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Belief issues and reader response
1. Belief issues and reader response
This page is under development.
2. Penrose steps: how it is done
The Penrose never-ending steps illusion, also called the stairs illusion, cannot exist in reality as depicted.
These steps were made famous by
M. C. Escher (graphic artist) as elaborations on the theme. Steps, rivers, etc., do not go/flow uphill.
How is the Penrose steps illusion created?
3. Psalms 11:3
Psalms 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? [kjv]
οτι α κατηρτισω καθειλον ο δε δικαιος τι εποιησεν [lxx]
Some ways to
destroy foundations:
Let them decay. Self-deception or neglect can help.
Attack them from outside. Deception is easier than force.
Attack them from inside. Deception is easier than force.
4. Psalms 11:3
KJV: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Hebrew: כי השתות יהרסון צדיק מה פעל׃
Greek: οτι α κατηρτισω καθειλον ο δε δικαιος τι εποιησεν
5. Matthew 10:28 Soul and body
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. [kjv]
και μη φοβεισθε απο των αποκτεινοντων το σωμα την δε ψυχην μη δυναμενων αποκτειναι φοβεισθε δε μαλλον τον δυναμενον και ψυχην και σωμα απολεσαι εν γεεννη [gnt]
Jesus tells us who we should
"fear" and it is not
"fear" about the
cares and
concerns of this world. The most dangerous attacks are not from the outside but from the inside and involve
deception.
One cannot "
destroy the soul" by "
killing" the body is in persecution (e.g., by the Roman administrations). The primary way to "
destroy the soul" is through
deception so that you "
sell yourself out" or are "
sold out".
Jesus provides an example in the
next verse.
6. Matthew 10:29 Soul and body
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. [kjv]
ουχι δυο στρουθια ασσαριου πωλειται και εν εξ αυτων ου πεσειται επι την γην ανευ του πατρος υμων [gnt]
Discuss:
How might "sparrows" (birds of the evil one) deceive to "destroy the soul" in order to achieve "earthly gain" (money) by "selling out"?
Do "sparrows" succeed because those being deceived do not "understand"? This is what Jesus says of the birds in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.
Have those "deceived" separated themselves from the love of Christ?
7. Belief issues and reader response
How does one know what to believe? Does believing something make it true? What does it mean for something to be true? Some topics discussed here are as follows.
Sola scriptura (by scripture alone)
Wesleyan quadrilateral (four-sided figure)
Reader response, also called observer response
Of interest are not only the ideas but how those ideas can be modified to be deceptive.
8. Point in time fallacy
PIT (Point In Time) fallacy: Any theological idea, theory, etc., that comes into being at a certain point in time and, by implication, leaves everyone who existed prior to that point in time "
out of luck" is not to be believed without careful analysis and thought.
Does believing something make it true?
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. [kjv]
Discuss: When Jesus makes this statement to Pilate, is it restricted to a
PIT?
9. Point in time fallacy
Here are some examples.
Suppose that a particular Bible translation is advocated by a group as the one and only inspired word of God. Does that mean that everyone in prior times was "out of luck"?
Suppose a particular viewpoint is adopted for part of the Bible. Does that mean that everyone in prior times was "out of luck"?
Aristotle, Eratosthenes, etc., talk about the earth being round, providing various levels of evidence and/or proofs. If one decides, for example, that the Bible says that the earth is flat, does everyone before who did not believe this "out of luck"?
10. Lack of evidence fallacy
A
lack of evidence fallacy is when someone makes a claim but does not have evidence to support the claim. Many times, it is just anecdotal evidence. Another name for this fallacy might be the
wishful thinking fallacy.
Example: Your organization hands out 10,000 Bibles. Someone has some anecdotal story about how it may have helped someone. Thus, the entire endeavor was a success.
Reality: One should estimate, with some quantifiable data, the actual value achieved and then estimate how much value might have been obtained with some other endeavor.
When someone makes a claim about what the Bible says and/or means in modern times, a good question is the following.
Can you provide one or two examples from the Bible where this type of situation happened and this was the action taken?
11. Solipsism
Solipsism is the idea that the self is all that can be known to exist by that self. That perceptions from the outside world may or may not exist. The word comes from the Latin words
"solus" ≈ "alone" and
"ipse" ≈ "self".
