Kant on Freedom

Hence in a practical context (whenever duty is at issue), we understand perfectly well what freedom is; for theoretical purposes, however, as regards the causality of freedom (and equally its nature) we cannot even formulate without contradiction the wish to understand it.

Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason

On God

The starting point of our theological investigation is not whether there is a definitive proof for the existence of God (there can be no such empirical proof), but allowing that God exists, what can be definitively said about such a being.  We find, apart from the formal and thoroughly socialized subjective fantasies and wishful thinking of a great many people, that there isn't a hell of a lot.  We find the god of the churches almost undeniably does not exist.  This has been realized in the West for almost 300 years, and this by theologians themselves!  Where it hasn't been realized one continues to find the most powerful illusion at work, propagated by laypeople and theological upstarts, pastors and other parasitical people of "good intention" (at least initially), not to mention a programme of systemic indoctrination in the form of emotive collective music, sermons, and what amounts to religious self-help literature.

The strongest "proof" this God doesn't exist: He hasn't saved the Christians from Christianity.

Father God

The fundamental dogmas of Christianity are realised wishes of the heart; – the essence of Christianity is the essence of human feeling.  Feuerbach

 

I recently read something a friend wrote in which his experience of father was connected to his Christian understanding of God as Father.  This is a recurrent theme in Christian circles.  After a little reflection, however, it should be apparent how mistaken this is, or at least, how much wishful thinking goes into such comparisons.  God is perhaps the worst father that has ever lived.  It does more credit to my friend personally than to any neglectful, absentee father in heaven.  My friend may hold his son's hand when he is scared, but God is nowhere to be found when tragedy strikes.  The sense of God's "presence" that some Christians say they feel during troubling times is of course no more than wishful thinking or a heightened self-consciousness.. They attribute a divine quality to their own human feeling.  This kind of blasphemy from those who call themselves lovers of the truth never ceases to amaze and should have been stamped out with the paradigm shift inaugurated by Kant. 

 

On universal salvation

Note: the idea of universal salvation follows from a misunderstanding of God's love and grace. It is consistent in that it relates to a notion of God's infinite qualities, but it is not consistent with the teachings of Scripture.  The idea of universal salvation can only be found in obscure passages, and by following an interpretation already favourable to the assumption of infinite, unconditional, grace and love.  While one may argue humans do not merit this grace, this one nevertheless overlooks the fact that love and grace are conditional on God himself.  One's inability to earn grace does not equate to its being unconditioned.  It is still conditional on Divine will, and Scripture is clear that "who He wants to harden he hardens" and those he bears now with patience, so that later he may make his power and mercy known to the elect, he "prepares for destruction." 

How distasteful and horrifying some find this!  How shaped they are by a modern church culture that is itself shaped by a certain theory of parenting and school discipline, products of a liberalism now under attack.  To what lengths these Christians go to erase all hint of scandal from their faith in order to pay obeisance to their meek cultural god and season it with what they feel is more suitable to the delicate suburban palate. 

 

They don't see this for what it is:  a betrayal.

Aix-en-Provence

Près de La Ciotat, je suis tombé en amour ...

Marilyn

On this day 51 years ago a beautiful soul passed away.  Raising a glass to Marilyn..
Media vita in morte sumus.

"After-thought" by Tennyson

I thought of Thee, my partner and my guide,
As being past away. -Vain sympathies!
For backward, Duddon! as I cast my eyes,
I see what was, and is, and will abide;
Still glides the Stream, and shall not cease to glide;
The Form remains, the Function never dies;
While we, the brave, the mighty, and the wise,
We Men, who in our morn of youth defied
The elements, must vanish; -be it so!
Enough, if something from our hands have power
To live, and act, and serve the future hour;
And if, as toward the silent tomb we go,
Through love, through hope, and faith's transcendent dower,
We feel that we are greater than we know.