Steven Colborne's Blog, page 76

All Things Have Purpose

Welcome to the latest instalment in my Friday Philosophy series. Each week we look at a significant idea from a renowned philosopher from history. In recent posts we covered the presocratics of ancient Greece (like Xenophanes and Heraclitus), then went on to look at the Academics (with Socrates and Plato). This week, we’re covering the other great Academic yet to make an appearance – Aristotle.

Who Was He?

Aristotle (384-322 BC) is considered to be one of the most prolific thinkers in the history of Western thought. As well as being a groundbreaking philosopher, he was also a scientist, astronomer, and political theorist. I think the term polymath would be appropriate.

Aristotle’s thought has had an enduring influence on the history of religion. After his works were translated into Arabic in the Middle Ages, they influenced Islamic thought in Syria and the Muslim world. Later, due to the work of the famous Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle’s ideas were reconciled with Christian doctrine, and he remains an important figure in Catholic theology to this day.

What’s the Big Idea?

It’s difficult to draw a single big idea from Aristotle as his own philosophy taught that different approaches were necessary for different fields of study. But the big idea we will look at in this article is that of the purpose, or teleology, of created things. Aristotle believed that both living and inanimate things displayed the characteristic of being directed towards a certain end, goal, or telos.

Notably, Aristotle believed that teleology was built into nature, rather than coming from an outside force such as an intelligence or god. Because of this stance, his thinking is often contrasted with Plato, who looked to an immaterial realm to try to explain how we know what we know.

My Reflections

We often talk about things in the world as having purpose. For instance, I study so I can pass an exam, I eat so I can be nourished, I exercise to keep fit. Also, modern scientists tend to explain evolutionary biology in terms of a purpose, even if that purpose is mere survival.

All deep-thinking people try to establish whether there is meaning in life, and Aristotle, with his emphasis on empirical observation, realised from his studies of nature and biology that everything is happening for a reason. Where I might differ from Aristotle (and his beliefs in this respect are hotly debated), is that we need a God in order to explain why anything at all exists, and why change occurs.

I’m not sure what Aristotle would have made of my belief that every aspect of creation reflects the purposes of God being unfolded in accordance with His sovereign will, both in the microcosm and macrocosm. Teleology, I believe, depends on a power that is coordinating events, and I’m grateful that I’ve come to know that power is a living God.

Next week our focus on the ancient Greeks continues with Democritus, who is known as an atomist (all will be explained). If you’d like to receive an email each time I publish a post, please consider subscribing. Thank you for reading!

How We Got the Bible

In my efforts to better understand how the text of the Bible came to be as it is today, I’m currently reading a book entitled ‘How We Got the Bible’ by Neil R. Lightfoot. A passage I was reading today stood out, and I would like to share it, as I think it highlights a flaw in the thought of many Christians concerning God’s relationship with human beings.

In the ninth chapter of the book (p95), Lightfoot writes the following:

It is a fact that the New Testament text has been transmitted to us through the hands of copyists. It is also a fact that, since these hands were human, they were susceptible to the slips and faults of all human hands. It is not true, therefore, that God has guided the many different scribes in their tasks of copying the Sacred Scriptures. The Scriptures, although divine, have been handed down through the centuries by means of copies, just like any other ancient book. [emphasis added]

I find this reasoning to be problematic. If God was not involved in the process of scribes copying manuscripts, it is illogical to say that it is by God’s providence that we have the Bible in the form(s) it takes today. To take God out of the lives of the scribes is to remove God from the history of human activity and deny His ability to unfold the events of history in the way He chooses.

It would make much more sense to say that God is in sovereign control of His creation, and that He was in control of the copying process embarked upon by the scribes. That way, we can say with full confidence that when we are reading the Bible the words on the page are as God intended them to be. The fact that there are errors and contested readings is a part of God’s plan, as He doesn’t like humans to be perfect in every way all the time.