Some have pointed out, "
Even solipsists look both ways before crossing the street".
A similar but different word, discussed by Aristotle, is that of
solecism which is a phrase that does not follow the rules of grammar (in a given area). Aristotle discusses this in terms of deceptions.
12. Map of the world
Is a one to one (1 to 1) model useful? What would make a good 1 to 1 map of the world?
When the map (model) does not match the world (reality) what do you change?
Change the map to fit the reality of the world.
Change your understanding of the world to fit the map.
Some churches and pastors adapt to the reality that will
fill the seats (to support their belly).
13. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 The moving ethics of tinnitus and itching ears
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [kjv]
What does it mean to have
"itching" "ears"?
Can one "
scratch" an "
itch"? Can one "
itch" a "
scratch"? Let us "
scratch" the surface.
Paul warns Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, that people will eventually get "
teachers" that teach them what they want to hear - having
"itching" "ears".
14. Related topics
15. Protestant Reformation
16. Fish in Greek
John 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three… [kjv]
ανεβη ουν σιμων πετρος και ειλκυσεν το δικτυον εις την γην μεστον ιχθυων μεγαλων εκατονπεντηκοντα τριων και τοσουτων οντων ουκ εσχισθη το δικτυον [gnt]
 |
153 = number of the fish.
w/h = sqrt(3) = 265/153.
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The ancient Greek word
"ιχθύς" ≈ "fish, ixthus" or «
ΙΧΘΥΣ» was an
acronym where each letter symbolized an important part of Christianity.
John uses a lot of computer science top-down, backward-chaining thinking in his writing.
[John 1, 1 John 1, John 14-19, etc.]
From a Greek geometric construction, the "
number of the fish" was
153 - the number of fish caught in John after the resurrection. (fish
w/h = sqrt(3) ≈ 265/153)
The approximation ratio is 265/153 and the number 153 was called the "
number of the fish". For more on approximation ratios, see Non-rational number approximation .
17. Assumptions
Here are some assumptions.
There is a reality of what exists and what does not exist, etc.
We can only have a perception of that reality.
Reality perception deceptions:
invalid logic (horn, thorns, tittles)
empty opinion (spots, jots)
Questions:
How do we know an approximation of that reality? (traditional inductive science)
Does our perception of reality create reality? (reader response)
These questions will be viewed from what one believes about God, the Bible, etc.
[black box models]
18. Sola scriptura
The Latin phrase
"sola scriptura" ≈ "by scripture alone" is the idea that Bible truth can be derived from scripture alone.
Of course, since humans decide what scripture is the be included in the canon, this can effect the derived meaning.
Example: Disputed
James and
Hebrews put into the canon. Disputed
Barnabas excluded.
19. Wesleyan Quadrilateral
The phrase
Wesleyan Quadrilateral was coined by American Methodist theologian
Albert Outler (1908-1969) to describe how
John Wesley (1703-1791), co-founder of Methodism, organized belief. The four parts are as follows.
1. Scripture - core beliefs which are primary
2. Tradition - passed down through the ages
3. Reason - to logically and rationally defend the doctrine
4. Christian experience - some weaken this to personal experience
It appears that problems can arise when lower level aspects such as
experience are used to take precedence over what
scripture appears to clearly state.
These lower-level ideas (2, 3, 4) were to be used
only when scripture (1) itself was not clear.
20. Matthew and Luke
1 Jesus teaches people
2 Matthew writes Gospel
3 Luke writes Gospel
Luke records and correctly reports what people remembered as to the meaning of what Jesus said, sometimes using other words. This often loses the additional meanings as recorded in Matthew.
21. Differences
Many of the differences between Matthew and Luke can be explained by the context in which each was written.
Jesus: Jew, spoke Aramaic and Greek.
Matthew: Jew, spoke Aramaic and Greek, eyewitness, took notes.
Luke: Greek, spoke Greek, interviewed eyewitnesses about their memory.
22. Transcription
It appears that Matthew may have not understood what Jesus was saying. If Matthew is transcribing what was said, there is no need for Matthew to actually know the precise meaning of what was said.
If Mark (Peter's Gospel) is writing what Peter (and Mark) remembered, inaccuracies can get into the text. The same applies to John.
If Luke is interviewing and writing what people remember after some 20 years or more, additional inaccuracies can get into the text.
