tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post4546648698549528986..comments2023-10-31T07:23:17.922-04:00Comments on The Theos Project: A New EraJonathan Erdmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-72614011715290365622009-01-20T15:56:00.000-05:002009-01-20T15:56:00.000-05:00Awesome bro......good to hear it!Awesome bro......good to hear it!Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-29662806090924298732009-01-20T15:53:00.000-05:002009-01-20T15:53:00.000-05:00Yes, who knows!But of course, to have a family you...Yes, who knows!<BR/><BR/>But of course, to have a family you must be prepared to have a child, and what impresses me so much about Obama is the family commitment. Looking at his kids and wife on the podium, so secure and so much a part of what he is all about as president and leader.<BR/><BR/>This was my point on the abortion issue, that Obama leads by example. He shows what it means to be a husband, a father, a community leader, through his words and actions and body language (especially).<BR/><BR/>Obama's example is more of an effective argument against abortion and a better advert for "family values" than any self-righteous tirade imo.<BR/><BR/>His quote form Martin Luther King Jnr. earlier today, "anyone can be great, because anyone can serve". That's truth, Jesus said that!<BR/><BR/>Did you read about the private church service earlier today where T.D. Jakes gave the sermon? This is not all spin Jon. Aretha Franklin, the civil rights Rev, Rick Warren, John William's Shaker Hymn... God has allowed a real opening for the "better history" and also the African-American Church and its spiritual legacy to take center stage through Obama.<BR/><BR/>I'm excited about that. I see God's hand in all of this. I see a authority, anointing and destiny at work here.<BR/><BR/>We are experiencing it with you, in South Africa, in our own way. Lots of excitement all around the world. Not only for secular reasons.<BR/><BR/>God bless America!daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-15078825047852262632009-01-20T14:54:00.000-05:002009-01-20T14:54:00.000-05:00Yeah, quite a day.I didn't take that as an abortio...Yeah, quite a day.<BR/><BR/>I didn't take that as an abortion reference, though.......I took it as an emphasis on family nuturing.....but who knows??!?!?!Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-57497931577809589062009-01-20T14:50:00.000-05:002009-01-20T14:50:00.000-05:00I thought this line in Obama's inauguration speech...I thought this line in Obama's inauguration speech -<BR/><BR/>"...a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."<BR/><BR/>to be a subtle indictment of abortion.<BR/><BR/>And what an altogether awesome speech it was.<BR/><BR/>Well voted Jon.daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-61738831270055410682008-11-15T05:47:00.000-05:002008-11-15T05:47:00.000-05:00http://www.voicescarryblog.com/ministers-bless-oba...<A>http://www.voicescarryblog.com/ministers-bless-obama-they-know-not-what-they-do/</A><BR/><BR/>Wonder what folks here think of this.<BR/><BR/>My wife just told me Obama already has record number of death threats for a US president.daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-32778735874109249732008-11-13T23:24:00.000-05:002008-11-13T23:24:00.000-05:00...the symbol manifests itself first of all as the...<I>...the symbol manifests itself first of all as the murder of the thing.</I><BR/><BR/>This reminds me of Ornette Coleman's music, going straight to the "idea" (thing) by pushing aside "style" (symbol) in the quest for an enunciation of musical freedom.<BR/><BR/>It's interesting to ponder such things in light of Obama's win.daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-55845802613542392222008-11-13T20:14:00.000-05:002008-11-13T20:14:00.000-05:00well at least Tillich is honest:I shall begin my s...well at least Tillich is honest:<BR/><BR/><I>I shall begin my search for absolutes by looking for them in the most abstract and difficult but theoretically fundamental realm -- the cognitive -- the realm of knowing. What does "absolute" mean here? Absolute (from the Latin absolvere, "to loosen.") means detached or freed from any limiting relation, from any particular relation, and even from the basis of all particular relations, the relation of subject and object.<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>aahhh yes of course that's where you would begin! being modern and all.<BR/><BR/>and he began the article with more strikingly unusual honesty: <I>My choice of this subject was made out of a feeling of uneasiness...</I> i think this has maybe something to do with the "culture of fear" that daniel was referring to.<BR/><BR/>he goes on to talk about a lot of cool stuff, but i don't like his approach to it, which was given away in the first paragraph about models and concepts. <BR/><BR/>also...what i was getting at is well addressed here:<BR/><BR/><I>In this simple phenomenon a whole world is implied and a demonstration is given of the interdependence of subject and object in every cognitive approach. The asking subject in every question already has something of the object about which he asks, otherwise he could not ask. But he remains separated from the object of his thought and strives for union with it, which means for truth. Having and not having is the nature of questions, and everyone who asks confirms this interdependent subject-object structure of the mind as an absolute for men as men.</I><BR/><BR/>i think tillich simply doesn't know what...hasn't touched the abyss. he talks a lot about the union of subject and object, but i don't think he really understands David's primal cries. before the spectacle of the self, "the existence" of god was...lets call it obvious for the sake of ease. everything he's talking about is wrapped up in spectacle, comes after a particular point in our history. its actually a rather violent moment, and that's why its hard to remember the primal moments previous to it. says jacques lacan, someone many of us around here enjoy :) <I>the symbol manifests itself first of all as the murder of the thing.