Final paper

My paper will not post because of something called a "META" tag? I will take it to the HelpDesk tomorrow.

The Benifit Of Pain

Lewis talks about the problem of pain. But he also says that there are good virtues. Of course pain hurts and that's something we don't like about it. This can be beneficial, like a parent that is punishing a child for doing something wrong. God can use pain in the same way to correct this or help guide us when we're being obstinate. The Israelites and their 40 years of wandering in the desert are a prime example of this. But pain, he says, under a certain threshold is welcome.

As someone who enjoys pain to a certain extent I found this chapter to be very beneficial. I've often tried to explain to my friends why I like pain. And it's not that I necessarily like pain but the adrenaline rush and feeling of risk and adventure that comes with it. Today's society is so who had aided and protected that we have nothing to worry about when it comes to pain and anything that does happen is out of the ordinary. We desire to be tough and daring, but modernist society will not allow this by any extent.

This has I believe led to the invention of video games. We allowed to take risks and an incredible amounts of pain without the risk of being hurt. This brings a false sense of confidence. One must learn to live on their own and in the real world. It's like in the matrix where the false world is wonderful and safe and nothing can go wrong. But people still desire the real world where though they can fail, it's true.

People desire truth and reality, the problem is that truth and reality are painful. We need to be willing to accept pain for all it's worth. When we confess something to God, that's painful. So as Christians we need to be soldiers for God and be willing to take a little pain. And even to spread some pain because recognizing your sins is not a very comfortable thing. But we have hope to offer and redemption through the pain. Go out into life and be willing to take some risks and accept whatever painful consequences there are.

Eternally Bound; Man or Rabbit?

In Lewis's essay Man or Rabbit, he discusses the eternal form of humanity. Whether we are bound to the earth or if we are eternally lasting. The materialist focuses on the brevity of a human life. Therefore the materialist puts much more value on things like the nation or corporations because they seem much more long lasting. Whereas we Christians know that we are eternally bound and therefore things like nations and corporations are hardly lasting.

The materialist will then take care of the earth in a seemingly religious way. He cares about the well-being of his nation and will therefore be one of the greatest patriots. He will work for corporations with great intensity because he believes in what they stand for or because he wants them to last. But this commitment is even used by God to further his Kingdom to take care of his earth and his people.

As Christians we should do the same but for different reasons. We should do it because we love God and his creation and want to share that love with other people. We work in recycling plants because we're stewards of the earth. We work in corporations because we believe in helping others through the services of a company we work for. We stand up for our country because of the freedoms it offers.

What we have to remember is that people aren't just the bodies that they live in their souls are eternally lasting. Our decisions will carry with us and others forever. Not the two-week forever that is used in conversation, but the forever meaning all of eternity. Let that sink in. The next time you meet someone think about what you say and how that can affect them forever. We have eternal trajectories so that small decisions now don't seem to make that big differences in our overall direction, but way off in the future will lead off the right path.

All that I'm trying to say is that we need to treat people like they are eternal. And remember that we need to love and always seek to learn more. The better we know people better we can help them. The more we know the better we can help people. So go out into the rest of your college years and keep eternity in mind.

Love For Vocation

In Plantinga's book he talks about the need for a vocation and the reasons that God calls us to work. It can be confusing about how God's love plays into our vocation. Some people seem to think that we can only earn his love by doing just what he wants. This of course is wrong, God love is unconditional. Paul even said that we cannot get to heaven on good works alone. So why should we bother with our vocation.

Love is the reason we do our vocation. Why we search for the most suitable job. Because we want to please God. Because he first loved us, and want to return the favor as best we can. Because we love God we want to work. We want to advance God's kingdom. So we go about our education with the intent of finding something that will most help people. Especially anything that will help them come to know Jesus.

Our vocation is exactly what we want to do, but it is what we are best at and will advance the Kingdom the most. For example I really love to drive and because of that would love to be a rally car racer. But I don't see that advancing the Kingdom very well. So I'm defaulting the something I like a little less which is to be a surgeon. I can help people much more through this and will be able to spread the word that way.