23. textual criticism
If one assumes that what was said was transcribed verbatim, as appears to be the case with Matthew, there are considerations that arise.
How well was the text preserved?
What transcription errors might have been made?
24. Translations
A translation can never replicate the original meaning. Here are some problems.
The meaning must always be inferred from the words.
Nonverbal communication cannot be put into text form.
Words have different meanings in different languages.
Double meanings, play on words, etc. are difficult if not impossible to translate accurately.
Meanings change over time and from person to person.
In general, many words can only be assign a collection of probabilities of what each word means. The same applies to phrases, sentences, etc.
[Linus Torvalds, On this rock I will build my church]
25. Models: simple
One goal is to create models of what was said that, in a sense, minimize assumptions of what was said while not assuming things that might have been meant. Here is a simple way to think about a model.
A
model is an abstract representation of the real world with a postulated
mapping between the real world and the model (and between the model and the real world).
26. Models: refined
Here is a more refined way to think about a model. A model is an abstraction of reality.
Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful. George Box, Statistician.
The best material model of a cat is another, or preferably the same, cat. Norbert Wiener (and A. Rosenblueth).
A model is a useful fiction. George Box, Statistician.
27. Interpretations and models
Precisely defining models can confuse some people.
Definition: An
interpretation of a
first order language L consists of the following.
a. A non-empty set D, called the domain of the
interpretation.
b. For each constant in L, the assignment of an element in D.
c. For each n-ary function in L, the assignment of a mapping form D
n to D.
d. For each n-ary predicate in L, the assignment of a mapping from D
n into { true , false } (or, equivalently, a relation in D
n).
[Aristotle quote]
28. Interpretations and models
Definition: Let I be an
interpretation of a
first order language L and let F be a closed formula of L. Then I is a
model for F if the truth value of F with respect to I is true.
Definition: Let T be a
first order theory and let L be the
language of T. A
model for T is an
interpretation for L which is a
model for each axiom of T.
Some precise ways of dealing with symbols, languages, interpretations, models, etc., can be found in the field of logic programming. The above definitions are on pages 12-13 of: Lloyd, J. (1984).
Foundations of logic programming. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. This book (about 125 pages) was used in a graduate computer science course in logic programming that I took years ago.
Do senses determine reality or does reality happen in our interpretation of the senses?
Hume, Kant, Descartes, etc.
29. Reader response
Reader response ideas, sometimes called observer response, began in the 1960's and 1970's in both the United States, Germany, and then elsewhere.
Taken to the extreme, the reader response idea says that the reader is more important in deciding the meaning of a written text by an author than the author. The "intent of the author" is thus minimized and the reader is free to make up any meaning desired and that is considered the real meaning. Of course, each reader may assign a different meaning to the text.
The reader response idea glorifies the opinion of the reader. This is not a problem in fictional literature but may be a problem in technical fields and in determining the meaning of the Bible.
30. Reader response
Richard Beach in 1993 divided "
reader response" into five types.
textual
experimental
psychological
social
cultural
The idea has worked its way into theological thought and many churches.
Software engineering principle: To determine that a software behavior is an error, a specification is needed to determine proper behavior.
Inerrancy reasoning fallacy:
You cannot know that the Bible has an error unless you know what the Bible is supposed to say (and mean).
31. Opinions
The ideas of
reader response have made their way into many church beliefs but can be disguised so that those who might object to their use are unaware of what is happening. This is known as the "
boiling frog syndrome".
The
reader response idea is the source of sayings such as "
That's your opinion. No opinion is right or wrong". People who say this consider anything said to be an "
opinion". This could include a statement that "
The earth is not flat", etc.
To support these ideas, Bible ideas taken out of context (or mistranslated) include unqualified commands to avoid the following.
judgmental attitudes
hypocritical behavior
32. Church application
The
reader response idea is used by many pastors. Since the Bible no longer has any meaning other than assigned by the reader, the pastor is free to make up any meaning desired, and allow others to make up any meaning they desire.
This is like having a Bible study where every opinion is entertained and anyone is free to state what they think the text means.
Note: Anyone who has actual knowledge of the Bible, linguistics, history, logic, etc., would not be welcome at such a Bible study. It might ruin the otherwise good feelings of letting everyone decide what the text means.
33. Deception scenario
Here is one possible deception scenario using, in part,
reader response ideas.