</I><BR/><BR/>btw though i've read on and now he seems to have just plum contradicted himself and not made an dern sense. he talked about the Latin root of "absolute" as "to loosen" (like, "to absolve", which for the Romans, of course, was probably a legal term), but then goes on later to say: <I>Are there absolutes in the reality that is experienced? There are.</I><BR/><BR/>then he totally gives himself away: <I>If we look at ourselves, however, and analyze the fascination, we discover that it is possible only because we are not just within the movement of being as becoming but above it. We can look at it, we know of it, we like it or are afraid of it, and this power of knowing is an absolute which makes it possible for us both to recognize and to be fascinated by the relative.</I><BR/><BR/>this is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of "what i was getting at." again, the dawn of spectacle was a particular point in history. but then what he's getting at - this power to stand above becoming from an absolute position of knowledge -PAAAH! - that came WAY later than even the dawn of spectacle! tillich has just plum gone off his rocker. he's drunk, i'm sure of it. david was sane and sober and knew that whatever this power is that Tillich is referring to does not belong to him, and in fact was the "reason" why i said that "the existence" of god was obvious to a primitive man. <BR/><BR/><I>This power is the power of abstraction, the power to create universals in terms of language.</I><BR/><BR/>Tillich is a white dude from the West, right? arrogant bastard. my mom's dog thinks its human.<BR/><BR/>i'm done reading for now, i think crystal maybe you get my point. i may go back to it, but i'm bored now. plus its 8:15 and i'm still at work and am hungry.<BR/><BR/>peace out,<BR/><BR/>jasonJason Hesiakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628162727207930087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-70743723366046064892008-11-13T19:29:00.000-05:002008-11-13T19:29:00.000-05:00crystal...just fyi...i read the first paragraph of...crystal...just fyi...i read the first paragraph of Tillich's article and am already annoyed. considering not reading anymore but am probably gonna push on.Jason Hesiakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628162727207930087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-2685397095015014932008-11-13T13:32:00.000-05:002008-11-13T13:32:00.000-05:00Sometimes when people know deep down that somethin...Sometimes when people know deep down that something is wrong, they don't want to be told this; so one has to proceed in a different way.<BR/><BR/>Crystal, you are getting hyped up about a tangential connection between Hitler and Obama. Obama is not on a mission to wipe out the world's children, as Hitler was to wipe out the Jews (amongst others). Please, try and get some perspective here.daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-57148410579931172952008-11-13T13:08:00.000-05:002008-11-13T13:08:00.000-05:00Jason-My brain is too full of Nazi info to switch ...Jason-<BR/>My brain is too full of Nazi info to switch back to "absolute essences of being" with or without ultrasounds. I still have to sort it out more for myself anyway. Hopefully we can come back to it later:)crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-15488443291391122502008-11-13T11:07:00.000-05:002008-11-13T11:07:00.000-05:00What Hitler did was legal, but immoral. I don't kn...What Hitler did was legal, but immoral. I don't know how to untwist what the majority of Americans want to see happen through legislation on abortion issues while not forgetting my own code of morally. I'm just going to do my part as peacefully as possible and trust God to be the Judge of whatever is decided. And no, I wouldn't try to kill anyone who was performing legal or illegal abortions. Sometimes you can't change the system the way you want it, but you can still live in ways that create change. I still hold that positively effecting one person at a time can change things on a larger scale over time( I believe something from the Talmud reflects that idea).crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-37007548930790679292008-11-13T10:51:00.000-05:002008-11-13T10:51:00.000-05:00Kt:I had to take a day and read up on the rise of ...Kt:<BR/>I had to take a day and read up on the rise of Hitler. I was trying to figure off why Germans even let a guy like him come into power to do such horrible things and to Jews of all people. It turns out he manipulated and forced his way into leadership planning all the while for dictatorship and extreme nationalism through anti-Semitic actions. I found out that Germany had been a democracy republic for the 14 years between the end of WWI and Hitler's signing in. I also found out that the things that lead to his coming into power were largely the Great Depression and political chaos that allowed him to worm his way into a position of unstoppable authority. He was also a great orator. People liked hearing him speak. Even though he was popular, he never did get the majority vote of the German people. <BR/>He simply took opportunities as they came for more control until enough legal action had gone through for him to completely take over. <BR/><BR/>There are a few similarities between these historical instances and the situation America is in today, but I wouldn't say that these similarities exactly equal what happened in Nazi Germany.crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-23149181145556199562008-11-13T07:59:00.000-05:002008-11-13T07:59:00.000-05:00We will have to discuss the abortion issue a bit m...We will have to discuss the abortion issue a bit more. There is an interesting article I would like to post sometime in the near future.