US Thanksgiving/Philosophies & Worldviews

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As a Canadian I have been thankful for many years to be neighbours with the United States of America. It has been a leader in NATO in assisting with the military protection of Canada, which in my opinion does not have a sufficient military, but even if it did, Canada has a small population relative to land area. As well, the United States has provided Christianity and theology throughout the world on a very significant basis. Not all of it beneficial, but enough of it is. Those are just two reasons.

Some other reflections on the United States according to the official 'standards' of this blog:

Arizona

It is good to have family here. Also good to visit loved ones. The weather there is much warmer than in Greater Vancouver but I did manage to walk the dog in a rain storm.

California

I have been watching Storage Wars as a relief from computer work and blogging. I also enjoy visiting California and I am fortunate to have friends both in Northern and Southern California. Really one of the nicest places in the world overall. I have never heard freeway traffic as loud as Southern California freeway traffic. I found the people there quite friendly overall as well.

Our family went to Disneyland when I was little and my brother and I bought Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon Masks respectively. I hated how mine smelt. My brother wore the Phantom mask I think and snuck-up behind me at lunch and yelled at me from back to front. My lunch, likely a burger and fries, knowing me at the time with my less international diet, went everywhere.

Florida

I have been there twice and I like the fact I can 'drive' there, sort of like the United Kingdom, but on the right side of the road. There is an interesting passing technique by some pick-up trucks on the freeway though, that is to 'gun it' onto the grass and then head back onto the freeway. At least that is what I saw driving across the State several times. I found the people generally friendly there.

British Columbia: Pull over on the side of the road for a 'break' not an issue bears and cougars few and far between.

Florida: Pull over on the side of the road for a break, a real huge issue. I could hear and smell the ecology while driving at 80 miles an hour. No unofficial stops for me...

Welcome to the tropics or near.

Kansas

I have never visited. Made famous by the 1939 film 'The Wizard of OZ', not to be confused with the 1978 film 'The Wiz' with Michael Jackson...

Louisiana

Never visited. Seems to have a good market on reality television right now. Those shows are so theatrical I think a 'gator' and his family should have their own reality television show.

Michigan

I have never been there but I can distinctly remember as a teenager flying over it. I also remember the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association that I viewed live as a child. No doubt the League did not have a first-rate marketing department.

Minnesota

The State I have been to several times, but cannot get out of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport.

Nevada

As documented on this blog in more than one previous post, not my favourite State. Several years ago while I was working on my BA we (Uncle Chuck, my brother and others) took a trip to Nevada for a hockey draft. There was the steakhouse owner that posted a sign that washrooms were for customer/patrons use only. Uncle Chuck and I were desperate not to use a bush, as in Nevada, unlike here in British Columbia, there was not many, so we checked out the menu, saw it was too expensive and used the washroom facility.

I took the quick option and Uncle Chuck the unwise option.

The crazed steakhouse owner chased us out of the restaurant stating he would call the police. I stated that he could go ahead as we were from Canada, I would have of course played dumb had we been apprehended by 'Deputy Dawg' or like, and I am good at that, at times.

Good thing it was not Texas or the steakhouse owner might have had a shotgun.

Also in Reno, because the hockey draft was not in Las Vegas which it should have been had the people voting wanted a life, Uncle Chuck and I simply wanted to ask these two, likely University girls for directions and the closer we got to them the faster they walked away. Then a male yelled out of a likely dorm window, 'Go get them guys!', in a humourous fashion which really 'helped', as in we should chase down the ladies.  So, we stopped. Americans are generally friendly but I found several  people in Nevada to be really uptight and unfriendly generally at that time.

I have returned to the State since then...a short stint at Las Vegas airport/McCaran International Airport.

New Jersey

I landed at Newark Airport once and its buildings and architectural styles reminded me of the old 1970s shows I watched on television...

Not just Sesame Street, but some actual serious shows, documentaries and like.

New York

It was good to see the Buffalo Sabres host the Atlanta Thrashers, now Winnipeg Jets, with a friend, and we also saw Niagara Falls on both sides of the border. It was good to spend half a week in New York City via Newark with a friend. The one taxi driver did not like the tip and so he refused to take our luggage out of his cab. I thought, 'Welcome to New York City'.

I had a briefcase with me, but this was post 911 and these cases were now a no-no, so as my friend and I attempted to go to the New York Yankees game the attendant stated something along the lines of  'Are you blind, take off your sunglasses, no briefcases allowed!'. I stated that I was from Canada and he chilled and said I could walk across the street and store my case for a fee. 'Welcome to New York City'.

