Gakked from kalquessa

[raefinlay]

Eschatology??? I eschew eschatology! (It's the Left Behind drivel that did it. Left me cold)

And Reformed Theology... *shudders*

I think one of the reasons Christianity faces such opposition in free countries (aside from difficult questions and uncomfortable "truths," of course) is humanity's need to catalog everything. Any "systematic theology" is a way of shoving God into a human-sized box. Sure, it sounds good at first. It helps us see the text in a new way, deepens our understanding...and then many years later, we find we are worshipping at the feet of a doctrinal system, turning our hypocritical backs on the humanity we were meant to save.

We're such stupid sheep.



Based on the lj interests lists of those who share my more unusual interests, the interests suggestion meme thinks I might be interested in
1. eschatology score: 13
2. hermeneutics score: 12
3. calvinism score: 11
4. orthodoxy score: 11
5. monotheism score: 10
6. mesopotamia score: 9
7. predestination score: 9
8. christology score: 9
9. st. augustine score: 9
10. creationism score: 8
11. martin luther score: 8
12. babylon score: 8
13. specfic score: 7
14. arminianism score: 7
15. aramaic score: 7
16. f&sf score: 7
17. reformed theology score: 7
18. st. paul score: 7
19. scripture score: 7
20. john calvin score: 7

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Comments

[everyonesakitty.livejournal.com]

Any "systematic theology" is a way of shoving God into a human-sized box.

Oh how I loff and admire you for saying this. *counts the ways*

[aaron-mag.livejournal.com]

We may agree on this. I'm not sure.

I don't consider myself non-religious. Many, however, might see me that way. But I don't necessary disbelieve in some sort of higher power. Anyone who is trying to write a story can't help but believe in something of the divine. We strive for it after all.

One of the great parts of Jodi's Glicia (I am a huge fan of Glicia so far, btw. I've been an ogre pants on many of Jodi's subs, but on Glicia I'm a kitten. I love it :D ) was the last scene I read. Where they seek a divine sign from the god of the world. What the Red Lady says to the main character at that point was so classic.

But I'm going off on a darn tangent.

I don't believe in simplistic view of religion. I don't believe in the divine father watching over us and looking out for us. Very bad things happen to good people. I could not believe in a god who let such things happen to good people on a whim.

Divinity that is complex and not evident to our conscious thought...that I could believe and even seek.

Don't know if that makes any sense...

:D

[everyonesakitty.livejournal.com]

yeppers. *nods* *agrees*

[(Anonymous)]

Very bad things happen to good people. I could not believe in a god who let such things happen to good people on a whim.

Yeah, that's the hard part. But I'm just not sure this negates the existence of a deity. This statement assumes a couple of important things: 1. You and I have all the knowledge and wisdom required to determine whether or not a "bad" incident and all its ensuing consequences will tip the universal scale in the direction of "bad." 2. It assumes a moral code, a distinction between good and evil. On what did we base these absolutes??

*shrug* I'm still trying to figure out a lot of stuff about my faith. One of my greatest struggles is seeing all the jerkoff things Christians do, and then resisting the temptation to label God or Christianity as "bad" because Christians in general can be pretty stupid and lousy.

*ggrrrs*

[aaron-mag.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the hard part. But I'm just not sure this negates the existence of a deity.

I agree with this. But I think it disproves a simplistic view. The whole, 'everything happens for a reason' idea. The whole concept of a bearded man watching over us and listening to our prayers.

And I know you are saying, "Well duh Aaron. Everyone knows that!"

But they don't! I have many very faithful friends who say such things as, "I don't need to worry about that (insert impending bad thing). God will take care of me. I have faith..."

Plus I have heard sermons where preachers I respect tell their congregation, "Whatever you do, when someone has just lost a loved one, don't tell them it is God's will. It is the wrong thing to say and we shouldn't presume to understand God's will anyway..."

I don't know if I'm making any sense! :)

And I don't think most Christians are jerkoffs. Almost all of them are very good people. I think when we humans get in trouble is when we start to 'presume to understand'. Instead of sitting back in awe of the divineness of the world sometimes people say, "Ah! I get it now. So now I've got to explain it to everyone else. It is all the literal translation of this book...forget the fact that some guys study theology for all their lives and claim to still be learning new things from the scripture. I got it the first time through!!!"

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

eh...sorry dude. That was me. Forgot to sign in to my own stinking journal.