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-39128106307142883082008-11-13T01:18:00.000-05:002008-11-13T01:18:00.000-05:00My wife and I were discussing Obama last night, an...My wife and I were discussing Obama last night, and how he has such a connection with his kids and his wife, and what an example they are of a strong and loving family. This alone I feel will have a positive impact when it comes to the abortion issue, inspiring fathers to take responsibility, and families to make it work. Children are a blessing. Only this realisation will change the core assumptions that lead to abortion. We were discussing how this is practically demonstrated by the Obama family. <BR/><BR/>In general, a life that is lived with integrity is more convincing and persuasive than policy, opinion and legislation. I.e. even if abortion is made illegal, it will continue underground, as it always has. It exists in the most stringent societies, an unspoken and hidden occurence in teen pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies etc. <BR/><BR/>And furthermore, it seems to me in American politics the abortion issue, gay marriage etc. have been ways for some politicians to manipulate people's fears and gain power, while perpetrating unjust wars and deceptions on a grand scale.<BR/><BR/>Obama has the right focus. Just seeing him with his wife and kids is enough to convince me. As a leader he will have multiple positive ramifications for American society and the world in general imo. He is challenging numerous stereotypes by his person and character and has an air of wisdom, we will see what that translates to in terms of action but the force of character is unstoppable and immeasurable.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11261813020339375379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-19101821791635887712008-11-12T17:42:00.000-05:002008-11-12T17:42:00.000-05:00K:Are kidding? No!! Most definately no! I am a pe...K:<BR/>Are kidding? No!! Most definately no! I am a peace maker, not a judge. It is not my call, even if I thought the doctor deserved to die. Which, might I say, I don't. I don't think anyone should deserve to die on a human level. That is for God to decide and God alone.Eve...Interruptedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390130185612371167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-25890411902805390612008-11-12T11:11:00.000-05:002008-11-12T11:11:00.000-05:00Ktismatics said:Would you, Crystal (or Eve or Dani...Ktismatics said:<BR/><BR/><I>Would you, Crystal (or Eve or Daniel), try to kill a doctor who performs legal abortions?</I><BR/><BR/>no.daniel hutchinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874414229531959571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-34562578434026223912008-11-11T19:47:00.000-05:002008-11-11T19:47:00.000-05:00Hhhhmmm....interesting dialog between Crystal and ...Hhhhmmm....interesting dialog between Crystal and Ktismatics....quite a fascinating exchange.Jonathan Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234688186113838474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-77499933729857523002008-11-11T18:53:00.000-05:002008-11-11T18:53:00.000-05:00oh and crystal...i may check out that link *LATER*...oh and crystal...i may check out that link *LATER* and i could maybe answer your question better. for now i gotta run...Jason Hesiakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628162727207930087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-32404078054947513942008-11-11T18:52:00.000-05:002008-11-11T18:52:00.000-05:00oh and crystal...i may check out that link better ...oh and crystal...i may check out that link better and i could maybe answer your question better. for now i gotta run...Jason Hesiakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628162727207930087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-50235948035311774112008-11-11T18:51:00.000-05:002008-11-11T18:51:00.000-05:00there is a special category of people who acknowle...<I>there is a special category of people who acknowledge an essence for the individual, something absolute in him. They don’t always do this philosophically, but they do it through their works. They are the artists who create essential images of individuals in paint or stone, in drama or novel, in poetry or biography. They try to show the absolute, essential man, who shines through the temporal manifestations of a human being....<BR/><B>Does this compute with what you were talking about at all?</B></I><BR/><BR/>uummm...maybe kinda sorta yes and no and that's like REALLY REALLY complicated. first there's the question of what you mean by essence. do you mean it in the sense that aristotle meant it, or something closer to the sense in which, say, a New Ager might mean it (like more "spiritual")? or do you mean it simply in the context of forming a position against the "relativists"? or do you mean to ask if I mean to say that the ancients "believed in" essences and moderns to not? or do you mean to ask if an essence is empirically observable, since i was talking about the two sides of the veil? and if you mean to ask that, then...what exactly to you mean by that?<BR/><BR/>uumm...yeah...kinda complicated.<BR/><BR/>:)Jason Hesiakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628162727207930087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-30890083878323226602008-11-11T17:11:00.000-05:002008-11-11T17:11:00.000-05:00"Seems to me a covert Holocaust directly in our mi..."Seems to me a covert Holocaust directly in our midst."