An important idea in virtue ethics is the focus on character rather than rules or intuition.  One of the primary ways we begin to identify with good and bad character is through stories.  According to William K Kilpatrick, Professor of Education at Boston College, " Moral principles take on a reality in stories that they lack in purely logical form." 

It is on thing to say murder is immoral, it is quite another to see a film, read a book or even view a news story that highlights a vicious murder plot i.e. Schindler's List.  There is something of a deeper truth to our moral axioms when we see them played or lived out before us.

Michael Martin

TOTT

Week 4 begins!  I have a few thoughts in regards to the following ethical systems:

 Aristotle's Virtue Ethics: Of all the ethical systems I find Aristotle's most appealing, but I have a few issues with his system:

1. Aristotle believed what differentiates humans from animals was reason (i would agree), so to be a virtuous human would mean to reason well or reason with excellence.  Problem: What about love?  Not family love or sexual love, but the ability to even love (seek the well being) our enemies.  Would this not be virtuous or excellence?  Also, what if I am intellectually handicapped, or suffer a traumatic brain injury that impairs my ability to reason; am I now less virtuous? What if I reason poorly but love deeply?

Confucian Role Ethics: Confucian ethical system is like Virtue Ethics, but heavily emphasizes the relation/social nature of being human more than reasoning. To be an excellent or virtuous father depends on how I provide for and protect my family; to be an excellent or virtuous eldest son depends on how I honor my father and what kind of example I set for the younger siblings.  My virtue depends on how well I perform my social role in thought, word, and deed.  Problem:

1. Confucian ethics does not separate the individual from their role in the family and society, in fact, the state is considered the extension or the incorporation of the family. 
2. The parts have no value apart from the whole.  In my opinion the systems then become the source of value rather than the human beings that form the systems.  It is like the question "what comes first the chicken or the egg"; what came first the human being or the social systems we now inhabit. Are we born for a role, for society sake or are we born into society in which we are valued for being human?

Michael Martin
TOTT (Think on These Things)

Worry and the Future Part 1

I have been thinking about worry, and what I can do to control it's impact on my everyday life. Obviously as a Christian I am not suppose to worry because God has promised to care for me, but like a child, I sometimes wonder if my Heavenly Father really understands how I feel and what I need. This doubt leads to poor choices, poor health, and a poor spiritual life.

The thought occurred to me that this is why so many of us want to know the future and what it holds for us and those we love. Deep down we believe that God either does not understand or is unavailable, so we strive for what by our very nature we can never have because we are ultimately powerless (blessed are the poor in spirit).

The future is not ours to fully possess. We can plan, estimate, and even gamble, but we can never really know the future. Strangely on a purely logical level this has given me some comfort. If being human means limited knowledge of the future, then to search for what is devoid by my human nature appears to be a self contradiction, and a dissatisfaction with my very being. Worry becomes not just a spiritual problem, but an existential one. To worry is to wrestle against our humanity, and that may be why it can be so detrimental.

TOTT

Jonathan Edwards

"where there is a kind of light without heat, a head stored with notions and speculations, with a cold and unaffected heart, there can be nothing divine in that light, that knowledge is no true spiritual knowledge of divine things....If the great things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart." (quote in Gura, p. 130). TOTT

Rights and Gifts

"Isn't it freeing to think I am not a fist seizing my rights? but instead I am an open hand, gratefully receiving gifts from a loving God? Rights are about me; gifts are about us. Rights require law; gifts require love. Rights build walls; gifts open doors. Rights I cling to; gifts I share. Rights depend on government; gifts come down from God."
Dr. James Howell,
Myers Park UMC
Charlotte N.C.
TOTT

Holy Help

"What God requires of us, he enables us to do, so that in small measure we may reflect the virtuous and free character of our God." Augustine or Witherington? TOTT

In My Own Words

I have to be before I can do. TOTT

Constantly Constantine

Constantly Constantine Lyrics

It's all a vicious game a tragic joke A pointless twist of fate The sun will rise the sun will set All for it's own resplendent sake

But fools like you get mist eyed As you walk along the strand You claim your eyes can see eternity In a single grain of sand Seeking heaven in the ruins waisting away Believing life is but a dream That's why the world kills you constantly Constantine

Don't speak to me of love or tenderness Your notions of romance The moon will wax the moon will wane And there are those who would fall into a trance

