Reading chapter 2 the topic of truth came up on page 31. "What seems true to me is true. What seems true to you, though it contradicts what I believe , is true relative to you. One person's experience of the color green, cannot be had by another....assent to the proposition that nothing green can be read." I do believe in this statement. I understand that everyone has their own form of the truth. If 20 people see a fight, no one is wrong and no one is right. The statement is basically saying that everyone has their own opinion. In my eyes the way the truth is determined is if the story is as close to what really happened as possible. For example, if there was a fight between two people and someone added a third party that clearly wasn't in the fight then their spin on the story is further away from the truth than those who didn't add the third party. I believe that people try to get as many versions of what happened so they can get a story that is as close to the truth as possible. It is hard to find the absolute truth, because it is easy to exaggerate on events. It is normal when telling what happened in a situation, to either add or omit details , which with each addition or omission takes us further from the truth. Everyone has their own truth and no one can say that they are wrong. It's hard to tolerate differences in truth, because everyone wants to be right but that can not be the case. I guess that's what this class is all about, searching for the truth, but as stated on page 31 there is no one truth besides the one each individual holds (and the one God holds).
On that same page it goes on to say that sensations are private/ thought is public. Everyone has their own reaction to something because they have had their own experience. No one shares experience/ however when it comes to thought we cannot deny that the essence of the situation or object is the same to everyone. The book uses the example of the color green. Everyone has there own separate experience or feeling about it, but no one can say that the color green is really red. Every one has there own experience/ feeling about water, but even though that is true everyone knows that the water isn't fire.
Then lastly the chapter touches on that every group has their own custom and what may seem fitting in one culture seems degrading and disgusting to another. I have a Korean friend who said that in Korea there is a dish that includes dog meat. The rest of my friends twisted up their faces, because it seemed despicable when compared to their culture. This page in this chapter, touches upon the individuality of man. That men are separate from each other and have their own goals, virtues in life.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Logos.
The topic in class yesterday was an interesting one to me. We spoke about many topics, but the one that caught my attention was the one that mentioned God and how are we closer to Him through logos. Language I feel was created by God, given the story of the tower of Babel. When they said that God is Logos I feel that they mean God is able to understand all languages, including non-verbal language. The only Logos that does bring us closer to God is when it is paired with sincerity/ when it is from the heart. When people speak to Him he doesn't only look at the lips but he looks at the heart and how sincere it is. Anyone could easily say , "I love God." A non-believe could just say it because they feel like saying it. The only way we get closer to God through Logos is if sincerity is paired with it.
Another thing that got my attention was the talk of free will. Yes God did give us free will, but just because we exercise it doesn't mean we are going to heaven. God gives us the bible, and it is up to us whether or not we follow it, its not like if you curse Him (in this day and age) you will drop dead. It's your choice whether you believe or not. In the beginning we never did have the power to choose. When He made Adam and Eve (before the fruit was eaten)evil wasn't known. However, since they did eat the fruit that was when free will was born. That's when the knowledge of good and evil was known. Based on our choices now, i what we are going to be judged by God for later. These are just my thoughts on things discussed in class. I am not forcing these thoughts on anyone. It is just my response.
Another thing that got my attention was the talk of free will. Yes God did give us free will, but just because we exercise it doesn't mean we are going to heaven. God gives us the bible, and it is up to us whether or not we follow it, its not like if you curse Him (in this day and age) you will drop dead. It's your choice whether you believe or not. In the beginning we never did have the power to choose. When He made Adam and Eve (before the fruit was eaten)evil wasn't known. However, since they did eat the fruit that was when free will was born. That's when the knowledge of good and evil was known. Based on our choices now, i what we are going to be judged by God for later. These are just my thoughts on things discussed in class. I am not forcing these thoughts on anyone. It is just my response.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Love
Love? Is it impossible for people to love everyone? If we alter the way we think or act, can we achieve love for everyone? It is said that the views Jesus had were radical and that some of the things in the bible aren't to be taken literal. My view on this is that His words weren't radical, it is words to live by for a better world.
Do we not achieve love for everyone because we just give into our nature, we don't try to fight it we just accept right there and then that we don't like a certain person. What if we looked passed the differences and accepted people and their opinions? Is it possible to truly love everyone? I am not talking about the love that we share with a spouse or a mother, but I am taking about the love that goes hand in hand with acceptance and respect.
Another thing that was brought up in class on Tuesday was the question how do we know which denomination is the right one. This has been my problem for a while. How do I know which one is the right one since there is so many? In my opinion I feel like a person should read the bible for themselves and see what they understand from that. You pray for understanding of it and what you retain from reading the bible, you try to follow. These are interesting things to think about.
Do we not achieve love for everyone because we just give into our nature, we don't try to fight it we just accept right there and then that we don't like a certain person. What if we looked passed the differences and accepted people and their opinions? Is it possible to truly love everyone? I am not talking about the love that we share with a spouse or a mother, but I am taking about the love that goes hand in hand with acceptance and respect.