Tell everyone that they can decide the meaning of any text in the Bible.
No background knowledge is needed. Indeed, it is a disadvantage.
Tell everyone what you think the text means. The pastor can do this by placing psychological "dots" in the minds of the congregation without specifying the meaning.
Anyone who disagrees with the pastor can now be labeled a "know-it-all" and a danger to everyone else since such a person might use logic, linguistics, exegesis, etc., to show that a passage of Biblical text does not mean what the pastor wants it to mean.
34. Dilbert and ignorance
Scott Adams, creator of the cartoon series (and books) Dilbert (and related characters), uses ignorance as one (among many) themes in his humor. One book (of cartoons) is entitled "
When did ignorance become a point of view?".
A related fallacy is the "
appeal to ignorance " fallacy.
A proposition not yet proven false is true.
A proposition not yet proven true is false.
35. Unity Church
Some churches, such as the Unity Church or unitarian churches, take the best parts of all religions.
https://www.unityofpalmyra.org/about-us.html (as of 2024-02-06)
We teach a message of inclusion and positive spirituality, and participate in the Unity movement’s vision of creating a world that works for all. As stated in our Diversity Statement, “We recognize and honor the Divine within as the one common denominator that we share on our human journey.”
Charles Fillmore, co-founder of the Unity movement, once defined Unity as: “Unity is a link in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ; our objective is to discern the truth in Christianity and prove it.
36. Belief
If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. Saint Augustine (Early Christian father)
Do people today pick and choose which parts of the Bible they will believe?
Do pastors today pick and choose which parts of the Bible they will believe? Do they then pass on those parts to their flock and not tell them about other parts?
Note that you can ignore parts of the Gospel that you do not know about or do not understand (ignorance of the law) or you can ignore parts of the Gospel in order to deceive others (and yourself).
37. C. S. Lewis and Reader Response
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) published
An Experiment in Criticism in 1961 where he analyzed the reader's part in the meaning of literature.
Long before, In 1926, C. S. Lewis stated that "
a poem unread is not a poem at all". This is related to a common definition of information as
data that has meaning to an intelligent agent (my definition used in class).
Saying:
Statistics means nothing to a rock.
[Claude Shannon and the theory of information]
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Details are left as a future topic.
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38. Converse fallacy
At some point, the idea went
from a reader inferring a personal meaning to what was read
to a reader establishing the reality of what words describe.
This, in part, appears to be due to Stanley Fish.
In general, this is the "
converse fallacy". This fallacy is easy to fall into when one confuses things and names for things.
The writings and sayings of Ludwig Wittgenstein appear to support some of these ideas.
39. Blind men and the elephant
The arguments by Trinitarians and Modalism for or against each view can be contrasted with the ancient story from the subcontinent of India of the blind men and the elephant.
40. Blind men and the elephant
American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) wrote a famous poem entitled "
The blind men and the elephant" based on the ancient story from India.
One of his famous quotes is "
Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made.".
His verse of "
The blind men and the elephant" goes as follows.
41. The blind men and the elephant 1, 2
It was six men of Indostan to learning much inclined,
who went to see the elephant, though all of them were blind.
That each by observation might satisfy his mind.
The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,
against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!"
42. The blind men and the elephant 3, 4
The second feeling of the tusk, cried: "Ho! what have we here,"
"so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,"
"this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!"
The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,
the squirming trunk within his hands, "I see," quoth he,
"the elephant is very like a snake!"
43. The blind men and the elephant 5, 6
The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:
"What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain," quoth he;
"Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree."
The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; "E'en the blindest man"
"can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,"
"This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!"
44. The blind men and the elephant 7, 8
The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,
than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,
"I see," quothe he, "the elephant is very like a rope!"
And so these men of Indostan, disputed loud and long,
each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!
45. Blind men and reader response
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1: wall
2: spear
3: snake
4: tree
5: fan
6: rope
|
Each blind man has feels one part of the elephant and makes a conjectures about what it is.
This part of the story is like reading one Bible verse (in or out of context) and then deciding the reality of what the Bible means.
The
reader response model, taken to the extreme, as some do in theology and church practice, says that each of the men are right.
Discuss: Considering the
reader response model, does an outsider with more knowledge of the overall situation have any right to tell these men that they are not completely right?
