I just saw something that said that any Christian argument against something ought to start from the Bible and not from pragmatic concerns.
THIS IS BULLSHIT.
Firstly let me say that I have NO PROBLEM with starting at the Bible.
Now then:
To say that a Christian argument against something cannot start from pragmatic concerns is stupid and dangerous. The fact of the matter is that if Yahweh created a rational universe, we can assume that HE is rational. Naturally I think that all supposed wisdom should be put up against scripture to check its clarity, but what does this assertion against pragmatism do to our image? Should we not be striving to appear more rational to the world? The fact of the matter is that the ground on which we stand has changed from the solid asphalt of Modernism to the muddy plains of Post Modernism. This is what the world is, and we cannot come at the problems of the world any longer from a Modernist, purely biblically based (though biblical soundness is a must) ground. The world simply WILL NOT HEAR IT. PERIOD.
Yahweh is rational as well as mysterious. The fact of the matter is that the mystical will not be revealed or make sense to those who are not ready to receive it. If we come to non-believers with the assertion that they must believe this mystical text without the application of thought, they WILL NOT LISTEN.
However, if we come to them with a firm ground of logic to stand upon, a boardwalk over this sandpit upon which we stand, then we will certainly gain more ground with them. It is later that the mystical nature of the Bible will be acceptable to them, once the insatiable lust for logic is satisfied (or, God willing, replaced with the acceptance of wonder) has been satiated.
Lewis used logic. Aquinas used logic. Luther used logic. We have all used logic, and no Truth that can be taught to others spiritually younger than ourselves has existed without some logical backing to aid in their transition into the mystical.
Then Sean wrote a paper about this, because this is a great fucking topic...
Comments (2)
What a delicious paper:) I AGREE!!! WOOT!!! Most of the wisdom in the Bible can be translated into logical terms anyway, so people need to learn that living out the Christian faith in a biblical sense is rational. I guess people are to clueless to realize that living like Christ is the best argument for the faith....you don't even need words...lol. Through living as an intelligent, rational, loving Christians, we can teach biblical wisdom without even quoting scripture. Young christians will grow in time with the help of biblical knowledge, but in this society, experience is essential.
Christians in the post-modern era need to live more like Christ now than ever before.
I love you:)
@t_sheffield - *GLOMP* ... *SEX*