Theologians have a clear choice to consider. Either God is sovereign over creation and we can read the Bible knowing that we are reading the words God intended for us to read, or if we maintain that God was not guiding the scribes, as Lightfoot suggests, our confidence in reading evaporates and chance and circumstance necessarily come into the equation, depriving God of His sovereignty and depriving our modern Bibles of their authority.

Related post: God’s Grand Game

Related essay: An Almighty Predicament

Blog Spotlight (Apr 2018)

Welcome to April’s Blog Spotlight! Every month I select a small number of blogs that have been submitted to my Promote Your Blog page and invite you to check them out and support them. This month is a mixed bag – an established blogger, a philosophy blogger, and a newbie Christian blogger.

Show them some love!

1) The Burning Lamp

Hello, I’m Lisa Beth, I have two sites, both are grounded in my Christian faith. The first came forth from a time of betrayal, loss, and calamity, Crushed By God. As my life unraveled, my faith was deeply tested. The posts about anxiety attacks, depression, and disappointment are from this journey and are intended to encourage others to trust in God’s sovereignty and faithfulness.

My second site, The Burning Lamp, is a bit lighter. It includes testimonies of faith, current events, and even articles about animals and creation. “Can Animals Preach the Gospel?”…find out at The Burning Lamp!

Well, thanks so much for letting me share! May the Lord richly bless you all.

https://crushedbygod.com

https://theburninglamp.com

2) The New Stoa

Hello, I run The New Stoa. I explore philosophical ideas, current events, and things that generally interest me (mostly ancient philosophy, science, and sometimes personal anecdotes). The goal is to create a place which generates discussion surrounding these topics as I feel that active discussion trumps all other forms of knowledge acquisition whether it be writing about them or reading about them.

Creating and fostering a community geared towards the open and earnest exchange of ideas is my primary goal, along with sharing my own personal thoughts and opinions. Thanks for your time and consideration.

https://thenewstoa.wordpress.com

3) Walking on Unsteady Ground

Hey guys, my name is Katie. I am a relatively new blogger. My blog is designed for everyone who needs guidance, reassurance, advice, and someone to relate to. I have 3 sections: ‘Maintaining Steadiness’ which are lessons I’ve learned from daily scripture reading, ‘Walking Unsteadily’ which is about my daily life, and my newest section called ‘For the Alcoholic’ which is about my journey through recovery.

http://walkingonunsteadyground.wordpress.com

That’s a wrap! If you have submitted your blog but haven’t been featured in a Blog Spotlight, it’s nothing personal, it’s just that there are a lot of submissions and I’m not able to feature everyone. However, there’s every chance you will be featured in a future post.

I hope you are feeling full of the joys of Spring – keep in touch and God bless you!

Steven x

Free Will and Romans 9

In this post I’ll be looking at a passage of scripture from the book of Romans and offering some brief reflections on how this passage relates to the problem of God’s sovereignty versus human free will. By the end of the article you’ll see why I consider this to be one of the most fundamental passages in all of Paul’s epistles, and why it is drawing me back quite strongly to the Christian faith.

Here’s the passage I’d like for us to consider:

15 For God said to Moses,

“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,

    and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”

16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.

(Romans 9:15-23 NLT)

In my article entitled God’s Grand Game I set out my arguments in favour of a vision of reality that shows God in sovereign control of all events. I argued that God is unfolding a plan for creation in the same way that a puppeteer controls the puppets in a puppet show. From this perspective, I argued, we do not have free will.

Christians tend to vehemently defend free will, because it’s difficult to argue in favour of key Christian doctrines like divine judgment, the fall of man, sin, and salvation, if we are not genuinely free. However, I would like to argue here that in Romans 9 Paul writes in accordance with the view that all will is God’s will, and that we do not have free will.

While it might seem unfair that God would destine some people for mercy, and others for destruction, the thrust of Paul’s teaching is that we should accept this and not question God about this.

In the following brief video I expand upon some of the other scriptures that demonstrate God is in sovereign control of all events and that we don’t have free will. If there is a convincing case for this perspective in Scripture (and I believe there is), then I feel I would be able to make sense of the Christian faith, and reconcile the gospel with my fervent belief that God is the animator of all creation.

