The Homeless Mind
Important in abstract matters like this to start with the simple cases and keep them before your mind
[as I have known for a while, truth is harder to determine in more abstract matters. physical matters are comparatively easy (and one reason scientists don't understand pomo when it comes to more abstract things). economics is harder. sociology and politics are harder that it. psychology is harder than them. metaphysics is hard, maybe hardest, not b/c it is unobservable (cp. Rom 1), but because it can be denied or subjected to plausible alternate theories (if your mind is given over to sin).
consider also morality, aesthetics, values]
people are worried about truth b/c they have experienced massive truth claims they don't agree with
there is also a fear that if we allow the possibility of truth, freedom will be limited
pomo wants to get people free from truth claims that are oppressive
ancient skeptical position: there is no truth, if there were you couldn't know it, and if you knew it, you couldn't tell anyone (Gorgias)
[Amazingly], human freedom is such that we can persistently deny what is true by our words and actions
telling the truth brings freedom of not hiding. further, you don't have to remember who you told which lies
'That may be true for you, but it's not true for me.'
people are really talking about belief, dressing it up as truth
part of the kind of pragmatism espoused by William James et al. is that sometimes, by really believing something, we can make it true
e.g., being chased by a lion, can you jump over an 18 foot wide crevasse
in such cases, we put forth effort we wouldn't otherwise put forth, and that allows us to do it
it's not just the belief, but the belief producing the effort
belief by itself never makes anything true
belief often is subjective
many of the things we need to know are not things we can prove, but we have to act anyway
this is a major part of the human dilemma: we have to act beyond our knowledge
and no one, especially, can live by what they can confirm by their direct experience
[so saying that is just a cop out. no one doesn't fly b/c they haven't proven aerodynamics themselves. of course, that's not how they think about it, and some of it is just unintentional wrong thinking. they have good intentions. they think they have a good epistemology. but never forget the selfish motivations unconsciously at work: we don't want our freedom to be limited by truth claims. it took 4000 years to develop a human philosophy so sophisticated that anyone who wants to can deny what is true ;-) ]
we're always acting in terms of beliefs that we're not in a position to demonstrate the truth of
banking and money example
life is very complicated today
'i understand why some people become homeless b/c they give up trying to deal with life. it is incredibly complex.'
since we can't prove everything, we have to take our beliefs from the institutions that surround us
institutions survive transgenerationally
burial customs, art
families are probably more fundamental than institutions, transmitting institutions themselves
Western culture has become fundamentally skeptical of institutions
Question Authority
much of that is earned and some of it is good
institutions have to be questioned
any civilization has constant refinement of the truths about reality that are taught by its institutions
[and what if your truth quotient starts to go backwards? :-( ]
institutions tend to make legalistic power out of truth
they become repressive
Xianity has a deep awareness of legalism/Pharisaism
the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
institutions survive by the letter and if they're going to be life-giving, they have to have the spirit of truth as well
most of the bad name of truth comes from legalistic institutions of all kinds
[but, to be fair, movements (let's call the opposite that) are also abusive (e.g. cults) and flaky (a couple of their weaknesses)]
universities today (academia and intellectual pursuits in general) make a fetish of rebellion
starving artists questioned on the value of their work will cite the truly great starving artists [whom they probably do not resemble]
art is powerful and institutions are tempted to become repressive on legalistic grounds
[so much of taking sides depends on which bad consequences you hate more and which you're willing to give a pass. libertines can't abide repression, but they're ok with too much license. Pharisees are the opposite. or, in politics: are you willing to tolerate bigger gov't to get care for the poor and restrictions on big business or do you prefer smaller gov't and fewer services?]
truth v. freedom in tension
truth can become repressive. freedom can becomes so wild that it destroys our lives
some people worry that if they admit categories like truth into art it would limit their freedom of expression
[to say nothing of moral ramifications of the 'consumers' of the art or moral behavior of the artists themselves
many people are profoundly disappointed with institutions
so, which institutions are you more disappointed with? government or religion? which do you give a pass?
people must be a part of something bigger than themselves. we will worship something. we will look beyond ourselves for our identity.]
the full form of the bumper sticker should be 'Question Authority, including this bumper sticker'
go beyond doubting beliefs and believing doubts (which is approximately epistemic paralysis) to also believing your beliefs and doubting your doubts
'I think continually of those who were truly great' Stephen Spender (c.f. below)
approach our institutions/authorities this way. what's worth receiving [b/c, as said above, we can't operate in a vacuum]
exercise: read the Bible like you would read any other book. ask questions. put questions too it. stop worrying about it and trying to take care of it and making sure everything comes out according to preconceptions. that attitude toward a person of institution shuts off of to the reality that is in it
be honest and thorough with any of the great ones
what did Jesus and Paul teach, yes, but also, what did they do? what happens when we put what they taught and did into action?
how we think about God is not just intellectual, it effects the kind of people we become
what do we get out of our lives? who we become
our life is what God give us
what we believe about reality determines what kind of people we turn out to be
is the world a safe place to follow your highest values?
since our condition is so humble, we remain humble
we don't shut our minds to
we can move closer to the truth
we can live with confidence that if we open ourselves to the truth, the truth will find us
[yes, but I have to put it into practice!]
we enter into right relationship to authorities and keep the balance b/t truth and freedom
Q&A
we become disappointed with those we thought were great and then we become cynics
[we have to look for good while understanding there will be bad and not letting that sabotage everything
you develop self-confidence by following what you know to be good and testing it in experience]
a major project is to reclaim our parents, to approach them in love and honesty but not accept their stories about who they are when you know better
it is very rare that you have a parent that is so mature and so strong that they can really live with children honestly
when we ask God what we should do, He asks us 'what do you want to do?' start there.
[put these together with my rereading of early church history and it would be interesting to do a history of the church invisible, concentrating on the vital movements and people and de-emphasizing the church visible/institutional aspects. of course, it would be more subjective, including the criteria]
I Think Continually Of Those Who Were Truly Great
Stephen Spender
I think continually of those who were truly great.
Who, from the womb, remembered the soul's history
Through corridors of light where the hours are suns
Endless and singing. Whose lovely ambition
Was that their lips, still touched with fire,
Should tell of the Spirit clothed from head to foot in song.
And who hoarded from the Spring branches
The desires falling across their bodies like blossoms.
What is precious is never to forget
The essential delight of the blood drawn from ageless springs
Breaking through rocks in worlds before our earth.
Never to deny its pleasure in the morning simple light
Nor its grave evening demand for love.
Never to allow gradually the traffic to smother
With noise and fog the flowering of the spirit.
Near the snow, near the sun, in the highest fields
See how these names are fŠted by the waving grass
And by the streamers of white cloud
And whispers of wind in the listening sky.
The names of those who in their lives fought for life
Who wore at their hearts the fire's center.
Born of the sun they traveled a short while towards the sun,
And left the vivid air signed with their honor.
No comments:
Post a Comment