Worldviews

This type of holiday, although not one in Canada is one from a Christian perspective to perhaps reflect on differences in worldviews. In my MPhil from 2003 I discussed the concept of Christianity and political philosophies and this was also mentioned in a post on my other blog in 2008.

MPhil 2003

DrRNM 2008

In McGrath’s second chapter entitled Blaming God he mentions some prominent modern twentieth century philosophies and discusses some of the results of these world-views. He noted that atheistic communism and western liberalism had failed to deal with the harsh realities of life that had taken place in the twentieth century, particularly during World War II. Communism and liberalism removed God from the equation, however, to McGrath, it caused more evil to take place. He stated: "Belief in God is a vital restraining factor. It curbs human evil by stressing God’s condemnation of those who inflict suffering on others." McGrath (1992: 11).

McGrath believed that neither communism nor western liberalism had eliminated suffering, and thus their disbelief in God was not on strong intellectual footing. To him, the great suffering which occurred in the twentieth century indicated there was something wrong with human nature, and that many people who attempted to blame God for those woes should, instead, have looked at world philosophies such as communism and western liberalism which ignored God. McGrath stated these philosophies that overlooked God, at the same time, overlooked his love. He noted: "Occasions of history are stained by the tears of our God who was working to bring about the day when ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.’ (Revelation 21:4)." McGrath (1992: 14). I am in agreement with McGrath that the sinfulness of human nature was overlooked by communist states such as the Soviet Union. In fact, the utopia of socialism actually led to the Soviet Union committing acts of violence in great numbers against their own citizens and those of other nations.

Communism is faulty in that it depends on the state forcing equality among people. This, however, does not end the evil of poverty, for example, but simply takes away initiative from people to advance themselves economically, and gives economic and political power to a select few government and military officials. At the same time, tyranny takes place as these select few must strongly enforce the equality that they see as necessary in order for the communist state to advance. Christianity, on the other hand, favours shared equality. By this I mean people willingly sharing some, and sometimes all, of what they possess. But the idea is not that a state or ruling counsel should dictate this, but that it should be done willingly in love. With this world-view, people have the freedom to willingly help others. Now with western liberalism, I think it can be argued that, unlike Communism, it does have some major social benefits because it still allows for individualistic human thought which can lead to creativity. When this is taken too far, however, it can be seen that without God, human creativity can only solve few problems because human beings are fallen and imperfect and will still commit evil acts. A person who does not believe in the God and follow Him, can make social progress, but this will be limited because social ethics can make him/her moral but cannot make him/her spiritual as in believing in and following Jesus Christ. A spiritual person seeking God’s guidance should, at least, be theoretically more open to loving and caring for others, to show other people the love God has shown each of them. God’s love being shown within someone should take them beyond morality to a personal concern about the spiritual state of others.

To play devil’s advocate, a critic could claim that Christianity has not solved suffering any better than Communism or especially western liberalism; however, I think McGrath is correct. A belief in God in society and better yet a spiritual relationship with Christ leads to the tempering of evil in a nation and the world. Christianity’s ultimate answer to evil comes through revelation, but at least that has historical evidence of Scripture behind it. Christians are disobedient to God, just as nonbelievers are, and this is probably part of the reason Christianity has not made more social progress. But I still agree with McGrath that Christ’s atoning work and resurrection is the only ultimate answer that remedies evil. This work has, of course, not been completely culminated, but I think the Scriptural evidence supports the idea that Christ will return to restore his creation.

Western liberalism shares some of Christianity’s positive views on sharing and even love, but it depends too much on the goodness of humanity. The twentieth century demonstrates that social evolution in humankind is good, but always limited. This is part of the reason why the advanced, modern, western world still produced a nation like Nazi Germany. These people were cultured and socialized, but still spiritually blind.

MCGRATH, ALSITER. (1992) Suffering, London, Hodder and Stoughton Limited.

Putting these two articles together today one can be thankful, whether a Christian or non-Christian for the influence philosophically Christianity has had in a positive way in impacting Western culture. Not to dismiss the negative aspects of Christianity which are not ignored or by-passed on my blogs.

However, Christianity and Christians are not the main focus of the faith/philosophy rather it is God/Christ and atoning/resurrection work completed by Christ which is to be culminated with a restored humanity and universe (Revelation 21-22).

Thrilling Webcam Tour Of Academic Books: Used For Blogging

Victoria, British Columbia-trekearth

A sample of my texts used with Blogging. There were other books from key MPhil/PhD sources such as Plantinga and Augustine and others, and also the work from thousands of pages of photocopies from books and academic journals.

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There

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Driving from Maple Ridge to Vancouver and back

Plus protected by the rest of NATO

Good point.