See the stars in your hallowed sky A million poets strong Not a bleeding word is ever heard And the stars keep shining on Yet there you sigh all mystified staring at a rose As if your eyes have really seen That's why the world kills you constantly Constantine

Sooner or later You'll choose to be smart You'll see the world for what it is And not some sacred work of art Save yourself from certain hell Keep your head above your tender heart (your tender heart)

Seeking heaven in the ruins wasting away Believing life is but a dream That's why the world kills you constantly Constantine Constantly constantine

Constantine It's killing you It's killing me It's killing you Oh God it's killing me Constantine

-Gino Vannelli- "Slow Love" CD http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Love-Gino-Vannelli/dp/B000007QKB TOTT

Dark Night True Faith

I recently read of Mother Teresa's 50 year crisis of faith. It seems that for a difficult 50 years of her life, she could not sense the presence of Christ. Teresa had written confidentially to those she trusted in the Catholic Church about her lack of any emotional sense of God's presence or love for her. This is a truly remarkable confession when you consider the sacrificial and devotional life she lived towards Christ.

I in no way pretend to understand how such a woman as Mother Teresa could seem to have been emotionally abandoned by God; I am no shrink or theologian, but I do have a few opinions of the atheist who are having their way with this story. Christopher Hitchens said, "She was a fanatic, a fundamentalist, and a fraud". This may or may not be true , but I do not know enough about Mother Teresa to make a claim one way or another.

What I would like to point out is the pure hypocrisy of individuals like Hitchen's who take such pretentious stands against apparent religious hypocrisy while the whole time wallowing in their own duplicity. As a devoted atheist, I am sure that Mr. Hitchen's believes and accepts the painful fact they we are nothing more than meat, bones, and sensations, and that any sense of meaning or purpose we have in this life is ultimately a delusion. We are born, we eat, sleep, defecate, mate, and die. We are only part of a mindless evolutionary process that could abort at any moment.

If Mr. Hitchen's world view is correct, why does he fill his words with something that apparently does not exist, "meaning". So what if the poor are robbed by religious fanatics, what ultimate meaning in a 15 billion year old universe could a 70 year old organism possibly have? So what if MT ( as Hitchens's refers to Mother Teresa) had a dark irreligious secret, she was wired by the same irrational, mindless universe he was wired by; what makes him or anyone better than the other? Hypocrisy may just be part of the evolutionary show!

Christopher Hitchen's scathes MT with all the righteous indignation of a fire and brimstone, pentecostal minister. He laments MT's wretched treatment of the poor and rips the Church for it's impious inconsistencies ( and rightly so), but just under the skin of his march for the sacred truth is a man pretending that what he is saying matters because in the end Mr. Hitchen's knows it is all a fraud.

In a Times Online article entitled, "Christopher Hitchen's answers your questions on God, Life, and the Universe" Hitchen's was asked the following question "In the absence of a final end beyond this life, both for individuals and humanity, do you think that ultimately human beings have any either intrinsic or extrinsic dignity? If the latter, what is the source? Hitchen's response:

" I think I would have to hold it at intrinsic dignity, because we have no choice but to believe that is true if we want to continue co-existing. We have no choice but to make that assumption, even if it is subjective and even if it is mistaken: rather as it is right to treat all people as if they were all created equal, although they are not created equal in ability, talent, and desirability. It is good policy, as well as kind, to act as if that were the case."

So we have no choice but to believe something that cannot be proven by any scientific means, according to hitchens. Wow! We all have to live with a total lie if we want to live at all, and he calls MT a fraud? MT had a dark night of the emotional soul, but a cognitive faith in the existence of God. Even if her means of living this out were incorrect and hopelessly flawed, she believed that what she did had ultimate value and the poor she attempted to serve had value atleast her suffering faith was consistent and coherent.

Hitchen's calls us to the fraudulant world of atheism. You will believe you have meaning regardless if you don't because you have no choice (and he calls christians fanatics?). I will take a weak and foolish MT any day over Hitchen's ridiculous call to an absurd worldview.

TOTT

The Word of Faith VS. The Word of God

I recently read an article in the CRI journal on the current gurus in the word of faith movement, and I could hardly believe the garbage being peddled by these apostles of the almighty dollar. The teaching is so self-centered, you would think Christ was crucified just so we could live in luxury.