It comes down to the idea of carrying your own cross. We need to be willing to sacrifice what we want for the sake of the Kingdom. We need to sacrifice time and energy in the effort to spread the good news. We have to sacrifice. Jesus is our example and we need to follow him. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the whole of humanity. Shouldn't we do the same?

The Lord of the Rings

The "Inner Ring" explains a series of circles that you are always trying to get in to. We have formed our society around. We are always trying to get into different circles. whether that be a quartet or a team or even the military. Many circles have been formed like gangs or cliques in school just so that we can feed our need to keep someone out. It is not that these circles are bad, but it is the exclusion that we don't like.

There can be a lot of effects Wann we are excluded from circles. Some are angry others are just sad. But whenever we make it into the circles we don't sympathize, or with a long the lives of others. This lack of sympathy is what causes the most controversy. There isn't as much reward to entering new circles as one may think. We join these circles expecting some deep bond of fellowship. But all that comes is the ability to exclude someone else.

Many people get these circles and true friendship confused. True friendship comes from spending time with people who enjoy the same things who have similar experiences. It comes from doing things that you love and finding other people who love the same things. Through this we can find a much deeper bond between people. People are willing to drop whatever they have and come to the rescue their friends. I once tried pit orchestra hoping to get into the circle of the theater. I enjoyed it and deepened some friendships that I already had. But I didn't find any new friends and I didn't find any entrance into the theater circle.

What we need to remember is that, even though we are rejected from a circle, there will always be a circle for us to be rejected from. What we need to enjoy the friendship that we already have in the support and love that comes from those. Continue on developing friendships and doing things you love. Don't be put off by one small circle that you can't seem to get into there more important things in life. Open up and show your true self and you'll find true friends.

Redeeming The Seemingly Unredemptable

This chapter deals with the redemption of Earth. How we can work towards making things unholy holy. Redeeming contemptible things for use in God's kingdom. Christian rock is an example of this. People used to think that rock was the music of the devil. People have gone as far to say that the world itself could be redeemed. Even to a point comparable to the Garden of Eden.

This comes back to my point on total depravity. We must have something redeemable in us. The world must have something redeemable in it. It is foolish to write off people and the world as evil. There is so much we can do through and with the power of Christ. It the Garden of Eden remained on Earth even after Adam and Eve sinned. So if there is anything good on Earth that is it. I think there must be more. If the Earth retained something good through the process of the Fall, why not us? It is almost a metaphor. Our bodies are fallen but there is a patch or a memory of good in them.

We can reach that goodness and expand it like spring coming again to Narnia. Our sins are like the White Witch turning the good animals to stone, slowly eradicating the good in us. But there were a few good ones left who were hiding and resisting. What we needed was Aslan. He is like Christ coming to us. We need him to disband the evil but there has to be someone willing to let Him in. We would never accept Christ's forgiveness if we were totally evil. What I'm trying to say is that the world may have a lot of evil in it but we need to put that aside. We need to look for the good so that we can nurture it through love.

Eros

Eros is a wonderful thing. It is a beautiful emotion and bond based on friendship attraction and so much more. Eros is love. The love between a man and a woman. Almost unexplainable in it's effects. We find Eros everywhere. People all over the world are craving it. falling in love is the easy part though, sticking it through can be much harder than we can ever imagine. Eros also is not based off a sexual attraction. We are enamored with this wonderful, intelligent, sensitive person we find.

I think it is very hard to find relationships that we're not found off at least somewhat of a sexual attraction at first. This is where i think Lewis is wrong. People are always looking, and looking first notices somebodies outer appearance. I don't think that there is anything wrong with this. For centuries we have been dressing up, even in absurd ways, just to impress the opposite sex.

We need to look past that though and find the wonderful person underneath. We need to find out what they love, what annoys them, family history. People in love share a deep connection and the more you know about that person the deeper that connection is. So of course it is okay to be looking for someone attractive as long as you are willing to share yourself with that person and connect beyond the physical body.

Learning in Wartime

Lewis argues that the human race can only develop when we have learned to ignore all the pressing issues that surround us. He says that we are eternal creatures bound to heaven or hell. this is a very pressing doom that we cannot escape. We are continually headed towards one or the other. Most people would think that with that kind of pressure we would never try to learn anything because it is all useless we can never learn enough before we die, we should concentrate on how to get to heaven.