Hedonism

From The Problem of Evil (2003) : Anglican and Baptist Perspectives: MPhil thesis, Bangor University: Russell Norman Murray

Hedonism was also discussed by Woods. James A. Montmarquet defined Hedonism in the following way: "the view that pleasure (including the absence of pain) is the sole intrinsic good in life." Montmarquet (1996: 311).

Woods provided a similar definition: "Hedonism is a broad term used to encompass all theories that see pleasure as the ultimate goal of life and criterion for conduct. Anything that is fun is good. Anything that is not fun is bad and should be avoided." Woods (1974)(1982: 18). Basically, Hedonism sees pleasure as the most important thing in reality. Interestingly, Woods mentioned Playboyism, and stated of Hugh Hefner, Publisher of Playboy Magazine: "Hefner rejects any philosophy that holds a man must deny himself for others. The Playboy outlook says a man should love himself preeminently and pursue only his own pleasure." Woods (1974)(1982: 108).

Woods noted that happiness should be a result of a responsible life. Hedonism is not responsible since ones pleasure often exists at the expense of someone else’s pain. For example, considering Playboy, where women are viewed as objects sexually by both Hefner and the willing women participating, this magazine brings its participants money, fame and sexual gratification, but the Playboy philosophy represented in the magazine, through mass media influence, also causes women in society to be viewed as objects by many men. This can cause many women to be overlooked for their intellect, and looked upon more for their sexual beauty.

So, in a subtle fashion, the Playboy philosophy can bring pain to many people in society because Playboy Magazine exploits sexuality when, in reality, sexuality belongs in the context of marriage/committed relationship where the inner beauty of the person is more important than their outer image. With the Playboy philosophy, the outer beauty is far more important than the inner beauty.

It must be admitted that Hedonism is pleasurable to people. For example, as a pastor of a local church recently stated, most men struggle with pornography at some time. An advocate of the Playboy philosophy may state that its critics secretly desire that lifestyle. There can be an element of truth in this, but a wiser person, and certainly a Christ-centred person, should see that sexual conduct outside of a healthy marriage can lead to many destructive things such as divorce, abortion, venereal disease, HIV, and public disgrace. Only sexuality in commitment leads to something fulfilling over a long period.

The Hedonism represented with Playboy is irresponsible in that it hurts people and puts short term pleasure before long term fulfilment. Thus, it escapes the struggle of a serious relationship leading to long term fulfilment and instead seeks easier, shorter relationships. This, in no way, avoids evil. It simply promotes more evil in that extreme human selfishness just leads to more people being hurt.

MONTMARQUET, J.A. (1996) ‘Hedonism’, in Robert Audi, (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

WOODS, B.W. (1974) Christians in Pain, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

2012 Update

Blackburn's definition is one of seeking pleasure as an end in itself, with the view that such a pursuit is the proper aim of all action. Blackburn (1996: 168). He seems to indicate that hedonism is generally not concerned morally with others as in friendship or even less of a concern, although there are attempts to align hedonism and selfishness with concern for others. Blackburn (1996: 168).

I reason hedonism, in the context discussed, is anti-Biblical and something which is a struggle for most persons and most Christians. I do not follow a Playboy philosophy, bookmark or collect pornography, but like many persons reading that are online often, it is on many websites and ads, as it is also on television. Jesus and the Apostles in places such as Matthew 5 and 1 Corinthians 7 highlighted the impossible standards of holiness God set, therefore the need for atonement, and yet in today's Western world, it is philosophically rather easy for even the Christian to follow along with the fallen nature and societal standards (Christian and secular) rather than the Holy Spirit and give into hedonism on many levels virtual and actual. I state this as a fallen human being saved by grace through faith and as a theologian and philosopher, not being judgmental at all, because I too struggle with sin.

Seems to me though that philosophical excuses that allow for hedonism in the Christian life need to be abandoned and this is often a major life challenge because this may require some very difficult changes in prayer and action, going against sinful nature, going against culture (Christian and secular), etc,  not necessarily or idealistically apart from much quality Biblical Christian community. But I deduce to not so is to potentially set one up for more trouble in the future, sort of a sin snowball effect.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

End

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Theology & Inspirational Posters

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Theology & Inspirational Posters

Posters from Allposters.com

This post is piercing free. Woops, I just noticed the smokers...