Sunday Summary | QOTW

Hello dear ones! This post is a brief round-up of my week in blogging, followed by a few personal reflections, and ending with a Question of the Week, which you are cordially invited to participate in

Plato’s Realm of Forms

Following on from last week’s Friday Philosophy post about Socrates, this week we continue our series looking at the big ideas of influential philosophers with Plato. A student of Socrates and founder of what may have been the first school of philosophy, the Academy, Plato is perhaps the most influential Western philosopher of all time.

Who Was He?

Plato lived in ancient Greece between 427–347 BC. Unlike many of the philosophers that preceded him, Plato left a large body of written works that we still have today, although the authorship of some remains in question. Perhaps Plato’s most famous work is The Republic in which he outlines the way the ideal state might operate. He composed many dialogues, including for example Phaedo, Meno, and Crito, in which he utilises the dialectic as a method of philosophical inquiry.

What’s the Big Idea?

Perhaps the most famous of Plato’s many influential ideas is that of the realm of forms. Plato believed that only that which is unchanging and eternal is real, and reasoned that while the phenomena we experience through the senses are fleeting and subject to change, behind every object or idea there must be an eternal form. So, for instance, the reason why we can conceive of a dog is that even though every dog is different, there exists within the realm of forms the ideal form of a dog, which is why we are all able to recognise a dog when we see one.

My Reflections

Plato’s theory of forms is significant as it makes us think deeply about why we are prone to categorise individual things into groups. There must be a reason why human beings are able to look at a thousand different beds, and recognise each one as a bed. My own theory as to why we have this ability is that a God exists who is working in our bodies and minds as we perceive things. The reason something makes sense to me is because of an impression in my conscious awareness that God has brought about in that moment.

In theory, I believe it would be possible for me to look at a dog and think ‘cat’, if God were to create that particular impression in my awareness. So while Plato believed objects have meaning because they share in an abstract realm of forms, I believe meaning is a manifestation of a God who enjoys order and likes to impress on our minds ideas about His creation with regularity.

We can note from our dreams, where sometimes the rules of nature and meaning are different, that things in our world don’t have to be the way they are. It’s all dependent on the will of God, who works in our minds to create certain thoughts and ideas in this single eternal moment, of which He is in sovereign control.

Next Friday we’ll be looking at a big idea by Aristotle, who was a student of Plato and would prove to be a huge influence on Christian thought, particularly in the Roman Catholic tradition. To receive an email when that post is published, consider subscribing. Thank you for reading!

Encountering a Cult

George’s memorial service drew to a close and an old school friend, Chris Jenkins, offered me a lift back to the home of George’s family for the reception. Twenty minutes or so later we pulled up and parked a couple of streets along from the house, got out of the car, and began walking up to the house. Other guests were arriving simultaneously, and I struck up conversation with a short and lively lady who was milling around.

After exchanging greetings, conversation quickly turned to George and how each of us knew him. The lady’s name was Priscilla. She told me how George had been on a meditation retreat not long before he died, and that she was a member of the same meditation group of which George had been a part.

We began talking about cancer (the cruel illness that had claimed George’s life) and I told her a little about my mother’s death and her battle with cancer. She began talking about past lives, a subject that felt quite alien to me, and remarked how George had been trampled upon so much in his past lives that even the powerful shaking meditation he had been doing in Bali wasn’t able to save his life.

Priscilla described a spiritual experience that she had been going through recently involving being burned at the stake in a past life. She had been a witch. She had had to undergo torturous witch tests like walking barefoot on hot coals – it sounded so fictional and so far removed from any testimony I had ever heard before, and yet she spoke about it with such certainty and truthfulness.

Was I really standing in the presence of a lady who had been a witch in a past life? The thought was quite bewildering, and a little frightening. Priscilla said she’d like to introduce me to a few of her friends. I followed her through George’s house into the back garden, where everyone was tucking into sandwiches and drowning memories of George in alcoholic beverages.

