Reader Responses To Last Controversial Post :-)

Hi everyone,

I’m about to publish a lightly revised version of the last post entitled “There Is No Grand Spiritual Narrative.” I think that was an unfitting title — one motivated more by a particular emotion than precise speech. But the arguments in the piece still entirely stand. I will clarify some areas of ambiguity in my revision.

I realized all this due to several reader criticisms and thoughtful feedback. Essentially, a lot of people interpreted my article as a case for nothing spiritual or supernatural in the universe which we are co-creating or collaborating with. It’s all 100% in our own hands. That’s not what I was arguing for, but that is a bit how it sounded.

I’m publishing here some thoughtful reader responses (if you’d like your name attached to this, please comment below and I will credit you but I’ve kept the authors all anonymous for now) below with some very brief quick thoughts as, for the most part, nothing I said is incompatible with what readers emailed me with.

This sounds like Catholic theology writ larger than simplistic piety which passes for knowledge. We have free will and the dictates of human nature, guided by the various Virtues ………. BUT we can also choose evil and willingly hurt others – and ourselves. The notion is Mystery, but Mystery in the ultimate hands of God and His Revelation to us of how to use our free will according to His best interests for us……

I’m open to all this. I like this framing quite a bit, actually.

By what infallible authority do you make these claims?

There are only two possible explanations for the existence of the material universe:

1- Spontaneous generation

2- Special creation

Science has proven conclusively that spontaneous generation impossible.

Difficult as it may be, there has to be an eternal being who created everything,

and that being has to be uncreated and eternal. Incomprehensible to our finite minds!

So with some 8 billion people in the world, and therefore some 8 billion opinions,

who knows FOR SURE what is true in the universe; what is true about spiritual things?

There must be an infallible authority.

We were created as self directed individuals, freely making our choices and responsible for the consequences.

The Creator allows us to live life as we please.

But there are expectations and we will be held accountable when this life is over.

That’s the word of the eternal creator.

Sorry but you are deceived about spiritual things.

There absolutely is a “grand spiritual narrative.”

If you want to be directed to the Truth, let me know.

Like my feelings about the first response above, I’m agnostic to the Christian philosophical claims about an eternal creator (I don’t think I’ve thought about this enough to have a strong opinion) but I am totally open to all this.

I can resonate with this kind of grand spiritual narrative — as I said at the start, that was poorly chosen title for a piece attempting to refute a predestined spiritual fate where all our choices are actually illusions and we’re just witnesses of the cosmic drama unfolding around us.

Interesting, you are actually more Biblically inline now. Yah (God) never said He was in control, in fact he says the exact opposite. He says He gave dominion to man and that you have to choose. He has the best plans for people but you still have to choose them, he doesn’t force anyone because love isn’t about forcing. If you read the gospels and really examine how Yeshua (Jesus) behaved He never compelled or forced anyone. In fact He often would say hard things that would make people turn away and he never apologized for it because they were true. Brain science actually lines up with scripture in that it proves people create strongholds in their minds by constantly thinking one thing or another. Things that go against Yah’s perfect way make thorn bushes in your brain (like negativity, bitterness, etc). His ways create trees in your brain. You should check out some of Caroline Leafs work

https://store.drleaf.com/products/switch-on-your-brain

He also expects us to create because He is the master creator and we were made in His image. You seem to have delved into a lot of religion but true Christianity (which most people don’t know, understand or practice) is still very much True and effective.

I highly encourage you to put God’s word to the test. Keeping in mind God Had to do things differently before Yeshua died. If you need help, or have questions, I’m available. One ministry that actually focuses on just the truth of the Word that I can also recommend is JGLM though it is more geared to believers to get them out of all the lies they have been raised with in the church.

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P.S. interesting choice for an ending, Shalom being a term that means more than peace but to get rid of the chaos and anarchy so that one can truly be whole and at rest.

Shalom indeed!

I love this response. Well-said. This reader has correctly extracted my views in the article. I was saying we do have a sense of agency and not everything is spiritually predetermined. I love the synergy here between biblical truths and modern psychology – very Petersonian!