Einstein Poster
 
My thoughts are that this statement is generally true and that in many great and excellent endeavors throughout human history the plans and goals of the genius and/or visionary are under attempts to be thwarted by those that do not have that vision and disagree. I suppose for the theological context of this blog one can look at the progression of the Gospel.  The words of the Apostle Peter in Acts 5: 29 seem reasonable here: 'We must obey God rather than men' (New American Standard). The Apostles were to obey Almighty God as opposed to the Jewish religious leaders of the Council, or the Roman Empire. They were to proclaim the message of the resurrected Christ and Lord that they had witnessed.  The Apostle Paul too faced many persecutions such as in Acts 16 being beaten and thrown into prison by authorities. Paul lists some of these sufferings at Second Corinthians 11: 16-33.

Churchill Poster

In 2000 when I lost my early PhD appointment at Manchester because I resigned due to lack of adviser support; my agreed upon adviser was in Germany for a year and the two persons left in the Department were not satisfied with my Reformed views. I was told if I did not stop believing in such a sovereign God in the context of the problem of evil I would not pass, by the main senior temporary adviser. I had also been blocked by the University from joining an affiliated Christian college. This was a type of 'hell' small 'h'. I prayed to the Lord that if I did not receive assistance from the several emails I made that week I would head home to Greater Vancouver. Amazingly, and quite unlikely, an adviser from a college affiliated with the University of Wales actually called me on the phone to assist me. That was such an unlikely occurrence and an answered prayer, but I did keep going. I ended up getting the MPhil thesis with that advisor and the PhD thesis also via Wales and his connections. The PhD from Wales equals one from Manchester equals, one from Oxford, equals one from Cambridge, equals one from London, in general terms. The work and standard is the same.

Every Cloud Poster

I am all for looking for the positive in situations. I also try to learn from failures. But, it also equally important to be realistic. By this I mean to see reality for what it is both positive and negative. Back to theology, the Gospel, it is good news for the those in Christ, there is the atonement, resurrection and everlasting life, but for those not part of God's predestined choice (Ephesians 1, Romans 8), they are unregenerated, fallen, sinful in nature, with limited free wills that reject God, guilty of all sinful thoughts and acts/actions done without force or coercion. This is certainly a black lining, a negative that one should not theologically overlook. Even so, as I stated at my Lampeter, PhD Viva it is not my place to judge whom God may choose for salvation and there is also a place for evangelism as the Apostle Paul stated from the New American Standard at Romans 10: 14:  ¹⁴ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? This acknowledges the usual human process in God's work of compatibilism in transforming and regenerating a human being, although salvation remains alone a work of God (Ephesians 2).

Gandhi Poster Eye

Hebrew Bible/Old Testament scholar Victor P. Hamilton states that Eye for an Eye is mandated in Exodus 21: 24-25. It is from the lex talionis and it parallels the Code of Hammurabi.  He reasons that these laws covers assaults of the aristocracy against each other. Hamilton  (1988: 219).  Contrary to what some like to believe this law in principle was not erased in the new covenant/New Testament. Both the Hebrew Bible and New Testament support the concept of equal justice for all. Hamilton (1982: 219). Therefore eye for an eye means the penalty must match the crime. Hamilton (1982: 219). When Jesus states in Mathew 26: 52 'for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword' (New American Standard) it is more likely closer theologically with what Gandhi was concerned about. That is mass retaliation and death.


HAMILTON, VICTOR P. (1988) Handbook on the Pentateuch, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

Gandhi Poster Live

Since scientifically death is certain, and theologically from a Biblical perspective death and judgment is certain (Hebrews 9: 27), Gandhi was correct one should live today. Jesus basically stated similar in in Matthew 6: 34 that one should not be anxious about tomorrow as each day has it own problems.

Persons with a Biblical worldview should live as one with an everlasting perspective in light of Revelation 21-22 and the restored created order and of course everlasting life.

King Poster

Mr. King was very correct. In times of challenge and controversy does a person stay with the plan and endeavor discussed earlier, or does one fold because of pressures? As I have discussed with Mr. Matt on our Sunday walks there does have to be compromise and some conformity in life to be successful. A Christian in my opinion should not be anti-establishment, anti-church, or radical anti-anything, it is not true to the spirit of Scripture and the Gospel witness. Even being anti-Satan, for example in a radical, in your face fashion is just not true to Scripture. But there is a call for a theological and philosophical non-conformity which can at times lead to appropriate controversial action.

Lombardi Poster

I think the coach is generally correct here, at least in human terms, but as I am not an incompatibilist, but I am a compatibilist and I see human beings as secondary causes of their thoughts and acts/actions, I still conclude that a successful human being at any level must have that caused and willed by the primary cause, that being God. God must will thoughts and acts/actions leading to any human success,

A human being can will success all he or she wants and God can state today you die, and there is no success...(Luke 12: 16-21).

Lennon Poster

That reads like compatibilism, as in agreeing with my theses work...

And the Beatles were 'decent'.

November 6, 2012

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