this blog develops the idea that a theory of man in history can be worked out around the theme that man's self expression in culture and society is motivated by the desire to find meaning in man's existence. i proceed by summarizing seminal works that provide insights into the dynamics of this process, with the view that the culmination of this exploration was reached with god's self revelation in jesus. i'll hopefully also explore the developments that followed this event.
To all readers and commenters! It's been a very busy year for me. The comments--and simply knowing that people are reading--have pushed me to learn or relearn, to think and rethink positions. Thanks to everyone.
I am an attorney in California. I read your blog posts and your readers' comments every day and find them informative, insightful and fair. I am thankful for all of your hard work and persistence. God bless you.
Your welcome to everyone. We're having Thanksgiving with our three grandchildren, hoping for a return from Afghanistan soon for our youngest son, thanking God for all our blessings ... and praying for justice in the coming months.
Thank you, Mark, for the considerable time and effort you expend in order to share you valuable insights here. I try to stop by at least once a day. It's heartening to know that you – and the many wonderful commenters – are intelligent opposition to the Dark Side. I'm grateful for you all.
And God bless your son in Afghanistan. May he return safely soon.
Thanks. Let's hope we're not disappointed going forward. I understand that Barr wants to maintain and restore adherence to sound legal principles. I'm concerned that we'll be manipulated.
I guess I mean that I'm afraid that Barr will settle for measures that will seem drastic to people like him--strongly worded criticisms but nothing really solid, like prison terms. I still haven't seen or heard anything from Barr that would cause me to doubt him, but I'll admit that the spinning we're getting in the NYT from the Comeys and that ilk have be a bit disconcerted. All we can do is wait and see.
I might be foolishly optimistic, but given everything we know about President Trump, AG Barr, Durham, and the myriad serious crimes committed, it doesn't seem as though they will all just let everything slide. Too much is at stake.
Mark, do you believe current events and for that matter all events are being guided, even though they appear to us to be non or do you believe human free will guides. I comfort myself with the belief that God raises up the Trumps and the Barr's to direct events towards the good future ahead.
Mark thanks for your work and sacrafice producing this insightful blog. May the coming months turn the country toward greater justice, not away from it.
Mark, seems to me that evil is necessary in order for there to be real free will i.e. I can choose between between good or bad. So in a perverse way, my thankfulness for you and the exciting time we live in is made possible by evil. You could probably make the point that I believe evil is then good and I would have to agree. Of course I am not volunteering for something evil to happen to me!
Re "good", "evil", and "free will," this blog introduced to me the concept of "free won't":
"... Libet concluded that participants were using conscious choice to veto the muscle flex at the last moment.
We have free will to abort an action. So, we may better think of volitional action in this case not as free will, but as "free won't." We can stop an action initiated by our brain nonconsciously.
This capacity of "free won't" is generated by free choice. This is our conscious will at work. ..."
So, we we do actually have "free will" - except for the case which I've proven - it's NOT possible to choose NOT to eat the 2nd Nacho-Cheese Flavored Dorito chip after you eat the 1st.
I firmly believe in free will but also God directing history through specific flawed individuals i.e. murderer/adulterer like King David, Trump, Barr etc. Seems He picks the most unlikely individuals to correct history's course. I believe we are in the midst of a course correction and thats part of what it makes is so exciting. Mark, as far as I attributing more power than I should to evil there are examples in the Bible e.g. God making wagers with Satan Job 2: and Satan tempting Jesus with real rewards for doing what he asks that makes determining the power of evil tricky.
Paul argued against this sort of thinking in Romans, when he says 'should we continue in sin so that grace may abound?'
God uses evil, but his purpose is always to prove his glory and goodness. Luther, arguing the predestination view, says that God uses evil the way a skillful rider uses a lame horse.
But I think we over-exert ourselves trying to assign individual acts to free will or predestination. Both are in play, to what degree I dare not speculate. But I do not doubt that if God wants something to happen, then it happens, consistent with our own choices; and if multiple choices are possible and consistent with his purpose, then there is greater freedom subject to his superintention.
The butterfly effect has ruined this philosophical question, because people forget that friction dampens the effect over time and space. The same is true of free will and predestination. Whatever the mix, they are complementary principles.
I'll be incredulous, if Barr accepts "strongly worded criticisms" that seem drastic to people like him, but lame to others.
How could he not see, that such measures would strike c. 1/2 of the country's people as being laughably weak, esp. after such exclamations as his recent speech about The Resistance. It'd be, as if he was trying to inspire public revulsion, to evolve into secessionist mov'ts.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, as well.
ReplyDeleteWe have much to be thankful for despite our challenges.
Thanks for hosting such an interesting and informative blog.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!! Thank you for your work.
ReplyDeleteThankful for your blog and CTH. Thanks for participating in history.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your work. Looking forward to the next year.
