http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1604943696/bpo01-20
...No, but the editorial review looked interesting. I would, however, ask the author to define "Evangelical." For example, I am an evangelical, pentecostal, charismatic, but I would part ways with dominionists and, though I have a strong sense of social justice and aspects of the church we attend are "emergent," I, myself, do not necessarily adhere to all the politics of my emergent friends or my ultra-charismatic friends. Our "evanglical" church would be best described as "inter-denominational" as opposed to "non-denominational" (embracing denominational traditions instead of dropping them), an "open" church, as well as both pentecostal and emergent (unique in this day an age).
As I know you know, when one encounters even multiple instances of folks who either self-identify or are identified or both as "evangelical," the same categorization which enables human beings to make sense of reality kicks in and folks make assumptions based on initial (or even long-term) impressions.
This year, I am studying the complexities of race and culture. For example, not only are Haitian Immigrants in general different - as all are - from each of the other immigrant groups in space and time, Haitian immigrants, themselves, differ from each-other. Over-generalization, as I know you know, is not the monopoly of any one particular "paradigm" (I, myself, overgeneralize), so whereas your friend, the author, seems to have blazed some exciting new trails, as is this case with any of my own "stories" they describe a part of the picture...
=)
Steele Nights Track
2 days ago
1 comments:
David
logic is defined as " a reasoned and reasonable judgment " There is no empirical evidence to suggest the existence of a supreme being that I am aware of. Christians are fond of pointing to the Bible as "evidence" of the existence of God, and to the New Testament as "evidence" of the divinity of Jesus. I can think of no definition of the word "evidence" whereby this is acceptable. Belief in God is ultimately based on faith.
Mike Crockett
What about a nihilist argument that claims that things could be a lot worse (flesh regularly rotting, dropping off our bones, little or no self-healing or regenerative powers of the body)? I understand it is believed that evolution enabled the complex adaptive nature of biology (and I am not discounting evolution) however, at the root of the ... See Morecomparison, a non-spiritual realm scientist must empirically demonstrate that 15 billion years is enough time for the biology evident to have arisen out of pure matter (the root substance that is theorized evolved into life. The current scientific theory of origins (driven somewhat by recent Nobel-prize winners in physics) demonstrates the probability that one part per trillionth of matter more than anti-matter what the state of things that gave arise to the multiverse. But it is interesting in that paradigm to wonder where that extra part of matter came from...
One could argue that the evidence of "good fortune" in my life is merely circumstantial, especially when combined with the fact that so many suffer only misery during their short lives here on earth. However, evidence I would concoct to demonstrate a "divine presence" not just in my life but in the lives of those who suffer would require assent to specific examples in my life where recreation and dynamic mysteries occur despite my best or worst intentions. Ultimately, I guess, it is a "glass-half-full" mentality. But since, like most, I, too, have suffered catastrophe and near misses (like most; that have resulted not only in the elimination of pain and danger, but use of the suffering and despair itself to bring about "windfall; and not talking about bullets lodged in helmets in Afghanistan with no harm to the wearer), I am still trying to philosophically assess "minor miracles" which I can't escape even when I try.
I guess there is a theory that would postulate because a survivalist psychology that assumes naturally great character arises from great suffering (John McCain, pow, great orator, Obama, suffering, great orator, MLK, suffering, great orator, David (above), suffering, great orator, "ordinary folk," great suffering great orator, but I wonder if human psychology (with is a decent piece of evidence) is enough to continually deny-self with the type of heroic self-sacrifice and service I see? It would be "will to power" or will to live and a natural biological adrenaline, akin to performance enhancing drugs. I guess a little more empirical study is needed for convincing evidence of the entry of "spirit-matter" into the human soul or material realm... =)
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