The one New Testament story that kept coming to my mind was what happened after Jesus fed the five thousand:

"Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Jesus rebukes the crowd because they are following him for only one reason, free food! They see Jesus as their messianic meal ticket. After he rebukes them, the demand he preform a sign, and the sign they seem to want is the repeat of free bread and fish. Jesus goes on to challenge their sensibilities:

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. "

It seems to me that Jesus is provoking their shallow discipleship in a big way! It is like he is saying (mockingly) "so your hungry huh, try this on for size!" He refuses their request for a free meal, but offers himself, and the result was the loss of many followers. Jesus is not interested in being our meal ticket, and if its only food we are looking for, then he is not the savior we are looking for.

TOTT

Part 2: The Thinking Man's Sex

It seems to me that western society is filled with hypocrisy when it comes to human rights (human value) and sexuality. On the one hand we believe that humanity has intrinsic dignity and is worthy of certain freedoms and protections, but on the other hand we use freedom to devalue the dignity that entitles us to our protection and freedoms.

For example: Pornography. Regardless of your belief about the rights of the pornographic supplier, model, or consumer, it seems difficult to make the case that pornography affirms the dignity of anyone. The supplier might argue that he/she is not forcing anyone to take their clothes off and to pose in provocative poses; the individual is well paid for their indiscretions. The model may argue that they are not ashamed of their body, “I am displaying the beauty of the human anatomy.” The consumer may argue that (they only read the articles) we are just admiring the beauty of the human anatomy, It’s only natural.

The problem with all of these excuses, valid or not, is they fail to address the real issue concerning pornography: The value of being human. The individuals who sell women and men’s bodies in magazines, t.v., movies, and the internet are not participating in displaying human worth and dignity; they are devaluing human dignity and worth. They offer up for consumption an inseperable part of what makes us human, our bodies. You might say it is kind of a sensual, virtual cannibalism. Bodies are exploited for nothing but self gratification by all participants. The pornographer is gratified with money, the model is gratified by the attention, and the consumer is gratified by the consuming.

There is nothing inhuman or undignified about being gratified, but gratification at the expense of anyone’s self-worth devalues everyone. The intent of pornography is not the satisfaction of artistic endeavor although a pornographer may use art to package their product; pornography has one purpose; to elicit intense sexual arousal.

Here is my question: Does a woman violate her own dignity when she offers her body for virtual consumption by anyone who can afford the magazine or video, and if more and more women offer their bodies so freely for anyone to mentally devour over and over and over again, how will society begin to interpret the purpose of the female anatomy?

TOTT

Job's Defender

I have this horrible habbit of really getting into a particular book of the Bible because of a certain subject, then getting excitedly distracted to another book of the Bible because of another important subject. I get around the bible quite a bit, but I would like to be a bit more of a slow and steady type of bible student.

I began to study Jude, and even purchased a commentary edited by Bill Witherington. I am enjoying Jude, but in the process I started thinking about suffering and had to start reading Job. Job is an amazing book of the Bible, and it is impossible to read without being deeply moved emotionally and provked to thinkning about the cuase of human suffering.

To make sure I actually make it through Job, I have been reading it to my sons before bedtime. I know its a bit strange for a bedtime story, but they seem to be enjoying the story, and asking questions about God and satan. While going over the first chapter of Job, I was struck by something I had never considered before concerning God's testing of Job: I have come to the opinion that God is not merely testing Job, but God is also defending Job against Satan.

Satan, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia is the, "greek word (from diaballein, "to traduce") means a slanderer, or accuser". In the first chapter of Job, satan slanders Job's integrity before God. He accuses Job of a superficial love for the almighty:

Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 'Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. "But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."

God is not wagering Job's soul with the devil (all souls are the Almighty's), God is defending Job's honor before the accuser. God has already told satan what kind of man Job is:

"There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."

God and Job are each being slandered by the accuser; Job's integrity before God, and God's judgement concerning Job have been visciously attacked. I am sure this has been obvious to many who have read Job, but before we are even through the first chapter we learn something important about slander, honor, and integrity;through the rest of the book we see what happens when the truth about ourselves and God's word are tested. In the end both God and Job are vindicated, but the cost of being slandered is sure a high one.

TOTT

Quote on Love

"How important really is the physical component, even in a good marriage? Well, many counselors today in our sex saturated culture will tell you its incredibly important especially if you want people to remain faithful. I wonder where grace comes into this sort of counseling? What of couples who very much love each other, but cannot, due to physical impairment or other reasons, share in that way any more? Have they become lovelorn? Are they in danger simply because they cannot express physical desire in one particular fashion? It would appear to me that the answer to this query is often no. Because you see, the real deep dimension of love involves something spiritual, it involves a decision of the will, it involves a conscious effort at deeds of loving self-sacrifice. This is love in motion, rather than love as emotion." -Ben Witherington- TOTT

Transformers: WOW!

