Posts

Forgotten Truth: Is Truth Propositional?

  I believe in propositional truth and that proposition is Jesus. The Scripture declares that Jesus is the Word of God. Therefore, truth is personal because truth is a person, but it’s also propositional, but not in the way so many propositionalists think. We reduce propositions to human languages, which are limited. Human language and therefore human propositions approximate reality, but are not one with it. Language is a symbol and shared communication tool, but the whole glorious reality of things cannot be reduced to human language.   Therefore, we must turn to a greater definition of truth than one that’s only limited by humanly set forth propositions, such as “God is omnipresent.” While we adhere to this, it contains mystery that is hard for us to describe. God is not omnipresent in the sense of pantheism where God is in everything. He also cannot be reduced to those pieces of matter. How can God be everywhere, and yet seated in heaven and fully with me at the same time? We canno
Post a Comment
Read more

Total Truth and Partial Truth

 It is very fashionable today to adhere to some version of universalism. A very popular idea that I see many, if not most embracing is that the Christian God and the gods of other religions are all basically the same God. It is concerning to me that so many well-meaning and sincere Christians even embrace this idea. It's perhaps the quickest way to gloss over real differences and create a sense and very illusory sense of peace in the world between people of supposedly different belief systems. Let me assert a few points: Probably all belief systems, philosophies, ideologies and religions have partial truth as their primary assertions. Having studied different religions and philosophies, I believe that all of them hold some truths that we can learn from. I believe that enough experience and history will testify that Siddhartha Guatama (the Buddha) probably did experience some type of illumination and enlightenment. I think it's very likely that some of the miracles stories that
Post a Comment
Read more

To Provoke: stimulate or incite (someone) to do or feel something, especially by arousing anger in them (Oxford)

To summarize in nutshell my previous post: truth exists. What follows from that my provoke some people, but provocation must happen. We can only be in deep joy to the degree that we are in truth, so truth is worth anything, even driving some people to confront untruth. Is that surprising? If truth exists, so does what's false. People can be wrong about things. To purposely remain in untruth is a living hell that only ends in a literal and eternal hell. Why am I doing this? It's a combination of things that are culminating at the moment in my life: 1. I went through at least a decade season of experiencing the breadth and endless creativity that is possible within the confines of genuine Christianity. This experience allowed me to let my guard down and be very open-minded to many perspectives, some good and some bad. I still maintain the endless breadth and creativity of God in his character. There are many types of Christians and God will surprise us until the end of time with
Post a Comment
Read more

Forgotten Truths

This topic endears itself strongly to me and I suspect that this particular blog may come to characterize everything I write on here. I do not wish to hazard projections since I have not been very consistent on this blog yet, so we shall see what I have grace to endure in. For now, I will let this remain a single post, and pray that it will develop further. It is a sobering reality that great and important truths are often lost sight of in succeeding generations and when such a truth is rediscovered, it's no less than groundbreaking and paradigm-shifting, such as events in history like the Copernican Revolution or the Enlightenment. The desperately tragic nature of losing sight of truth amplifies the awesome reverence that comes from rediscovering truth. Perhaps this is more evident than ever in the current generation, where even the idea of truth is contested. Thus, our title "Forgotten Truths" is compounded; it's not just certain truths that we have forgotten. There
Post a Comment
Read more

Online Privacy. Facebook, or MeWe? What’s App, or Telegram? Privacy or Accountability?

  What a week in political commentary and rhetoric we've seen. Sometimes it's important to take a step back and remember what we actually believe, because the rhetoric on so many sides can get so strong. Going hand-in-hand with this topic is the explosion of online privacy and free speech rights. Great American values include the focus on individual rights such as privacy and free speech.  I n the wake of so much political turmoil, this debate has been brought to the surface as Pres. Trump has been permanently banned from Twitter and indefinitely so from Facebook. Parler may never again see the light of day.  What perspective should we have on these things? Like my previous post said, we tend to see these things through the rhetoric of political polarization since we are over inundated with media, and over reliant on it. We sometimes come away thinking that the two sides we see characterized on media are the  only two options for a point of view. This post pledges to be fearles
Post a Comment
Read more

Walking the Tightrope between Political Action and Faith

One thing is certain and will probably resurface as a theme in this blog: everyone believes they're objective and balanced and everyone harbors corners of extremism in their lives. All we can ever do is journey closer to the balance that is necessary. Some act as though political action is the only hope for real change and to get things done. Perhaps they trust the American government to a fault, whereas other mavericks don't trust the American government at all. Some emphasize control and legislation to a fault and others emphasize freedom to a fault. Nothing demonstrates this divide better today that the polarization between the Republicans and Democrats, the right and the left. Truth be told, many individuals on both sides are far more balanced than each side gives the other credit for, but the rule in political action is to absolutely demonize both sides as extremists. To get even more personal (and this is tragic, but true) the issue of COVID-19 has split the nation in jus
Post a Comment
Read more

New Brand - What's the Meaning of this Blog?

I've needed to revitalize this blog for awhile. I'm doing this now because writing is one of my primary modes of communication, reflection and processing. I'm also doing this at the advice of some on Facebook who think a blog would be helpful to me. As my Facebook friends know, I like to tackle hard topics, and I want a better outlet to do that. I want a platform where I can, as honestly and clearly as possible, voice my journey, thoughts and experiences. What does the address and name of the blog mean: onepilgrimvoice.blogspot.com : "One Pilgrim Voice": this is the address to the blog. My goal for this blog is to be a voice of relevance in the midst of culture and current events. I want it to be a relevant and strong voice, that is part of current dialogue, that is, one voice in contrast to being the only voice. I want it to hit home as a legitimate voice that is worth one's time, but not the only voice filling it's own echo chamber. Dialogue include
Post a Comment
Read more