Priscilla walked me up to three women who stood together in a semi-circle, eating their lunch. What I saw and felt when I stepped into the presence of these women left me gobsmacked. They seemed to be radiating an immense amount of what I can only describe as light. It was coming from them, and up and around and through them, almost like a forcefield. And indeed it forced me to stand rigid with amazement. I had never seen anything like it.

I exchanged the word “amazing” with one of the women, Sally, for some time (maybe we were amazed by a kind of connection we were all experiencing), and I was so shocked by what was happening that I didn’t know where to look, or what to think.

“Wow!” said Sally enthusiastically, as we stood looking into each other’s eyes, “a kindred spirit, for sure!” I took these words to be a great compliment, and they lodged firmly in my mind. Perhaps it was a boost to my self-esteem to think that I might be associated with these light-wielding women, and may even be a light-wielding person myself (In spiritual circles there is so much talk of light and enlightenment, and I was truly fascinated by the idea that I might somehow become enlightened).

I got talking to these ‘light’ women about my mother and about my background with George, and they told me about the shaking meditation they were doing, and how it was a wonderful and powerful way of removing emotional blockages. What they said held resonance with me, as through my mother’s battle with cancer I had explored the links between emotional and physical disease in some depth. My mother had introduced me to various proponents of Eastern alternative therapies, Deepak Chopra in particular, with his philosophy that drew on accessing deeper levels of oneself through meditation as a source of healing.

Sally said there was a shaking meditation group in London and that I should come along. It all sounded very exciting! She handed me a small card with a picture of a well-built longhaired Indian man on the front and the words ‘Om Swastiastu Ratu Bagus’. She explained that Ratu was the leader of this shaking meditation practice, and that he had led the retreats in Bali that George attended not long before he died.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later that evening I went for dinner in a local restaurant with a group of old school friends who had been at the ceremony that day. I tried to engage with the light-hearted conversations about what everyone had been up to and how we all were, but my mind kept flicking back to the ‘light’ women I had met at the reception, and the shaking practice they had told me about, and the picture of Ratu that I had tucked away in my bag. I was looking forward to the bus journey back home to London that night, when I could be on my own at last to chew over the experiences of the day and ponder what the significance of my introduction to Ratu Bagus might be.

The above piece is an extract from my book The Philosophy of a Mad Man, in which I recall my spiritual journey and how I eventually came to believe in Jesus Christ. For more information or to buy the book, click here. Thank you for reading!

First Encounters with a Cult

George’s memorial service drew to a close and an old school friend, Chris Jenkins, offered me a lift back to the home of George’s family for the reception. Twenty minutes or so later we pulled up and parked a couple of streets along from the house, got out of the car, and began walking up to the house. Other guests were arriving simultaneously, and I struck up conversation with a short and lively lady who was milling around.

After exchanging greetings, conversation quickly turned to George and how each of us knew him. The lady’s name was Priscilla. She told me how George had been on a meditation retreat not long before he died, and that she was a member of the same meditation group of which George had been a part.

We began talking about cancer (the cruel illness that had claimed George’s life) and I told her a little about my mother’s death and her battle with cancer. She began talking about past lives, a subject that felt quite alien to me, and remarked how George had been trampled upon so much in his past lives that even the powerful shaking meditation he had been doing in Bali wasn’t able to save his life.

Priscilla described a spiritual experience that she had been going through recently involving being burned at the stake in a past life. She had been a witch. She had had to undergo torturous witch tests like walking barefoot on hot coals – it sounded so fictional and so far removed from any testimony I had ever heard before, and yet she spoke about it with such certainty and truthfulness.

Was I really standing in the presence of a lady who had been a witch in a past life? The thought was quite bewildering, and a little frightening! Priscilla said she’d like to introduce me to a few of her friends. I followed her through George’s house into the back garden, where everyone was tucking into sandwiches and drowning memories of George in alcoholic beverages.

