A Big Problem in philosophy, is picking (or rather assuming) the wrong starting point for enquiry, for analysis and reasoning; and there has been and is massive propaganda to encourage this fatal error...
In particular to ignore or reflexly reject a child's innate and spontaneous assumptions, and to start from... Somewhere else... Anywhere else!
It turns out that these alternative starting assumptions are always abstract, difficult, unintuitive, artificial.
This applies to all traditional philosophy, especially since Descartes, and to Christianity.
To be A Christian, according to nearly all churches, one must First accept as foundational dogmas several counter-intuitive assumptions (regarding the nature of creation, God, Jesus...) within-which the entirely of Christianity is Compelled to exist.
Alternatively we Could assume what is natural, spontaneous, innate...
1 comment:
In the past, some men have pointed out that I ask the wrong questions, which is to "assume the wrong starting point for enquiry, for analysis and reasoning" as you said in your essay. Most of them did not have the words to describe the 'right' approach, or they rejected a mystical approach, or had nothing better to suggest, and therefore could not add to my understanding of this. However, there were two men who steered me in the right direction, my pastor and Ed Hurst. After talking with my pastor and corresponding with Ed for a time, I came to understand that the correct starting point is not the obvious, or that which happens to pique my interest, or reflect my own intellectual need or spiritual shortcoming, or even what appears to be missing in my faith understanding, but rather, that which apprehends God's glory and purposes with the aim of clearing up or removing that which detracts or obscures the knowledge of Him. This difference in perspective may seem to be small or the same, or trite particulars to some, but in fact, this shift in awareness makes all the difference in getting to the heart of matters. Of course, this in itself is somewhat of a challenge, as it requires great discernment and a bit of prayer to identify and tune into what I might call the Divine Frame. I'm not sure that I've got that part down pat just yet, but at least I'm on the right track. I believe it is helpful to discuss it with other men and increase our awareness, so I'm thankful that you've brought this out in your essay.
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