so for a class i had to read a section of Plato's Great Dialogues. in this book contains Plato's cave theory (if you don't know what i'm talking about you should look it up, it's a good thing to know about)... after he explains his theory in a hypothetic situation, he applies it to real life, and i like what he says. i know he is in no way addressing Christians or expressing Christian ideas, but put yourself as a Christian in the place of "him"...
"Well then... do you think it surprising if one leaving divine contemplations and passing to the evils of men is awkward and appears to be a great fool, while he is still blinking—not yet accustomed to the darkness around him, but compelled to struggle in law courts or elsewhere about shadows of justice, or the images which make the shadows, and to quarrel about notions of justice in those who have never seen justice itself?" (316, Great Dalogues of Plato)
do you ever feel like you're squinting to see through the darkness, or fighting for "justice" that is nowhere close to the true meaning of justice? do you ever feel like a great fool when you're trying to explain True Love to someone who only has a notion of love yet never even seen love? sometimes i feel like screaming "but none of this is real! none of this matters when you've seen the true reality! you live in darkness yet I have seen the Light! you don't even know what Light is!"
yeah... philosophers have it half right a lot of time. it's odd, but helpful. even Plato had never seen the light... this passage was talking about the nature of education and culture, not about God. but his words are powerful when you put them in the right context...
ok... enough about philosophy...
John 1:6-13
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
go shine some real Light...
selah...
EM
4 comments:
I was already excited to be taking philosophy next semester, and now a little more so. The Christianity perspective totally fits, quite well. Great verse follow-up too!
I am so ready to get Socratic all up in here!
I know it's Platonic, but the poking and prodding part of me enjoys the Socratic part of life.
Oh and I dropped Philosophy because my public speaking class covers that area. I'm really grateful someone pointed that out to me or else I would have been wasting time and money.
I'm taking Theatre in it's stead....yowza.
Well,
Platonic reminds me of Plutonic, which reminds me of the periodic table (whether it's on there or not, maybe it's plutonium or something), which then reminds me of Na, and how it will be in Maryland next year, which in turn makes me happy.
But yes, your comment again proves my ongoing remarks about you being a nutcase.
Interesting thought...
Katelyn Snell
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