Priscilla walked me up to three women who stood together in a semi-circle, eating their lunch. What I saw and felt when I stepped into the presence of these women left me gobsmacked. They seemed to be radiating an immense amount of what I can only describe as light. It was coming from them, and up and around and through them, almost like a forcefield! And indeed it forced me to stand rigid with amazement. I had never seen anything like it.

I exchanged the word “amazing” with one of the women, Sally, for some time (maybe we were amazed by a kind of connection we were all experiencing), and I was so shocked by what was happening that I didn’t know where to look, or what to think.

“Wow!” said Sally enthusiastically, as we stood looking into each other’s eyes, “a kindred spirit, for sure!” I took these words to be a great compliment, and they lodged firmly in my mind. Perhaps it was a boost to my self-esteem to think that I might be associated with these light-wielding women, and may even be a light-wielding person myself! (In spiritual circles there is so much talk of light and enlightenment, and I was truly fascinated by the idea that I might somehow become enlightened).

I got talking to these ‘light’ women about my mother and about my background with George, and they told me about the shaking meditation they were doing, and how it was a wonderful and powerful way of removing emotional blockages. What they said held resonance with me, as through my mother’s battle with cancer I had explored the links between emotional and physical disease in some depth. My mother had introduced me to various proponents of Eastern alternative therapies, Deepak Chopra in particular, with his philosophy that drew on accessing deeper levels of oneself through meditation as a source of healing.

Sally said there was a shaking meditation group in London and that I should come along. It all sounded very exciting! She handed me a small card with a picture of a well-built longhaired Indian man on the front and the words ‘Om Swastiastu Ratu Bagus’. She explained that Ratu was the leader of this shaking meditation practice, and that he had led the retreats in Bali that George attended not long before he died.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later that evening I went for dinner in a local restaurant with a group of old school friends who had been at the ceremony that day. I tried to engage with the light-hearted conversations about what everyone had been up to and how we all were, but my mind kept flicking back to the ‘light’ women I had met at the reception, and the shaking practice they had told me about, and the picture of Ratu that I had tucked away in my bag. I was looking forward to the bus journey back home to London that night, when I could be on my own at last to chew over the experiences of the day and ponder what the significance of my introduction to Ratu Bagus might be.

The above piece is an extract from my book The Philosophy of a Mad Man, in which I recall my spiritual journey and how I eventually came to believe in Jesus Christ. For more information or to buy the book, click here. Thank you for reading!

Listen to my New Single!

Today I’m excited to be releasing song seven of the T.E.N. Project, my ten-song experimental music project. When I started the project, I had no idea what kind of songs I would produce, I just had a bunch of ideas recorded on my iPhone, and a simple home studio setup in my flat. The task has been to record ten songs in ten months, with each new song being released on the 10th of the month at 10am.

To read all about the project, click here and scroll down.

It’s been a wonderful experience so far, and today I’m delighted to bring you the latest song, entitled A Common Friend, which is a laid-back electro-rock instrumental. The song is built around the groove of the bassline, with ambient piano creating texture and atmosphere. It’ll sound great in your headphones, but I’ve tried to mix it so it sounds punchy even through laptop or smartphone speakers.

I hope you enjoy the song, which you can listen to on Bandcamp here, or alternatively I’ve uploaded the song to YouTube and it’s embedded below. God bless!

Music | Jenn Bostic

Good morning! I hope you’re all in good spirits and ready to tackle the week. Every Monday I like to share a piece of music that has moved me or inspired me. Today’s choice is by an up-and-coming American country artist named Jenn Bostic.

I came across Jenn while watching the Christian TV channel TBN a few days ago. She was doing a session for a show called ‘Up Next’. The lyrics of her songs struck me as very powerful, and her voice is very impressive too. The song I’m sharing was written by Jenn about her father who passed away when she was only 10 year’s old. It’s a moving tribute.

Let me know what you think of the song in the comments and I’ll be back with more music tomorrow as I release song seven of my music project. Enjoy!