I never have written a movie review and it is not something I would like to regularly do, but tonight is an exception. I just took my 11 year old son and his friend to see the new Michael Bay movie, "Transformers". You would not believe your eyes! These are unlike any robots you have ever seen in any media format (computer games, video games, t.v, or movies).

If you are looking for a well thought out plot, love story, or a movie that makes you ponder life's mysteries, this is not the movie for you; if you are looking for a movie that makes you feel like a 10 year old again, at the movies, Transformers takes the cake. I found my jaw dropping almost constantly during this film. The robots are seamlessly woven into the frames of this film, they are as real as the trees, streets, and humans they are saving or destroying.

It is 2 1/2 hours of pure adrenaline; non-stop robo-nerd fest. The action is spectacular. There is a scene where a scorpion like transformer battles American Soldiers in the Iraq desert. The realism of this metal freak coming out from under the sand, and chasing our brave heroes into an obscure village, rages with high-powered weaponry, humor, and boatloads of machine gun jets blasting and bombing the snot out of the evil metal machine.

Shia Labeouf was the perfect coming of age teen: infatuated with a girl out of his league, wants a car he cant afford, and advertises on myspace. He is funny and convincingly freaked out. In my opinion, the other actors are not worth mentioning because the robots are the movie, and Shia is their connection to the audience.

I plan on seeing this movie again with my wife and five year old son. Transformers is one of the reasons I go to the movies; to escape. I never watched the Transformers cartoons, but this movie made me wish that I had. There were many disappointments at the movies this summer, but this was most certainly not one of them. What a blast! Thanks Michael Bay for such a fun ride.

TOTT

The Thinking Man and Sex Part 1

"Unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality. " Reference : http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homophobia

I am a heterosexual male with neither an unreasoning fear or hatred for individuals who are attracted to the same sex, so according to the above definition I am safe from any serious mental incapacity. However, like some words in the the English language, words can be used pejoratively. In my opinion that is exactly the intent and purpose of this nocuous word.

The word 'Homophobia' serves only one purpose in the English language; to disparage and belittle persons who happen to think homosexuality is not the sexual norm nor a biologically sound equivalent to heterosexuality. I despise this word because it incapacitates rational debate on sexuality; it denies a person the right to have a rational opinion that may contradict those who are practicing homosexuals, or those who believe in giving homosexuality the same status and protection of heterosexuality.

There is nothing wrong with challenging the status quo opinions on any subject, but third grade name calling sheds light on nothing. Sex is a powerful force of nature and America's declining respect for the creative or destructive power of sex is indicative of our lack of serious thinking about human sexuality. I knew a woman who let her son ingest pornography on the internet; she had no problem with her boys masturbating at the computer as they watched whatever their imagination could type into the google search engine. I asked her if she understood anything about a males insatiable appetite for sex, and if she understood the sexual frustration those images would induce in her boys? Her response? A blank stare.

The problem with sex in the last 40 or 50 years is not that we are talking too little about sex, but that we are not thinking about our responsibility (socially or ethically) towards sexuality. Our civilization spends billions on exploiting women and men's bodies, and more and more we are treating intercourse like a handshake than a profoundly intimate pleasure and life giving experience. "It feels good, so it must be ok" is the new guide for sexual values. The word homophobe is not just about homosexuality, it is about how we talk to each other about sex; how we disagree about sex, and how think about thinking about sex. TOTT

Quote of the Day!

"A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth." G.K. Chesterton TOTT

To Be Liked or Not To Be Liked?

"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." -Christ- TOTT

Greater Than death

One of the profound truths about Christianity is that it does not deny the reality of suffering and death, it simply says there are greater forces in this world. God's yes to life, is louder than death's no. - Ben Witherington - TOTT

Experiencing God

I contend that the problem of sin is only solved when we solve, day by day, the subjective problem of fear, guilt, shame, anger and all the innumerable inner problems that we encounter as living, conscious, moral beings. Fear and shame and anger and hopelessness, the dread of existence, is only met by the immediate conscious knowledge of God. To know God in our experience is life. -Brad Hightower- TOTT

Hell

“Our real enemy is the attachment to sin, which can bring about the failure of our existence." -Pope Benedict- TOTT