hardwired for spiritual experience. Please distinguish spiritual from supernatural here, and despite aiming to be a preacher, my belief in a supernatural god is pretty low. I do, however, have a firm faith. All that's a separate conversation, but I want you to have some idea where I'm coming from. So, yes on spiritual part of our psyche, supernatural not required.
Fundamentalism cruelly exploits this in its children at a time when they are having a spiritual yearning, but no ability to think about it or take any kind of action. Fundamentalism pours in this fear-based bullshit, ties the spiritual part to the amygdala which it further mal-forms, and all of sudden people are fear-motivated to do all kinds of awful things.
My hope is that you can find a way to start to rearrange your psyche around this issue, replace that fear based thing with a loving thing (again, no supernatural required). I do firmly believe that there is no such boogey-man God judging and damaning you.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentActually, I believe I can say that, and here's why. Self-centeredness is inherent in human nature, and people treat each other horribly for all kinds of different reasons and have throughtout all...you can't claim things like homophobia and antisemitism that come from that same Christian hegemony are somehow unrelated to Christianity.
Actually, I believe I can say that, and here's why. Self-centeredness is inherent in human nature, and people treat each other horribly for all kinds of different reasons and have throughtout all of human history as far as anybody knows. Animals also do this, but we don't call it cruel, we just call it nature taking its course.
No religion is without well regarded adherents who are also totally evil in some ways, and so many of these adherents have become so organized it sometimes seems inextricably tied to the religion itself. This is hardly limited to Christianity. Had Christianity been absent, people would have reviled each other and acted badly toward each other and themselves.
A better way to look at the issue is how helpful is the religion (or social group or whatever) at helping us reach our better nature? I think Christianity has done an OK job at promoting a virtuous society. Containing the worst of human nature is a very difficult job; that it happens at all ever is an indication of some kind of divine functioning in my view. I understand there is an argument to be made that someting about Christianity enabled conolianism* and its associated ills, and that's certainly true of calvinism as far as I can tell. But that is not the true religion of Christ.
*this is a typo for colonialism. But, I like it, I think I'm going to name my new religion canolianism, where the Eucharist is canoli.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath (edited )Link ParentThanks for helping me clarify my communication style and approach. I do not think Western thought or ideals, to the extent they are distinct from any others, are inherently superior in any...Thanks for helping me clarify my communication style and approach.
I do not think Western thought or ideals, to the extent they are distinct from any others, are inherently superior in any universal way. What I think is that Western ideals are very much Christian ideals. I further think that in the West, which is both a geographical and a cultural phenomenon, the best way for me to act with goodness is through Christ. I believe this is also probably true for a lot of other people, and I'm here to share that message, but not to coerce.
Edit: With respect to my Jewish sisters and brothers (and I do love and respect Jews and their culture, I have known a few even in the biblical sense), Christianity began life as a Jewish apocalyptic sect, and Christ was born a Hebrew, went to temple, read Torah, kept kosher, the whole bit. Peter and Paul were both Jewish. Christianity today is still, in my mind, a Jewish religion, even if the orthodox disclaim it.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentI fear I may have been misunderstood. As I stated elsewhere, my view is that God is atop a mountain and there are many paths there. What I mean by goodness is coming from Christianity is that in...I fear I may have been misunderstood. As I stated elsewhere, my view is that God is atop a mountain and there are many paths there.
What I mean by goodness is coming from Christianity is that in the West, our shared ideas of goodness are mostly informed by Christianity.
There is also a semantic issue here. "West" is both a geographical concept, as well as a cultural one, in the way I am using it; I do understand, however, that no place is monochromatic.
What I see, however, from where I sit is that the best way to promote goodness in the world is using Christ.
-
Comment on You make friends *HERE*?! in ~tildes
NoblePath Link ParentAs a contrarian, I always use tilderino, in deference both to the dude and ned flanders.As a contrarian, I always use tilderino, in deference both to the dude and ned flanders.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentIt is, and I am. This is not to say that western thought is universally or objectively superior, just that in my time and place, and my propensities, Christ is the best example of love. I figure...western-centric
It is, and I am. This is not to say that western thought is universally or objectively superior, just that in my time and place, and my propensities, Christ is the best example of love.
I figure God is like the peak of the mountain, appearing different andd requiring a different approach depending on where one is starting from. From where I am, I see no approach but through Christ.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath (edited )Link ParentIf it ain't King James, it ain't Bible . . . Edit: Too often I forget how certain jokes don't translate to text. This was a bumper sticker I saw on a car in my hometown. It is a belief many folks...If it ain't King James, it ain't Bible . . .
Edit: Too often I forget how certain jokes don't translate to text.
This was a bumper sticker I saw on a car in my hometown. It is a belief many folks hold, sadly.
-
Comment on Why I am pursuing a life, professionally and personally, of Christian Virtue in ~humanities
NoblePath Link ParentI honestly long for a Church of Tilderinos. I'll see what I can do.Do you want to preach to Tildes
I honestly long for a Church of Tilderinos. I'll see what I can do.
If I can leave the other explanations and exegesis alone for a minute, I'd like to know a little more about why this passage is scary to you?
I mean, I totally understand if this was the law of the land, that would be truly awful, then or now, it's a detestable law by my personal standards. I can feel the fear that any woman (or, even mildy sympathetic man) would have living under a regime like this.
But why is this passage scary to you in the here and now?