RE: [TruthTalk] Divine Nature

[ShieldsFamily]

Interesting to see what I wrote(my previous post just sent), Slade, exactly while you were writing this. J Izzy   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Slade Henson Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 10:31 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Divine Nature   I agree. This has been a good discussion... and for the most part it has been discussed with level heads and calm hearts. I would like to point out something in your opening paragraph that strikes me as interesting.     You said "I am thinking that when we define who we are by what we do rather than what we are and who we are attempting to become, its kind like the sample (apparently clear) while the pool is stinking."   For the most part, there are two ways of looking at life: with a Semitic mindset or a Hellenistic mindset. Now, I am not here to argue the superiority of one over the other, because there are positive things to hear from each one. I am one who is more in-tune with the Semitic mindset... and this tends to garnish me some grief here on TruthTalk. That's ok, though. This forum is no different than real life. John, here, is one who sees things with a more Hellenistic mind... and that's ok too.   John is concerned with the essence of the man. This is clear by his concern over "who we are attempting to become" and, for him, this defines the waters of the pool. From a Semitic mindset, what we do defines the waters of the pool.   Yeshua said, "You shall know [my disciples] by their love" (an action, not their essence). The essence is an important topic to the Hellenized mindset, so the question becomes: does the essence of a man define his works or does the works of a man define his essence. In like manner, "Did the egg come before the chicken or the chicken before the egg?   Since these questions both have two answers depending upon the working mindset, they are a useless argument. For me, the latter of both questions is the correct. For John, it is the former.   -- slade -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, 03 July, 2004 11:59 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Divine Nature It is a good discussion and an good analogy, Jonathan.  I just finished cleaning the filter on the pool.   We are fighting the green water from hell.  Happens once or twice a season.  Its funny but when we dip a sample, the quart container looks clear as a bell -- but the pool is green.   I am thinking that when we define who we are by what we do rather than what we are and who we are attempting to become, its kind like the sample (apparently clear) while the stinking pool is in drastic need of outside assistents that will actually effect the pool itself.   Something else and then I gots to go to work  --  I have always thought of Adam and Eve before the fall as somehow different from us in terms of human nature.   Apparently that ain't so.  They were always susceptible to temptation as we and they were always just as mortal as we -- hence the "tree of life."    The only thing different that I can see is the belly button thing.    Have a good day all a brother, John In a message dated 7/3/2004 8:01:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Just a few thoughts on this one:   In the garden were two trees:   1) Tree of Life 2) Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil   The tree of knowledge of good and evil was forbidden.  This is the tree of judgment.  With the ability to discern good and evil we are able to judge (this ties in to my earlier post on the conscience).  If we work from this center (judgment) we work out our lives from the Fall.  If we choose the tree of Life (Love in Christ) and work out of that center we become radically different.  Unfortunately I most often choose to work out my life eating from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.  This is an excellent discussion done in Gregory Boyd’s new book “Repenting of Religion”.  I think that this conversation is vitally important and am greatly enjoying everyone’s contributions