----- Original Message -----
Sent: July 03, 2004 12:31
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
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 Boydâs new
book âRepenting of Religionâ. I think that this conversation is
vitally important and am greatly enjoying everyoneâs
contributions