ReplyDeleteI am an attorney in California. I read your blog posts and your readers' comments every day and find them informative, insightful and fair. I am thankful for all of your hard work and persistence. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteYour welcome to everyone. We're having Thanksgiving with our three grandchildren, hoping for a return from Afghanistan soon for our youngest son, thanking God for all our blessings ... and praying for justice in the coming months.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mark, for the considerable time and effort you expend in order to share you valuable insights here. I try to stop by at least once a day. It's heartening to know that you – and the many wonderful commenters – are intelligent opposition to the Dark Side. I'm grateful for you all.
ReplyDeleteAnd God bless your son in Afghanistan. May he return safely soon.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Gina
Thanks, Gina. It means a lot to know that so many people appreciate what I'm trying to do.
DeleteI too stop by every day, since I discovered your blog.
ReplyDeleteI've learned so much about how the behind-the-scenes work.
Thanks for all your hard work, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks. Let's hope we're not disappointed going forward. I understand that Barr wants to maintain and restore adherence to sound legal principles. I'm concerned that we'll be manipulated.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Mark!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be cool, if your son got to interact with DJT!
He left Bagram a week or so ago for a different location, so won't be possible.
DeleteWhen you fear that "we'll be manipulated", do you mean even we the knowledgeable ones (by even Barr?), or we the broad public (by the D.S. etc.)?
ReplyDeleteI guess I mean that I'm afraid that Barr will settle for measures that will seem drastic to people like him--strongly worded criticisms but nothing really solid, like prison terms. I still haven't seen or heard anything from Barr that would cause me to doubt him, but I'll admit that the spinning we're getting in the NYT from the Comeys and that ilk have be a bit disconcerted. All we can do is wait and see.
DeleteI might be foolishly optimistic, but given everything we know about President Trump, AG Barr, Durham, and the myriad serious crimes committed, it doesn't seem as though they will all just let everything slide. Too much is at stake.
DeleteGina
Mark, do you believe current events and for that matter all events are being guided, even though they appear to us to be non or do you believe human free will guides. I comfort myself with the belief that God raises up the Trumps and the Barr's to direct events towards the good future ahead.
DeleteGina, I agree--but I need to remind myself from time to time.
DeleteMike, I guess I come down on the side of human free will. I can make no sense of the problem of evil without that.
DeleteMark thanks for your work and sacrafice producing this insightful blog. May the coming months turn the country toward greater justice, not away from it.
DeleteMark, seems to me that evil is necessary in order for there to be real free will i.e. I can choose between between good or bad. So in a perverse way, my thankfulness for you and the exciting time we live in is made possible by evil. You could probably make the point that I believe evil is then good and I would have to agree. Of course I am not volunteering for something evil to happen to me!
DeleteI'd have to reject that sort of Dualism, in which Satan is somehow coequal with God.
DeleteRe "good", "evil", and "free will," this blog introduced to me the concept of "free won't":
Delete"... Libet concluded that participants were using conscious choice to veto the muscle flex at the last moment.
We have free will to abort an action. So, we may better think of volitional action in this case not as free will, but as "free won't." We can stop an action initiated by our brain nonconsciously.
This capacity of "free won't" is generated by free choice. This is our conscious will at work. ..."
So, we we do actually have "free will" - except for the case which I've proven - it's NOT possible to choose NOT to eat the 2nd Nacho-Cheese Flavored
Dorito chip after you eat the 1st.
I firmly believe in free will but also God directing history through specific flawed individuals i.e. murderer/adulterer like King David, Trump, Barr etc. Seems He picks the most unlikely individuals to correct history's course. I believe we are in the midst of a course correction and thats part of what it makes is so exciting. Mark, as far as I attributing more power than I should to evil there are examples in the Bible e.g. God making wagers with Satan Job 2: and Satan tempting Jesus with real rewards for doing what he asks that makes determining the power of evil tricky.
DeletePaul argued against this sort of thinking in Romans, when he says 'should we continue in sin so that grace may abound?'
DeleteGod uses evil, but his purpose is always to prove his glory and goodness. Luther, arguing the predestination view, says that God uses evil the way a skillful rider uses a lame horse.
But I think we over-exert ourselves trying to assign individual acts to free will or predestination. Both are in play, to what degree I dare not speculate. But I do not doubt that if God wants something to happen, then it happens, consistent with our own choices; and if multiple choices are possible and consistent with his purpose, then there is greater freedom subject to his superintention.
The butterfly effect has ruined this philosophical question, because people forget that friction dampens the effect over time and space. The same is true of free will and predestination. Whatever the mix, they are complementary principles.
I'll be incredulous, if Barr accepts "strongly worded criticisms" that seem drastic to people like him, but lame to others.
ReplyDeleteHow could he not see, that such measures would strike c. 1/2 of the country's people as being laughably weak, esp. after such exclamations as his recent speech about The Resistance.
It'd be, as if he was trying to inspire public revulsion, to evolve into secessionist mov'ts.
His recent speeches--actually, ALL his speeches--certainly support your understanding. Which is the one I have advanced, as well.
DeleteThanks for all the hard work. Your blog is a "must read" for me every day. :-)
Delete