But we have developed. Man has been able to shake off the despair ans work towards a better life, passing on his discovers to the next generation. If we can forget about our eternal doom enough to better ourselves then surely we can ignore a war or a disease. We cannot wait for a favorable time. There never will be a favorable time. Man will "Propound mathematical theorems in beleaguered cities, conduct metaphysical arguments in condemned cells, make jokes on scaffold, discuss the last new poem while advancing on the walls of Quebec, and comb their hair at Thermopylae."

I disagree somewhat with Lewis that there is no favorable time to learn. I think that there are more favorable times than others. During war one is much more focused on survival. It is more commonly discussed. Whereas if there is a new strain of disease it is much less pressing on our minds. I think we can learn at all times but we will make better progress during some than others.

The Fall

We had a long, sort of excruciating, discussion on the subject of total depravity. The Fall is a major part of our religion, mainly because without it we wouldn't be having this discussion. Total depravity says that as humans we are completely evil and that we are only redeemed by Christ.

My view is that we must have something good about us to redeem. There has to be something that was or is originally good so that it can be saved and resuscitated. For the Sci Fi nerds like myself a good example would be cloning. There has to be some DNA left to clone.

Also if we were completely evil the human race would have destroyed itself before Christ came. We would have all killed each other in hate and there never would have been anyone to save. Also Noah is a prime example. The world was evil but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

On top of all this compelling evidence I wonder why ancient cultures would have developed religions if they were evil. If I didn't feel a reason to try and be better than my basic nature then i wouldn't bother to develop a religion that demanded I sacrifice time and material. But they wanted to please the gods and be better than they were. I disagree with total depravity.

The Poison of Subjectivism

The poison of subjectivism is the poison that we have of reason. We try to reason about ourselves and using our own reason. But just like a measuring stick must be independent of what we are measuring our reason must be separate of what we are reasoning about.

Someone can say that they are rationale human beings and that they are right. But from their perspective everything else looks incorrect if they use themselves as a standard. Which is why we need a standard that is better than ourselves like the ten commandments.

If we based our courts. or really any justice system off of just one person or really any human it would be unfair and, well, subjective. We need an impartial and perfect judge to lay down our laws so that our justice system can be completely fair.

We can't be subjective about how we treat others. It would result in someone being unfairly treated. This is a case of needing to look at ourselves and at the way we treat each other. If we look along we will be compelled to get justice through our perspective.

Just Human

The first four chapters of Mere Christianity progressively discuss the existence of a Natural Human Law. First if we feel that there is something outside of us that is a standard for life. it continues by discussing the differences between it and our conscience. Then whether it is just a Life-force or an intelligent being.

Many people think that society is what told us how to behave and that in different societies there would be different moral codes. History has disproved this time and time again reaching all the way back to a pillar in early Mesopotamia that had laws inscribed on it similar to those of the ten commandments.

Also for the code to be decided by society it would have had to been created by men, and one thing seems so much more justifiable to one than the other. But yet we all have a certain code that we all adhere to, which is not our conscience.

Our conscience presents us with decisions. Lewis gives the example of a man drowning. In our minds there are two conflicting choices. We can save the man thus endangering ourselves, or we can ignore it, further guaranteeing our survival. Therefore it can not be our conscience something else must decide between the two.

That is where the moral code comes in. We know we should help the man a we are so inspired. The moral code is not decent behaviour but behaviour that we know is right. Behaviour that is biblical and Godly. We naturally want to do the best we can.

Re: Screwtape Letters

Wormwood is temping his "patient" by trying to get him in to small subtle sins. Through this, as the "meaningless" sins pile up the patient he is more and more afraid to bring them to God. He fears the pain that comes with confessing to God. As this fear builds up he will do anything to distract himself including staring vacantly, whatever it takes.

We all have our harmless sins, things we do daily and disregard their seemingly small consequences. As these mount up we get an overall sense of unholiness and fear to come before the Lord. We fear the pain that comes with letting things go and admitting our failures.

