Oh, Christopher! I want to share these with a certain few people I know through the "interweb". Your word. Is that okay? Your wisdom, depth and knowledge far surpasses mine, if I had any at all until you. Keep writing it down - as much of it as you can. I love you, your mind and seeing another facet of your purpose.
Probably (re: your first point). Any set of principles is going to be an ideology. It's probably inescapable to ascribe to one ideology or another unless you're naturally, *instinctively* good and charitable and disciplined, etc. I think the point of my question is somewhere around how we deploy our ideology. I'm about to write it out and see if I can hit the target - if indeed there even is one.
I'm very interested to read your thoughts on all the "that" of your last big paragraph. I've wondered something similar about demons. Like, what if they're not hideous and terrifying because they're demons, but because they're angels?
I think that's probably it. You've probably heard that if we were to see an angel, or even a glorified human, you'd fall down and worship it. Demons are grotesque because they knew the Good and rejected it. Rejected Him. I mean, don't think about it too much, but can you imagine what kind of damage one does to oneself when one consciously, with full assent of the will, rejects what is perfectly good and holy? We see it with our own "pedestrian" sins - particularly when they add up over time. Our souls become mangled, which is often reflected in our bodies. All of us, in one way or another, wear the effects of our sins.
I know two things for sure: 1. I have little real understanding of how evil sin is. 2. I'm terrified of finding out. And maybe a 3rd: Dwelling on sin is a greased sled-ride to misery. Focus on holy things.
Oh, Christopher! I want to share these with a certain few people I know through the "interweb". Your word. Is that okay? Your wisdom, depth and knowledge far surpasses mine, if I had any at all until you. Keep writing it down - as much of it as you can. I love you, your mind and seeing another facet of your purpose.
Share away!
Isn’t practical wisdom an ideology too?
As to the stack form, so much more conducive to human thought than a book of passing faces or twitting away in short bursts.
Probably (re: your first point). Any set of principles is going to be an ideology. It's probably inescapable to ascribe to one ideology or another unless you're naturally, *instinctively* good and charitable and disciplined, etc. I think the point of my question is somewhere around how we deploy our ideology. I'm about to write it out and see if I can hit the target - if indeed there even is one.
I'm very interested to read your thoughts on all the "that" of your last big paragraph. I've wondered something similar about demons. Like, what if they're not hideous and terrifying because they're demons, but because they're angels?
I think that's probably it. You've probably heard that if we were to see an angel, or even a glorified human, you'd fall down and worship it. Demons are grotesque because they knew the Good and rejected it. Rejected Him. I mean, don't think about it too much, but can you imagine what kind of damage one does to oneself when one consciously, with full assent of the will, rejects what is perfectly good and holy? We see it with our own "pedestrian" sins - particularly when they add up over time. Our souls become mangled, which is often reflected in our bodies. All of us, in one way or another, wear the effects of our sins.
I know two things for sure: 1. I have little real understanding of how evil sin is. 2. I'm terrified of finding out. And maybe a 3rd: Dwelling on sin is a greased sled-ride to misery. Focus on holy things.