LOVE IS THE STRONGEST ADHESIVE
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In Green, Arab World |
In All Things Shining, philosophers Hubert Dreyfus (of Berkeley) and Sean Dorrance Kelly (of Harvard)...claim, “The gods have not withdrawn or abandoned us: we have kicked them out.” This expulsion, they say, is by no means permanent. The gods are ready to come back if only we are willing to “hear their call.” The first thing to note about this startling claim is the plural. Dreyfus and Kelly urge us to open ourselves to the return not of the God of the Bible but of gods. And not just any gods. On their view, the revival of the Greek pantheon offers the most promising alternative to nihilism. ......
...Dreyfus and Kelly....also contend that in recognizing the role of gods, we gain access to sources of meaning that would otherwise be obscured. Polytheism relieves us of the burden of choosing what we should do. In place of the modern struggle to establish one’s freedom, polytheism encourages an attitude of joyous gratitude. Like the Greek, they argue, we can experience our lives as a succession of unasked gifts that we do not need to earn or understand to cherish and enjoy. All things are “shining” with divinity and promise once we are open to living that way.
..... Rather than confronting this objection, Dreyfus and Kelly subtly revise Heidegger’s account of nihilism. The problem is not so much that “God is dead” as that the Judeo-Christian God is reduced to one option on the cultural menu. Many people do find meaning in Biblical monotheism. On the other hand, there at least some are who can’t or won’t. Polytheism, therefore, turns out to be a specialized product for a niche audience rather than a solution to the decline of the West. It is the spiritual equivalent of the pseudo-antique espresso machines sold to people who just aren’t satisfied with their old percolators.Goldman considers All Things Shining's goal as failing in not being able to provide what it promises:
Polytheism, then, is a provocative way of describing one way of experiencing the world. But it fails to provide the access to meaning or values that Dreyfus and Kelly promise. This failure is the consequence of their rejection of the philosophical tradition on the one hand and biblical religion on the other. For all their disadvantages, both recognize that access to the meaning of life involves separating ourselves from our own moods and actions and evaluating them from an external standpoint. This isneasy. But at least it acknowledges that what we regard as the most admirable actions are not only shining with intensity, but also morally right.
It is worth remembering that Homer depicts the Greeks engaged in war of conquest and that his characters express profound gratitude to the Olympians when they have successfully taken their enemies’ lives, women, and property. Even in a disenchanted world, theirs are not the gods that we are looking for.One can't attempt to find meaning once one has obliterated the existence of the possibility of the transcendent absolute. As Wittgenstein submitted in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, "The sense of the world must lie outside of the world." Plato's Euthyphro pronounces the problem very well when it argues that ethics cannot be absolute if we turned to the pluralistic gods for a deontological answer. The Euthyphro dilemma was: "Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?" To which the answer was that a plurality of gods with their finite experiences cannot determine the nature of the good. The resolution consisted in a turning towards reason. The Platonic argument cannot be dismissed. In fact, Plato considered Homer (his stories of the gods) as dangerous to politics and ethics. In his Republic, Plato argues for the outlawing of the Homer that Dreyfus looks to for inspiration. To Plato, a strong republic cannot be built on false stories and flawed personalities as depicted by Homer and Hesiod. And, while Plato does understand the practical importance of the narratives, he doesn't allow these narratives to claim authority above reason: which is, of course, also impossible for cogency demands that the rational be intact, without ignoring the empirical.
Numbers 13; Josh 14
Story Numbers 13
God told them to spy; why spy if He'd give.
Bible teaches human responsibility God will give increase, but you must sow the seed. You must work. God made man to work. If you want blessing, you must do things
KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE, ACTION
1. Learn about the land .. Business, job... Knowledge (Jesus said “Count the Cost”)
2. Believe that you can take the land because He has promised. Believe in God
3. Go up and fight the battle... You don't win more territory by sleeping.
PRAYER OF JABEZ- 1Chronicles 4:9,10. But, that prayer will mean nothing unless there is proper effort to learn, proper faith to act.
Now, some say no need work. Salvation not by work. But, they don't know James 2
Caleb - means dog. Bad! Especially for a Jew.. But, he didn’t care what his parents called him.
1. Man of Divine Vision
Caleb saw as God wanted them to see.
God showed them the land… He wanted to show the land that He was going to give them. What do you do when God shows you what He wants to give you?
- People liked it; but, people were discouraged!!!
-Caleb liked it, caleb wanted it, Caleb was ready to go take it!
General Vision: That all may be saved. It is possible for everyone to hear once about Jesus, of His power, of His teaching, of His love.
Specific Vision: What God shows that He can do with your life.
The Rich Young Man: Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:23
God showed Him the Kingdom of God; but, when He told him what he should do, he was discouraged…
Similar like the other 10 spies; when God showed them the Promised Land, they were happy, but when they realized what they had to do they were discouraged..
First thing, it is not your battle… God wants to carry you through!
HE CARRIED: Deut 1:32,33. Not just a vision of Glory, but also the affirmation of GRACE
IF YOU CANNOT DO IT, IT MEANS IT CAN ONLY BE BY GOD…
God doesn’t call you for the possible; He calls you for the impossible!
Now, divine vision is not personal desire!!!! JER.14:14 (False Vision); JER 23:25 (False Dreams)
2. Man of Unshakeable Faith
Caleb not only saw, he was unshakeable in his conviction.. Num.13:30: LET US GO UP AT ONCE!!!!!
Psalm 125:1- Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved…
James 1:6- Doubts like wave….
NOT ALLOWING ANY NEGATIVE THOUGHT TO CONTRADICT GOD’S VISION..
Rom.4:20.. Abraham.. believed in God’s vision…..
3. Man of Determination
Will not allow something to stay unfinished… The Anakites are what they feared, they said that they cannot.. Now, at 80… I will take them..
Kirjath-arba (City of Arba, Anakite)
Hebron (Association, Sambandh)
Joshua 14:9-12.. GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN
General Vision: The Land to Israel
Specific Vision: Num 14:24; Josh 14:9