46. Moral
The moral of the story at the end is as follows.
So oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,
rail on in utter ignorance of what each other mean.
And prate about an elephant not one of them has seen!
47. Feynman
Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman used the story of the
Blind men and the elephant to describe physicists trying to know the exact nature of quantum mechanics.
Werner Heisenberg:
We have to remember that what we observe is not nature in itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning. Werner Heisenberg
Discuss: Is there an absolute outside reality? Can we make that reality whatever we want to make it? Does that wish change reality?
48. Ludwig Wittgenstein
Some of the
reader response ideas appear to have come from Bertrand Russell and Alfred Whitehead and Ludwig Wittgenstein, a student of Russell. Underlining added. German omitted.
5.62. In fact, what solipsism means, is quite correct, only it cannot be said, but it shows itself. That the world is my world, shows itself in the fact that the limits of the language (the language which I understand) means the limits of my world.
5.62i. The world and life are one.
5.63. I am my world. (The microcosm).
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Wittgenstein often verbally attacked anyone (including students) who disagreed with him. One student refused to budge and insisted that his ideas would destroy logic and logical reasoning. That student was
Alan Turing who would create the theoretical foundations and limits of computer and computational theory - using mathematical logic.
49. Names and things
Aristotle points out that we reason with "
names" that represent "
things" and not the "
things" themselves.
More than one name can represent the same thing.
Names can represent more than one thing.
This leaves room for deception using words and "
apparent logic". When you "
drink" a "
cup" you are not literally drinking the cup itself.
The English word
"equivocation" means a deception by means of making names (or things) equal that are not actually equal. This is sometimes called "
doublespeak".
50. Equivocation
Example:
All men are created equal. Women are not men, so all women are not created equal.
Sometimes equivocation is used to "
obfuscate" by using another word.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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51. Judges 17:6
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. [kjv]
εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις ουκ ην βασιλευς εν ισραηλ ανηρ το αγαθον εν οφθαλμοις αυτου εποιει [lxx]
Discuss: Compare and contrast
reader response ideas with the statement that "
everyone doing what is right (good) in their own eyes".
52. Judges 17:6
KJV: In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Hebrew: בימים ההם אין מלך בישראל איש הישר בעיניו יעשה׃
Greek: εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις ουκ ην βασιλευς εν ισραηλ ανηρ το αγαθον εν οφθαλμοις αυτου εποιει
53. Genesis 3:4-5
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [kjv]
και ειπεν ο οφις τη γυναικι ου θανατω αποθανεισθε [lxx]
3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [kjv]
ηδει γαρ ο θεος οτι εν η αν ημερα φαγητε απ αυτου διανοιχθησονται υμων οι οφθαλμοι και εσεσθε ως θεοι γινωσκοντες καλον και πονηρον [lxx]
The word for "
evil" is that of "
oppression" (of others and oneself).
Discuss: Compare and contrast
reader response ideas with the serpent's claim that "
you can be as a god".
54. Genesis 3:4
KJV: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Hebrew: ויאמר הנחש אל האשה לא מות תמתון׃
Greek: και ειπεν ο οφις τη γυναικι ου θανατω αποθανεισθε
55. Genesis 3:5
KJV: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Hebrew: כי ידע אלהים כי ביום אכלכם ממנו ונפקחו עיניכם והייתם כאלהים ידעי טוב ורע׃
Greek: ηδει γαρ ο θεος οτι εν η αν ημερα φαγητε απ αυτου διανοιχθησονται υμων οι οφθαλμοι και εσεσθε ως θεοι γινωσκοντες καλον και πονηρον
56. Greek truth as reality
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [kjv]
και γνωσεσθε την αληθειαν και η αληθεια ελευθερωσει υμας [gnt]
Jesus is the
"truth" as in the
"reality". The Greek word for
"truth" means, literally, "
not nothing" or "
not oblivion" or "
not forgotten". Thus,
"truth" is
"reality" and not logic nor opinion.
"ἀλήθεια" ≈ "truth, not a lie" as in "not oblivion" or "not hidden" or "not forgotten".
"λήθη" ≈ "oblivion, forgetfulness" as in "λήθαργος" ≈ "forgetful, lethargic".
