some thoughts

A few ramblings from a Saturday morning…

Reality. It seems to me that relativism and existentialism must be byproducts of nihilism. So also is the objection to objective truth-claims. If nothing exists, nothing conclusive can be said about it. And neither can any comparative value judgements be made–since nothing exists, and neither therefore do any criteria exist for a basis of comparison. The end result, (a conclusion I hear that Schaeffer wrote much about–I’ve read very little of him,) must be a kind of life-wide desperation. He called this philosophical fall the “line of despair,” meaning that at least in former ages there was a fundamental belief in absolute truth and objective reality, and we had a (supposed) common ground from which to engage in debate. I think I’d agree with Van Til, that the “line of despair” is the Fall - and that theistic humanism (irrationalism, rationalism, whatever) is no better than nihilism (atheism)–perhaps worse. Both reject the absolute Lordship of Christ, in rejecting his authority to give the ultimate interpretation of reality (or his ability to communicate it effectively).

Form follows function. I was thinking about how in my new position (firm, client) I should do a lot of watching, listening, and observing, and very little speaking–at least at first. Then came to mind the old addage, “the good Lord gave you two ears and one mouth: learn to use them in that proportion.” I chuckled, but then thought: how many of our senses are designed to receive information from outside of us? Two eyes, two ears, a nose with two nostrils, but only one mouth. It seems we’re designed to receive information (hence the varied ‘gates of entry’), analyze it (why two eyes/ears? depth perception, more precise distance?), and then respond to it (one mouth, one body under the direction of one mind). As if we’re to come into what is, not establish for ourselves what is. (Why two nostrils? Not sure - maybe one’s for backup, since one always seems to plug up in the night. I don’t know.) Our form seems to follow our function: to observe, know, glorify/delight in, and praise the Ultimate Reality, God Almighty. All of this requires that we believe that stuff is, that we can know it, and that through the “lens of Scripture” we can know it rightly. And most importantly, we must believe that God, the Ultimate Reality, exists, and that through his authoritative Word we can know Him rightly as well. It all goes together.

Virtue. Beyond knowing rightly, we can also (with the help of Scripture, God’s interpretation of/criterion for reality) make value judgments about what is. Neither virtue nor vice are inherent in a thing or a person, but are conclusions drawn, upon comparison with some other criterion-establishing thing or person. To whatever degree there is conformity to the criterion, to that degree there is virtue. On the other hand, if each thing or person is its own criterion, then nothing is virtuous-nor vicious. Virtue is conformity to that external criterion, whereas vice is the lack thereof. For example, “hammer-ness.” On the one hand, a 20 oz. Estwing rip hammer is a virtuous (”good”) hammer (arguably the very criterioin for hammer-ness); on the other hand, a porcelain coffee cup is not. Christ is the criterion for human-ness; for he alone is true man.

Coffee. Something happened to me on the recent trip to NYC. I had neither Starbucks nor DD the whole trip (that I recall), but came back with a taste for darker, more robust coffee. Perhaps it was the captivating cup of Organic Peru from Coffee by Design I picked up in the Old Port (after some killer Sushi) on the way home. Long story short, I picked up a little grinder at (the trendy-to-hate-but-shop-there-anyway-mecca,) Wal-Mart and have been grinding my own every morning ever since. What does this have to do with the other topics above? Easy: I think the freshly-ground and brewed bold coffee I just sipped actually exists. So, I can tell you about it. I can tell you, with authority, that God created it. I use most of my senses to analyze/enjoy it (smell, taste, warmth of the cup on a chilly morning). And most importantly, I can thank the Maker of the coffee bean–for every good and perfect gift comes from above.