tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post8987713916250471755..comments2024-03-15T23:30:38.471+11:00Comments on Lindsay's Lobes: How does a Christian differentiate himself from a Liberal Humanist?Lindsay Byrneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030132436987752741noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-56621542238931800472015-07-24T21:19:44.188+10:002015-07-24T21:19:44.188+10:00Thanks for this contemplative piece! I enjoyed rea...Thanks for this contemplative piece! I enjoyed reading it.Rachaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986426250922969714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-43840108072461773332015-07-23T23:45:59.249+10:002015-07-23T23:45:59.249+10:00Hi Tom
Indeed such a thoughtful and yet (to me an...Hi Tom <br />Indeed such a thoughtful and yet (to me anyway) such a valid point of view I can only respond by saying AMEN. It ignites in me the sincere yet earnest hope you will resume your thought-provoking posts at Gwynt for ALAS I no longer have the privilege of reading them. <br />All I can say is may that same spark of freedom in thought that thousands of years ago inspired so much debate (of which as you say we have only the European/ Grecian world view) may summarily reignite a few posts from Gwynt. <br />Best wishesLindsay Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11030132436987752741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-51467620344945398082015-07-23T18:50:23.554+10:002015-07-23T18:50:23.554+10:00Hullo Again Lindsay,
I'm sure we would agree ...Hullo Again Lindsay,<br /><br />I'm sure we would agree that one does not need to be a Christian "to live a good life together." Therefore Christianity has (or should have) something extra to offer, as do the other world religions. The difficulty, if difficulty there is, lies in the interpretation of Christianity as against what Jesus the Christ actually taught, as far as we are able to discern that teaching. Thus although the teachings of the Christ seem to have a more Eastern flavour than we may give credit for, they have been handed down to us through a religion that has been given a particular Western/Greek interpretation.<br /><br />Much emphasis has been placed on how we live "one with another", and all the morality and so on that has become attached. In short Christianity has become a social contract without much (or any in some quarters) mystical or contemplation content. The accent on the inner life has given way to over-riding considerations of the outer life. In short, Christianity has become, and may well have always been, a religion of the Ego. In that regard there is little to differentiate between Christianity and Liberal Humanism. It is, I believe, the added dimension of mystical contemplation that differentiates between the two systems of belief. And of course that added dimension is shared with Sufism, the Kabalah, and the esoteric aspects of the other world religions. Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09028121782477111901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-31203140677149564642015-07-22T22:47:56.136+10:002015-07-22T22:47:56.136+10:00Hi Susan
Thanks for your input. I understand that...Hi Susan <br />Thanks for your input. I understand that if one converts to other faiths such as Buddhism, it doesn’t mean you have to turn off the cultural and Christian connections under which one is raised. <br />Best wishes <br />Lindsay Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11030132436987752741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-84044262951485079042015-07-22T22:44:31.271+10:002015-07-22T22:44:31.271+10:00Hi Tom
Thanks for your input and I think you’re ...Hi Tom <br />Thanks for your input and I think you’re largely in tune with the post. I don’t think we need to separate Christianity from any other religious form of mysticism, or even an irreligious form, except to the extent it is centred on a mystical Christ unity or affinity. I think that affinity will arise from our cultural roots and living environment. Hence it is not so much a duality but more matter of a natural inclination. Raised in India I would probably be a Hindu, but with strong roots pertaining to that religion. <br />It is true a Christian is well aware of what it means to be a Christian, but mostly predicated on what is believed. <br />Hence I think it is important to identify how a Christian differentiates himself to live the good life, e.g. to live life to the fullest. The conclusion is Christianity offers practical strength in day to day living as a consequence of that mystical union. <br />Hence the application of that mystical union realises both our vulnerability and our trust in the unknown which provides comforts and the spark for life. That is very much the reality of our life, privileged as we are to share this tiny spot in this vast majestic universes. The spark ignites the good work of the liberal atheist as well except he is hell bent on denying at any point any influence other than that that arises from rational thought. <br />Please feel free or come back and make any further comments. <br />Best wishesLindsay Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11030132436987752741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-67166328505517015052015-07-22T13:27:17.026+10:002015-07-22T13:27:17.026+10:00My experience of spirituality over the past decade...My experience of spirituality over the past decades has guided me into a kind of refined personal practice. If pushed to do so I guess I'd have to call myself a Buddhist Sufi Christian, and that's just for starters. What I can't imagine is living with the firm conviction there is no God or whatever one might call the Ultimate Truth or Being. Atheism has never made sense to me although I do understand that many people profess that disbelief.<br /><br />Your description of Paul's teaching about how to live a good life as a liberal humanist makes a lot of sense. Thanks for this valuable essay, Lindsay.<br /><br />Best wishessusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747450215034568033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9716997.post-24760993656852130112015-07-21T18:52:56.903+10:002015-07-21T18:52:56.903+10:00Hi Lindsay,
A lengthy piece which deserves more a...Hi Lindsay,<br /><br />A lengthy piece which deserves more attention than I am able to give. That I am not able to do so is not that I do not have time, but rather that I do not have the knowledge readily available. Thus it is that I think I see where you are going here (what you say is familiar), but I wonder whether or not my understanding tallies with your words. <br /><br />For example, I would agree that one of the key aspects of true Christianity, and an aspect which needs to be revived, is an emphasis on contemplation rather than on meditation on the parables, or anything else come to that. However, I then must ask whether it is valid to separate Christianity from any other religious form of mysticism, or even an irreligious form. What concerns me here is the differentiation between Christianity and any other '-ism'. Why would one wish to set up and give life to such a duality? (or poly-ality?)<br /><br />I would suspect that a Christian is well aware of what it means to be a Christian. I further suspect that 'outsiders' might well have some sort of grasp of that awareness, whilst at the same time having no idea about liberal humanism, and that group would include me. I further suspect that the need to be separate from the other, opposing(?), group might well be a characteristic of liberal humanism rather than Christianity, unless of course the ego of the Christian set feels under threat!<br /><br />Re-reading the title of your interesting script, "How does a Christian differentiate himself from a Liberal Humanist?" leads me to ask why a Christian needs to differentiate himself in that way. Is there not the risk that in so doing he also differentiates between himself and his God, or ultimate reality, and thus sinks further into unreality?<br /><br />A good read, Lindsay!Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09028121782477111901noreply@blogger.com