Below-copied dialectic, essays, first published at comments,
http://wendylovesjesus.wordpress.com/2014/11/02/jesus-the-father/#comments
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Christianity: Sublimely Rational In Opposition To Jew Mysticism, Lies
(Apollonian, 11 Dec 14)
Yes indeed (see below-copied), my approach is totally, thoroughly fm rationalist pt. of view–but this isn’t atheist, as atheist insists there is no God–which Luther explains only a fool affirms within his heart. The most an atheist might say is there’s no evidence, though one easily counters to effect evidence of the creator being what is created, the created plainly evident to one’s senses.
Atheism thus is profoundly irrational as its conclusion is not justified or founded in premises, any rational premises. So I consider I’ve left atheism, but retained strictest, absolute reason–there’s difference, indubitably, as atheism is NOT rational or logical. Note there’s diff. btwn atheism and reason–these are NOT synonymous or even compatible.
What u must consider is Christianity affirms the OBJECTIVE (created) reality, basis/premise for truth, according to Gosp. JOHN, as I noted–this being extremely important philosophic issue, affirming Aristotle against Plato, for example. Such then is Christian teaching embedded within Christian literature/aesthetics.
And in accord w. reason and logic, it’s impossible to prove a universal negative–that there is no God–so u see, logic tacitly allows for God, not capable of proving the negation thereof.
Here is direct quote fm JOHN 14:6, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” Hence I take it truth = Christ, the only way to (Godly) happiness, a tenet which is defensible fm strictly rational pt. of view AS WELL as fm explicit Christian text, Christ = truth = happiness = God the Father. Christ is the truth, the only means (“way”) to Godly happiness, again.
U’re right, and I agree, God is not created.
Further, I agree w. u for that quotation in 1 JOHN 4:8 (epistle), God is love, but love is subordinate to TRUTH (= Christ) which comes first, there being no love without first truth (= Christ). All proper love must come fm God, but it’s not the primary nature (truth), only secondary, TRUTH coming first above all. 1 JOHN seems to be an exposition on the relation of love to God and Christ.
So, in conclusion, I just want to affirm the sufficiency of strictest REASON for Christianity; “faith” is LOYALTY, not merely “believing”–according to strict Christian conception. The reason Christian faith CANNOT be mere “believing” is humans are NOT God, and simply “believing” anything doesn’t make it true–this sort of “believing” is actually the Judaic and false conception whence Jews consider anything is true if rabbis say so–LYING (and worship of lies)–the destruction of truth, which truth exists REGARDLESS of any “believing.”
Believing, and “faith” (LOYALTY), they not same, are necessarily subordinate to REASON, the original gift of God, reason integral part of Holy Spirit, along w. honesty and integrity.
So the Christian can “believe,” but only following fm LOYALTY.
So Wendy, I concede the above might seem elaborate, but it’s important, I think, to demonstrate magnificent and sublime compatibility and integrality of dear Christianity w. strictest reason.
For present-day Christianity suffers for the Judaization by which Christianity seems to have been co-opted by Jew lies, liars, and lying. Christianity thus is sublimely rational, logical, and reasonable–but since most folks aren’t confident in reason, logic, etc., they assume a loyalty, but which loyalty must not be confused w. mere “believing,” believing only FOLLOWING, in DEPENDENCE, fm loyalty (and reason, strictly and most carefully understood).
Thus Christianity is perfectly rational, opposing Judaic mysticism and lies.
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apollonian said:
December 11, 2014 at 6:49 PM
Thus Wendy, to reiterate, the aesthetical upshot (which u specialize in) and IRONY of my above expo is that atheism is profoundly irrational, once again–which soooooo many people overlook and so totally mis-understand.
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apollonian said:
December 11, 2014 at 6:55 PM
And, now that I think of it, those Jews (and others too, of course), for example, who pretend to invoking reason, are such profound liars, and deluded, who denounce Christianity, along w. their atheist insistence upon pretended “separation of Church and state.” In other words, they FALSELY invoke reason, even if they don’t realize, in attacking Christianity and defending atheism.