Another thing that was brought up in class on Tuesday was the question how do we know which denomination is the right one. This has been my problem for a while. How do I know which one is the right one since there is so many? In my opinion I feel like a person should read the bible for themselves and see what they understand from that. You pray for understanding of it and what you retain from reading the bible, you try to follow. These are interesting things to think about.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Enslavement by Desire (Chapter 6)
There are various points that struck me in reading chapter 6. Many things I agree with and others I don't quite understand.
I do think that we are all slaves to our desires. We are people who yearn for instant gratification. Instant gratification is the need to fulfill our wants and needs instantly, just like a baby who cries because they are hungry and the ,other rushes to feed them. Is it that hard to learn delayed gratification? Is it hard not to be enslaved by our yearnings or our wants? In my opinion that is why we have so many problems in the world, because we want to continually satisfy our desires and we will do anything , even if it means hurting others in the process. The cycle is never broken because many cannot control their lusts/desires. They let their desires run their lives. We suffer by our own means, we suffer because we haven't taught ourselves the art of delayed gratification; and within our suffering we do project the frustration on others causing arguments, violence, war. The only way we can reach peace is if we give up our material possessions and stop giving into our desires, but can people do that? That cellphone we just bought? The i pod? our prized collection?One of my favorite quotes from Chapter 6 is , "We find ourself driven by desire, cravings which are never really satisfied, for many desires are never met , leaving us frustrated, or if they are satisfied, the satisfaction is ephemeral. As soon as one desire is met, a new desire takes its place." So does this mean that humans cannot break this on going cycle? Are we forever enslaved to our desires?
Another thing that really caught my attention in this chapter is the quote that says "The most amazing thing is that although everyone sees his parents dying, and everyhting around him dying , still we live as though we will live forever." Why is that? Why do humans see so much death, yet they feel as though they are invincible? Again giving into their desires, they buy thosands of dollars worth of clothes, buy the most extravagant car , and the biggest house thinking that they are going to live forever but they aren't.
I heard a story once : There was once a poor guy who lived in a poor village. Every day he promised that if he had money he would buy food , and help everyone. One day he received money from a rich family member who died a became the richest man in the village. He then decided to buy out all the land leaving those who he promised to help homeless. Then he bought many cattle and sheep, and as soon as he finished buying everything he dropped dead. He gave into his material possessions, not keeping his promise of sharing his wealth and he died not able to enjoy his possessions." I think if people actually accepted the inevitability of death, they would rely less on material possessions and more on trying to live their lives. Its not hard to view deaths inevitability, because death happens everyday, so why would one think they are special as to not think that death would come to them?
I do think that we are all slaves to our desires. We are people who yearn for instant gratification. Instant gratification is the need to fulfill our wants and needs instantly, just like a baby who cries because they are hungry and the ,other rushes to feed them. Is it that hard to learn delayed gratification? Is it hard not to be enslaved by our yearnings or our wants? In my opinion that is why we have so many problems in the world, because we want to continually satisfy our desires and we will do anything , even if it means hurting others in the process. The cycle is never broken because many cannot control their lusts/desires. They let their desires run their lives. We suffer by our own means, we suffer because we haven't taught ourselves the art of delayed gratification; and within our suffering we do project the frustration on others causing arguments, violence, war. The only way we can reach peace is if we give up our material possessions and stop giving into our desires, but can people do that? That cellphone we just bought? The i pod? our prized collection?One of my favorite quotes from Chapter 6 is , "We find ourself driven by desire, cravings which are never really satisfied, for many desires are never met , leaving us frustrated, or if they are satisfied, the satisfaction is ephemeral. As soon as one desire is met, a new desire takes its place." So does this mean that humans cannot break this on going cycle? Are we forever enslaved to our desires?
Another thing that really caught my attention in this chapter is the quote that says "The most amazing thing is that although everyone sees his parents dying, and everyhting around him dying , still we live as though we will live forever." Why is that? Why do humans see so much death, yet they feel as though they are invincible? Again giving into their desires, they buy thosands of dollars worth of clothes, buy the most extravagant car , and the biggest house thinking that they are going to live forever but they aren't.
I heard a story once : There was once a poor guy who lived in a poor village. Every day he promised that if he had money he would buy food , and help everyone. One day he received money from a rich family member who died a became the richest man in the village. He then decided to buy out all the land leaving those who he promised to help homeless. Then he bought many cattle and sheep, and as soon as he finished buying everything he dropped dead. He gave into his material possessions, not keeping his promise of sharing his wealth and he died not able to enjoy his possessions." I think if people actually accepted the inevitability of death, they would rely less on material possessions and more on trying to live their lives. Its not hard to view deaths inevitability, because death happens everyday, so why would one think they are special as to not think that death would come to them?
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