We become comfortable with ourselves and feel that we are still Christians in good standing because we haven't had any drastic changes in our faith walk, no major blunders. We're are lulled into a false sense of security a piousness. Deep in our core we know we are wrong though and thus fear prayer and sermons. Anything that may convict us of or wrongs.

So we avoid God through mundane activities wasting the best years of our life. Works like Screwtape letters help reveal the subtle ways that the devil works against us and how we can be so easily tempted.

The Weight Of Glory

We humans have the wonderful privilege of going to be with our creator after our physical bodies wear away. We can ascend to be with Him forever. But we often do not remember that we have this privilege and go on living as if this world is all we will ever know. Like Lewis said that "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine a holiday at the sea. We are far to easily pleased."

We have to remember that we are immortal creatures for two reasons. The first is that we have so much more to look forward to. We have the chance for a infinite life in a perfect world if we can follow God's law for only a few years on earth. The hard part is remembering that we have a reward waiting at the end when there are so many pleasing activities all around us.

The other is that not only are we immortal but everyone around us is immortal as well. That high school friend that you refuse to forgive, or just someone you insult, will be with you forever. You may also guide their decisions in life, you may lead them down the wrong path where they will suffer for eternity. Now that is weighty. Just let the thought sink in. Forever. The ages weigh down on you consequences are multiplied a million fold. We must love our neighbor.

Creation Domination

We have always, as humans, struggled with our roles in the environment and how our power over it is to be used. Not the least being recently as we deal with the question of global warming. No doubt man has made a difference on this world. Oceans are over fished, rain forests are cut down at alarming rates. But what role are we as humans to play in this? Do we deserve to destroy nature for our own purposes? Where does that balance lie?

If we see creation solely through the eyes of evolution then it is fairly easy to rationalize our actions. We have proved ourselves to be at the top of the food chain, natural selection wins out. We take what we need to survive and continue to take to become stronger still. Our survival instinct controls us.

If we see creation through the eyes of intelligent design then we can deny everything as well. This world will pass away so there is no need to care for it. The world is ending so the only productive thing to do is evangelize. Save the mortal souls and forget that which will pass away.

But if we look along our journey and the influence of nature and God then we can see a reason for protecting our environment. we protect it because we need it and can recognize that as such even if it is difficult. At the same time we must protect it because we, and nature, were created in the image of God and for that reason we must cherish it.

Our English Syllabus

The main theme of "Our English Syllabus" is the idea that we need abroad education to truly be human. Without it we cannot work or relax to the fullest of our abilities. We need both to have a broad education and to go a discover things for ourselves and not be spoon fed by teachers and professors.

If we do not have that broad education then we have no life outside the work that we have been trained to do, essentially mindless drones. We can see it today in our families and in our tv shows. People come home from work and lay down in front of the tv and spend the rest of the afternoon there. The Simpsons satirically show this through the portrayal of Homer. We need to have outside interests beyond work and the information tv feeds us.

We need to go out and discover things for ourselves. Walk through a forest and witness yourself what lives there without first seeing it through a camera lens. There is something more real about discovering something for yourself. You get to look along it and not at it, therefore having a more full understanding of how it works.

So in conclusion get out there, do something! But don't be afraid to listen to others suggestions, just keep an open mind and be willing to discover for yourself. Who knows what wonderful ideas, grown and cultivated in the specific fields of your past, you will find. So, in the most friendly possible manner, take a hike.

Longing And Hope

Hope has long been one of humanity's greatest qualities of survival. It is a key ingredient in courage and courage is, in my mind, one of the greatest assets of humanity. Courage is stirred by the hope for a better tomorrow. We wish for place better for our selves and the following generations so we are willing to endanger our very lives on that hope.

We imagine ways that we can better ours and other's lives. We imagined the safety of a cave, an the early men fought for safety. We imagined the fall of monarchy and the rise of democracy and so a rag-tag army had the courage to fight much greater odds. We imagine equality for people of all races and Martin Luther King Jr. died for his courage. Today we imagine the defeat of terrorism and men and women die for that every day. We imagine a better world and then we long for it.