<BR/><BR/>That's a mighty strong accusation leveled at the majority of Americans who either tolerate or support a woman's right to have an abortion, Crystal. If I'd been in Nazi Germany and had the opportunity, I hope I'd have had the nerve to assassinate Hitler, or at least try, even if it meant my own death. <BR/><BR/>Would you, Crystal (or Eve or Daniel), try to kill a doctor who performs legal abortions? If not, why not? Is it because Jesus said to turn the other cheek, or because you don't want to go to jail? If collectively the majority of Christians came to believe that God was calling them to start a holy crusade of stopping the (legal but immoral) abortionists by whatever means necessary, would you participate? help in some other way? act as if you didn't know anything about it? turn the crusaders in to the police?john doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05484728969355294193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-89354584899614039012008-11-11T16:47:00.000-05:002008-11-11T16:47:00.000-05:00"Just because the majority says it's ok doesn't al..."Just because the majority says it's ok doesn't always mean what is happening is right or correct"<BR/><BR/>No, but that's how a democratic government works, isn't it? The Constitution includes its own rules about how to change it, and the rules depend on what the majority of the citizens decide. The Bush administration was willing to suspend or ignore parts of the Constitution that got in the way of what they wanted to do, which was bad enough. But the citizens and their elected representatives let them get away with it, which compounded the corruption. I'm glad to see that one of Obama's first moves will be to clear out the illegal Guantanamo prison, either actually charging and trying inmates for crimes or letting them go home.john doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05484728969355294193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-66446302574202274532008-11-11T15:49:00.000-05:002008-11-11T15:49:00.000-05:00Jon-Okay...It seems however as if Obama's plans ar...Jon-<BR/>Okay...It seems however as if Obama's plans are less for personal responsibility and more for government intervention and national/constitutional type legislation on things that individual state laws have in the past had the power to decide. I think the media is having the greatest amount of power maybe ever in regards to the idea of Obama as president, so much so that I'm almost afraid to say anything against him. After all it's been said that he's "The One." <BR/>With his powerful media personality (he's very smooth, I'll give him that) combined with he's lack of experience in the face of huge things happening on many different levels within our nation I'm curious to find out what kind of "One" he is. <BR/><BR/>DHutch- I am definitly trusting in God' sovereignity on this one!:)crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-50407407305670431232008-11-11T15:10:00.000-05:002008-11-11T15:10:00.000-05:00Kt:You've given a lot of info about the American m...Kt:<BR/><BR/>You've given a lot of info about the American majority's views on abortion (I don't think I was included in them, but still.) From what you've given, it could be said that America should make abortion legel because the majority says it's ok. Good things are even said to be coming from abortion-mainly stem cell research producing cures for horrible diseases. This seems to be the corporate morality.<BR/><BR/>However, morally how can abortion be based on the greatest good when adult stem cell research (I heard) shows better results than embryonic without any abortions having to take place? <BR/>If you think about all the abortions that have taken place in even in the past decade the numbers are in the millions. Reasons? Teen pregnancy/shame factors, inconvenience, and the fear of complications with the mother or child. Seems to me a covert Holocaust directly in our midst.<BR/><BR/>Just because the majority says it's ok doesn't always mean what is happening is right or correct. The slave trade and the treatment of African American through America's history pretty much is a good example of this. This leads to personal morality differing from the majority's views and even seeking to change the majority's position. So if the majority isn't always right, or if everyone is always just doing their own things (quite possibly not in harmony, esp if you bring survival of the fittest into the mix), then what is the standard? Doesn't there need to be a Higher Power deciding these morals for the sake of harmony and good to flourish?<BR/><BR/>(by the way I'm not just asking these questions to you, they're just coming off of things you mentioned).crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9242710.post-558811161612287722008-11-11T14:28:00.000-05:002008-11-11T14:28:00.000-05:00Jasiak:I was reading some more and I ran across pa...Jasiak:<BR/><BR/>I was reading some more and I ran across pages on philoshophical absolutes by Paul Tillich...thought it was kind of interesting and might have some bearing on your mention of artistic examples of...whatever you were getting at mentioning the Pregant Woman. <BR/><BR/><I>there is a special category of people who acknowledge an essence for the individual, something absolute in him. They don’t always do this philosophically, but they do it through their works. They are the artists who create essential images of individuals in paint or stone, in drama or novel, in poetry or biography. They try to show the absolute, essential man, who shines through the temporal manifestations of a human being.</I><BR/><A>http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1628&C=1617</A><BR/>Does this compute with what you were talking about at all?crystalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02471067070639653906noreply@blogger.com