57. John 14:6 Way truth and life
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [kjv]
λεγει αυτω ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος και η αληθεια και η ζωη ουδεις ερχεται προς τον πατερα ει μη δι εμου [gnt]
… via … veritas … vita … [v]
Jesus is the
"way",
"truth" and
"life".
In Latin, these three words start with "
v":
"via",
"veritas" and
"vita". The Greek and Hebrew words for
"truth" have to do with "
reality" and
not "
logic" or "
opinion". Thus, Jesus is the
"way" (opinion as in glory), the
"truth" (reality as in science) and the
"life" (logic as in information).
58. John 14:6
KJV: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Greek: λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος και η αληθεια και η ζωη ουδεις ερχεται προς τον πατερα ει μη δι εμου
Latin: dicit ei Iesus ego sum via et veritas et vita nemo venit ad Patrem nisi per me
59. Jesus says why he was born
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. [kjv]
ειπεν ουν αυτω ο πιλατος ουκουν βασιλευς ει συ απεκριθη ο ιησους συ λεγεις οτι βασιλευς ειμι εγω εις τουτο γεγεννημαι και εις τουτο εληλυθα εις τον κοσμον ινα μαρτυρησω τη αληθεια πας ο ων εκ της αληθειας ακουει μου της φωνης [gnt]
Only John tells us
why Jesus was born. Jesus witnesses to Pilate.
Jesus tells Pilate
why he was born in
John 18:37. When Jesus talks of
"truth", as in the Greek and Hebrew words for truth, he is talking about the truth of
reality and
not of a
logical true-false truth system.
[philosophy courses, Aristotle final cause]
60. Matthew 24: False Christs and all of it
In the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, where Jesus tells "
All of it" (a pun on Olivet) about the period up to and including the end times, Jesus says that many will come in His name saying "
I am the Christ".
Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. [kjv]
πολλοι γαρ ελευσονται επι τω ονοματι μου λεγοντες εγω ειμι ο χριστος και πολλους πλανησουσιν [gnt]
Many appears to mean "
many" as in "
not just a few". Can you identify some candidates through out history that might fit the description? Mark is similar to Matthew. Luke has some differences.
18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. [kjv]
και ος εαν δεξηται εν παιδιον τοιουτο επι τω ονοματι μου εμε δεχεται [gnt]
The same words "
upon the name of mine" are used by Jesus for
true believers and of those who
deceive. Thus,
context must be used before making any deep theological points using just the words "
upon the name of mine".
61. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 Strong delusion
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [kjv]
και δια τουτο πεμπει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει [gnt]
The Greek for "
strong" is, from Aristotle, "
actuality" so that the "
strong delusion" is an "
actual wandering/deviation/error" that is "
sent"
"into" the faith/belief. The
KJV (King James Version) translates
"into" as
"that".
The ancient Greek word
"πλανάω" ≈ "wander about" and is the source of the English word
"planet" as a "
wandering star". The ancient Greek word
"ψευδής" ≈ "lying, false, untrue" and is the source of the English word
"pseudo".
Discussion question: There have been many speculations about this "
lie". What are some candidates for this "
lie"? What ideas that are "
false" might be put "
into" the faith?
62. Modern Greek
63. 2 Thessalonians 2:11
KJV: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Greek: και δια τουτο πεμψει πεμπει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει
Latin: ideo mittit illis Deus operationem erroris ut credant mendacio
64. Put it together
The Greek (and Hebrew) for
"truth" is that of
"reality".
Jesus says he is the
"truth" (and way and life) as in
"reality".
Reader-response says you determine the "meaning" and "reality".
Wittgenstein: The world and life are one. I am my world. (The microcosm).
The claim "I am reality" is, by substitution of equals, the claim "I am Christ".
Jesus says that many will come saying "I am Christ".
Paul talks of an "actual deviation" put into the "faith" causing many to "believe" a "lie". The context is that of the "end times".
Discuss: How does this line of reasoning make sense or not make sense?
65. Matthew 24:24-26
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. [kjv]
εγερθησονται γαρ ψευδοχριστοι και ψευδοπροφηται και δωσουσιν σημεια μεγαλα και τερατα ωστε πλανασθαι ει δυνατον και τους εκλεκτους [gnt]
24:25 Behold, I have told you before. [kjv]
ιδου προειρηκα υμιν [gnt]
24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. [kjv]
εαν ουν ειπωσιν υμιν ιδου εν τη ερημω εστιν μη εξελθητε ιδου εν τοις ταμειοις μη πιστευσητε [gnt]
The "desert" means "wilderness" and, literally, where few go.
