What you said about the language has some truth to it, but seems also to have an evil counterfeit in marxism that we have watched play out in our society. Changing definitions and meaning of words seems to be a great tool of the adversary. I have found that for every spiritual pattern and principle there is a counterfeit. Maybe this is one of those but I just can't quite seem to sort through it. If He is the way, then one people with unity and agreement
In him seems to me a good thing. It was a curse to confound the languages, not because they spoke one language that because they were trying to outsmart the consequences and reality of god's order. One of the ancient writings says they were trying to avoid another fland thand that there was more than one of these towers. I like that you are bringing up more questions than you are solving. Makes me think...
"Here's why I think all this is relevant to our conversation about the “irrational” element in our humanity. Maybe it’s not irrational at all. Sure, from inside any system, whatever’s outside the system looks irrational. But every form of logic has to take things for granted that the logic itself can’t prove"
Spencer, can you explain this in more detail? I'm Amish, and I think this might apply to how the Amish system works. If you scrutinize some of Anabaptist thinking, it doesn't seem to make sense to me. But for sure, it creates a healthy culture and mostly wonderful people. I think what Andrew Klavan said yesterday about Mormons can be used to describe my culture.
I guess it at least gets some sort of bed rock foundational axiom or principle right, even if as it builds from there, it gets many others wrong.
.... and so I suppose one could attribute the success to the mercy and grace of God, or in a darker vein the deceit and machinations of the devil keeping people in comfortable lies that seem to work but ultimately keep them/us blind; in a similar way to how the Pharisees built up the law. In one sense, it worked; and in another they cut themselves off from their own Messiah....
These are just my rambling thoughts in answer to your question.
Yes, I think the Amish have a great culture. But one of the tenants of our ideology is being separated from the world, no participation in politics, nonresistannce. Which separates us from the worst but also the best of Western ideas and literature. And the Christian church is seen as heretical after it was legalized in Rome, till the 16th century when Anabaptism was founded during the Reformation. We have our own printing presses and you will hardly find any classical literature, as it would be seen as misleading and unnecessary. If I read modern Anabaptist scholars, sometimes it seems similar to leftist thought, insofar as Anabaptists consider the Western tradition as mostly error. Hence the separation. If you find this explanation a bit confusing, check out Anabaptist Perspectives on YouTube.
I've heard the Amish don't have music, or don't have musical instruments. If this is true, what is the argument against them? I live in an area with a lot of (I think) menanites (I can't spell it), but don't know any personally and would like to hear your thoughts.
They think a person could become proud of how well they play a musical instrument, a form of prideful superiority and self expression. And one's voice is our God given instrument.
The Mennonites are an Anabaptist sect, similar to the Amish in theology, but generally more modern in their lifestyle. Although there are some Mennonites who don't drive cars and live as the Amish do. The Anabaptists, which includes the Amish and Mennonites, could be compared to the Jewish people, in how there are various degrees of orthodoxy and lifestyles. Hope this helps
What you said about the language has some truth to it, but seems also to have an evil counterfeit in marxism that we have watched play out in our society. Changing definitions and meaning of words seems to be a great tool of the adversary. I have found that for every spiritual pattern and principle there is a counterfeit. Maybe this is one of those but I just can't quite seem to sort through it. If He is the way, then one people with unity and agreement
In him seems to me a good thing. It was a curse to confound the languages, not because they spoke one language that because they were trying to outsmart the consequences and reality of god's order. One of the ancient writings says they were trying to avoid another fland thand that there was more than one of these towers. I like that you are bringing up more questions than you are solving. Makes me think...
This was a high-quality comment. I like the idea of an "evil" or "disordered counterfeit" and had not considered it before. Thanks.
"Here's why I think all this is relevant to our conversation about the “irrational” element in our humanity. Maybe it’s not irrational at all. Sure, from inside any system, whatever’s outside the system looks irrational. But every form of logic has to take things for granted that the logic itself can’t prove"
Spencer, can you explain this in more detail? I'm Amish, and I think this might apply to how the Amish system works. If you scrutinize some of Anabaptist thinking, it doesn't seem to make sense to me. But for sure, it creates a healthy culture and mostly wonderful people. I think what Andrew Klavan said yesterday about Mormons can be used to describe my culture.
Battle to the death! :)
Je ne sais quoi is the missing element in a closed system
At least Spotify will be the last to eat us as we listen to smooth jazzy vibes.
How does a system that seems to me to have some flawed logic produce such a healthy culture?
I guess it at least gets some sort of bed rock foundational axiom or principle right, even if as it builds from there, it gets many others wrong.
.... and so I suppose one could attribute the success to the mercy and grace of God, or in a darker vein the deceit and machinations of the devil keeping people in comfortable lies that seem to work but ultimately keep them/us blind; in a similar way to how the Pharisees built up the law. In one sense, it worked; and in another they cut themselves off from their own Messiah....
These are just my rambling thoughts in answer to your question.
Can you say more about what you mean here? I assume the healthy culture you reference is the Amish; what are the flaws you see in its logic?
Yes, I think the Amish have a great culture. But one of the tenants of our ideology is being separated from the world, no participation in politics, nonresistannce. Which separates us from the worst but also the best of Western ideas and literature. And the Christian church is seen as heretical after it was legalized in Rome, till the 16th century when Anabaptism was founded during the Reformation. We have our own printing presses and you will hardly find any classical literature, as it would be seen as misleading and unnecessary. If I read modern Anabaptist scholars, sometimes it seems similar to leftist thought, insofar as Anabaptists consider the Western tradition as mostly error. Hence the separation. If you find this explanation a bit confusing, check out Anabaptist Perspectives on YouTube.
I've heard the Amish don't have music, or don't have musical instruments. If this is true, what is the argument against them? I live in an area with a lot of (I think) menanites (I can't spell it), but don't know any personally and would like to hear your thoughts.
They think a person could become proud of how well they play a musical instrument, a form of prideful superiority and self expression. And one's voice is our God given instrument.
The Mennonites are an Anabaptist sect, similar to the Amish in theology, but generally more modern in their lifestyle. Although there are some Mennonites who don't drive cars and live as the Amish do. The Anabaptists, which includes the Amish and Mennonites, could be compared to the Jewish people, in how there are various degrees of orthodoxy and lifestyles. Hope this helps