-----------------------------------above by ap in response to below-copied--------------------------
Wendy Brydge said:
December 11, 2014 at 4:34 PM
I appreciate your nice comments about my other post, I’m glad you enjoyed it. But regarding the rest of your comment, I see you haven’t left your atheism behind. You’re looking at Scripture from an atheistic viewpoint. Your interpretation of Truth reflects something created rather than the Creator Himself. God is not something created, God is the Creator. God is not something man can understand and thus manipulate to his own means. Father God is TRUTH, and Father TRUTH’s desire is LOVE. And Jesus is Father TRUTH full of and displaying perfect love, even unto death, manifest visibly in mortal flesh, put to death, and risen once again in His immortal flesh. Jesus is the Christ – God Himself in flesh, God with us.
--------------------------------------------above in response to below-copied by ap------------------------------------------
Nature And Relation Of Christ/Son With God/Father
(Apollonian, 8 Dec 14)
Hello Wendy–I first saw ur work fm “flying tiger comics” blog, for the post on horror movie poster art–very well done by u, I think.
But now let me take mild issue w. u for ur quote, above: “Father: Truth, Spirit: Love, Son: The Form of God.”
For Gosp. JOHN 14:6 states only way to Father is through the Son, this meaning, I believe, Christ = TRUTH TRUTH TRUTH, such truth being the only way to Godly happiness. Thus foremost Christian value is TRUTH above all, above “faith,” “love,” “peace,” or (non-existent) “good.” Thus God the Father is happiness, and since Father and Son are one, Christ = TRUTH = happiness. But one wouldn’t say Christ is happiness, but rather the WAY thereto.
Holy Spirit then would be consistent (and equal, necessarily) w. truth and happiness, hence then a combination of reason, honesty, and integrity, reason and honesty pervading throughout not only conscious but also subconscious too (integrity). For note there’s lots of people who are smart (reason) but lacking honesty–esp. Jews, for example, who love to pretending to “intelligence.”
Thus u see, I appreciate New Test. especially for literature and literary value, having come to Christianity fm crass atheism, but at least w. serious appreciation for literature, specifically and especially, the Homeric epics, Illiad and Oddysey. Only after admiring and cherishing this magnificent Homeric literature did I THEN begin to appreciate New Test., which had been so much pushed in my face when I was young and growing-up, going to Catholic schools, etc.
Note Gosp. JOHN, my favorite among the gospels, is MOST philosophic of all the gospels, most perfect capsule theologic summary for New Test., St. Paul being relatively quite elaborate, but of course, w. many more details.
Note further, Gosp. JOHN is especially emphatic upon the issue of TRUTH–what actually is it, as Pontius Pilate rhetorically challenges Christ (18:38), who remains mute for an answer–indicating it’s not terribly mysterious if Pilate would only reflect.
Further, note Christ sets the (Hegelian-style) anti-thesis for his truth versus his enemies, the Pharisees, esp. at JOHN 8:44. Another key ref. upon truth is 8:32.
Finally, note there’s serious philosophic pt. being made by Christ, in this magnificent Gosp. JOHN, as he emphasizes this truth as he does, the necessary question arising in afore-mentioned words of Pilate–what, in pt. of fact, IS such truth? And the only practical answer could be it’s reflection of God’s created reality/world/existence, truth then the reflection in our minds.
Note this Christian truth then is in absolute contrast to the lies of the Pharisees who emphasize that meaning of Torah (God’s word) is only to be grasped by interpretation (“midrash,” “oral law”) of the rabbis which “oral law” then was written-out by 500 in Babylonian Talmud.
So u see, Wendy, the pt. is extremely important for philosophy, Christ informing us truth (the greatest virtue) is OBJECTIVE, this against the Pharisees who insist it is subjective, whatever the rabbis say it is, Pharisees imagining they could simply kill truth, but the truth resurrecting so gloriously.
There’s much more by way of ref. for all this, fore-going expo, but I just wanted to pt. out the serious, genuine philosophic significance of that precious New Test. literature. See for example the work of Michael A. Hoffman II at RevisionistReview.blogspot.com. Hoffman has an excellent vid on U-tube, a preview of a larger work which he tries to sell–see
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyeW4G2WGXs
Note: I realize at 1 JOHN (the Epistle) it says in there that “God is love,” but I consider this far more metaphorical–true love can only be achieved through God, naturally, this being mere truism–unlike the far more careful, hence more definitive expo given in Gosp. JOHN. Take good care. A.