The "secret chambers" ofter refer to the "innermost parts" of a person and is often translated as "closet".
Discuss: How could someone be "
deceived" into going where few go? What if this place is a small part of the population. Could you be persuaded to go there?
Discuss: How could someone be "
deceived" into believing that Christ is their innermost parts, to the extent that they believe they are Christ?
66. Matthew 24:24
KJV: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Greek: εγερθησονται γαρ ψευδοχριστοι και ψευδοπροφηται και δωσουσιν σημεια μεγαλα και τερατα ωστε πλανησαι πλανασθαι ει δυνατον και τους εκλεκτους
67. Matthew 24:25
KJV: Behold, I have told you before.
Greek: ιδου προειρηκα υμιν
68. Matthew 24:26
KJV: Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Greek: εαν ουν ειπωσιν υμιν ιδου εν τη ερημω εστιν μη εξελθητε ιδου εν τοις ταμειοις μη πιστευσητε
69. Lightning
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [kjv]
ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη εξερχεται απο ανατολων και φαινεται εως δυσμων ουτως εσται η παρουσια του υιου του ανθρωπου [gnt]
The word "east" can be taken as "past" or "beginning".
The word "west" can be taken as "future" or "end".
The Greek word translated as "
shine" is that of "
appears".
The word "shine" implies "light" coming from a "source" (in the "past").
The word "appears" has to do with "perception" of those looking "back" in the "future".
70. Matthew 24:27
KJV: For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Greek: ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη εξερχεται απο ανατολων και φαινεται εως δυσμων ουτως εσται και η παρουσια του υιου του ανθρωπου
71. Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was a famous mathematician and humanist/socialist. The Russell Paradox (1901), a fundamental paradox in logic. is named after him. The Russell Paradox appears in reality in many forms.
This statement is false.
You must hate all forms of hate.
You must not tolerate intolerance.
It is interesting when people are pressed to reconcile, say, the toleration paradox, with ideas such as, say, inclusiveness, they fall back on the type system of Russell that did not resolve the logical issue. The only solution appears to be to give up on actual logic but pretend to be using logic.
72. Short forms
Some short forms of the Russell Paradox are the following.
This statement is false.
I am lying.
Is no your answer to this question?
Pinocchio: My nose will grow now.
There is no resolution of the Russell paradox in logic.
73. Principia Mathematica
Whitehead and Russell published their monumental work
Principia Mathematica in which they attempted to put mathematics on a logical basis using arithmetic defined using set theory. The appears problems with their theory before it was even published.
Gödel later proved that what they wanted to do, specify a formal symbol system (that included arithmetic) that was both complete and consistent was not possible.
Part of their attempted fixes were using a theory of "
types" as in "
typed sets". This did not resolve the paradox named the "
Russell Paradox". Similar issues appear to be in Whitehead's ideas that became known as "
process theology" in that one can use it to show anything true or false as desired.
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74. Related ideas
The following ideas of logical truth are related.
Russell logical paradox as in "This statement is false.".
Mathematical incompleteness (Formal predicate logic systems, Gödel, 1924, 1931).
Computational decidability (Turing Machine and the Halting Problem, Turing, 1936)
Randomness determination (Algorithmic Information Theory, Kolmogorov, Chaitin)
Connections can be made of logical truth to reality truth and human truth.
75. Cults
In addition to what a sect does, a cult modifies the rules and adds requirements, to the point of contradicting scripture. Typical beliefs (or non-beliefs) of cult are the following.
Deny God, as in a creator God.
Deny the Bible as a message from the creator God.
Deny the deity of Jesus Christ, as in "he was just a good teacher" instead of the creator God entering into and interacting with His creation.
Create a "salvation by works" doctrine to enslave members. Who most benefits from these rules? (sissy principle, dare principle, etc., used to control behavior)
76. Examples
Examples: (primary the leadership and human sand infrastructure, not necessarily all in the organization)
Prosperity gospel.
Health and wealth churches
Name it and claim it as in the "Word of Faith Movement" (New Age metaphysics).
"Blab it and grab it" televangelists (not all of them)
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77. End of page