We long for what could be better and so we hope. hope is the destination and the path of our longing. The idea that despite the most dire situations thing could be better. That we truly may be happy in the end. Surrounded by the enemy Gandalf said "There never really was much hope, just a fool's hope.'' And yet the battle was won. Even a fool's hope can win out in the end.

We Have No Right To Happiness

Lewis argues that humans have no right to pursue happiness unrestricted. He says that the we have the right to pursue happiness as long as it is lawful and moral. I agree with this because really we have no right at all to be happy. We are fallen creatures who have broken God's commands and by all rights should be being punished.

Grace is what keeps us alive, God's grace; getting what we don't deserve. Every day that we have here on earth is another gift of grace from God. I know that idea has been beaten into our heads since we we're young and has long since lost it's power but i haven't recognized how true it was until i tried to argue that we did have a right to happiness.

In the garden of Eden Adam and Eve were happy, at least I imagine they were, it would be rather hard not to be. But this was God's intention that we be happy and joyful I believe, between which, there is a distinction. To quote my favourite author, Tolkien, from The Lord Of The Rings, ''Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by it's maker. In which case you were also meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought.'' Bilbo and therefore Frodo had no right to possess the Ring but it came to them any way because of a greater Power (explained in the Simarillion) that had good intentions.

We are intended to be happy and joyful but we are not often either or, rarer still, both. You may be wondering how I can claim joy to be separable from happiness. And true often when you are joyful, happiness coincides. But think of the persecuted christian. I most certainly would not be happy in that situation but through Christ, and knowing that I was suffering for his Name, I would be able to find joy.

Bulverism and Society

Bulverism affects everyone, whether it be in the home, at work, or in day to day life. Bulverism infects us and our ability to reason so that what may have been a productive argument that would have brought understanding to both sides, it is corrupted into a discouraging fight. What once was truly trying to resolve conflict has been turned into making yourself seem the lesser of two evils.

The most obvious example of this in our contemporary society is politicians. The debates no longer revolve around points of any great importance but how their opponent might abuse his power and responsibility. They continually seek to tarnish the others reputation in hopes of winning over a few more votes.

There are more subtle showings of bulverism, like in the home or between friends. Something may arise, even an area where there is potential for growth, but the relationship is torn apart because neither party knows how to argue their point without tearing the other down. Two friends, who for all intents and purposes agree, may be at each others throats because of the rudeness shown to each other.

The most subtle of all however is the bulverism within ourselves. We aren't able to hold a conversation with our conscience without pulling in the consequences and tearing ourselves down for ever thinking of such a thing. We have lost the ability to sit a reason with ourselves. Unreasonable minds is a sign of insanity, has our modern society gone insane?

Meditations in a Tool Shed

The meditation that takes place in the tool shed is concerning the perspectives at which we look at things a thus how they affect our behavior towards them. Lewis seems to take a bit of an existentialist view, saying that you need to experience something before you can find it's truth worth. At the same time he does show some of the value of looking at a situation and being able to observe it objectively.

The more existentialist view of looking along, one which I tend to value much more, has a more real feel to it. Events that seem nearly harmless or bland to an outsider can seem crushing or delightful. There is more passion and life involved in looking along a path that comes from the deeper ties of our own person and arguably our soul. If people were to look along each others lives it would bring peace. If a cruel dictator were to look along the life of one of his citizens and really connected to them, saw what made them happy and sad, he'd become more compassionate to them. Or if our government had stopped to look along the lives of the terrorists of 9-11 they would understand why they did what they did and may have been able to solve much more through diplomacy.

However there is something to be said for looking at life objectively. It allows you to be separate and even cold to the situation. This has paved the way for many scientific discoveries. It can also inspire courage. It can give soldier courage who, if he looked along his life, would be overcome by the staggering odds of the enemy. But if he looks at his life and sees the patriotic hero that he can be and save his country he can charge into battle with all the more ferocity. Or a doctor who's patient is hopelessly ill. If he were to look along the lives of every patients, especially those he lost, he may despair and give up entirely. By looking at the life he may be invigorated by the challenge and work all the harder still.

In closing I would like to promote the looking along point of view because of the passion it ignites. However if we really look hard along our lives and the lives of others we would see times that should look at life and would be able to do so.