Greg, this is so much like the rest of Christian philosophy. One finds some text that says something unprovable and then it is bandied about like (pardon the pun) God's truth. I'm sure this works if you believe it but what if you don't? I really think it is great you found enlightenment but it certainly isn't universal. Maybe X is right, and this is a religion for those of low self-esteem.
In fact, humans are the only animals in the world who worship
The above is from the introductory paragraph. I couldn't even get to the second paragraph without a blaring logical error due to a possibly false assumption. How is this known? Yet, here the author begins his speculation "In fact". His fact is really no more than an opinion based upon the human-centric sense of self-importance.
Here the essay attempts a serious discussion of why a moral life doesn't get into heaven and the first principles are flawed. Elephants are known to habituate the places where ones they have known have died. This was the basis of fact of the myth of the Elephant Graveyard. Maybe this is worship. Who is to say. I'm not prepared to say it isn't.
Next,we have another "fact"
... the fact that God says man, and only man, is created in His divine image .
Again the fallacy of begging the question. It is not universally accepted that God even exists let alone that God says ANYTHING, EVER hence this "fact" is a belief based only on faith and really, the faith based upon one book. I don't know anyone who has ever talked to God and been answered in an sound-resonated voice. I sincerely doubt that such a conversation ever took place in the mind of a sane person. Delusional people hear voices all the time, frequently attributed to God.
However, even the factual content of the statement is questionable, do we have a single organ that appears in humans and ONLY humans? No. Not one. You might say a soul or love, but I disagree. My parrot had a soul. My dog loved me.
Yet the chances of a person jumping from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other are greater than that of someone attempting to establish fellowship with God through his own efforts.
The author is actually estimating probabilities based upon numbers (he supplies them) and drawing conclusions. What about a reindeer assist by Santa? Or Zeus? Or Vishnu? Maybe that will help. There is as much reason to believe these as some other myth.
While morality and human goodness are to be commended, God makes it clear from the very outset that no one, through his own efforts, possesses the ability to make himself presentable before God.
Again, where is God saying this? I didn't hear it. At least when JFK gave his speech there was a record from more than one source. God seems to have made his word intentionally unobtainable by those of wit.
We have sought to arrive at a biblical answer to the question, "Will a good, moral life get me to heaven?" We have examined the bankruptcy of every attempt by people to reach that goal through any and every means of self-effort.
So, in other words, they proved their assumptions true by assuming they were true. If it is said in the bible it is true because the bible is true. If A, then A.
Greg, this is all very predictable. If the work is this flawed, how do I even discuss it with you. We might as well debate the ruination of Satan's home planet. |
