[Vision2020] Hope For Healing Pooh, Winnie The

Donovan Arnold donovanarnold@hotmail.com
Wed, 20 Aug 2003 20:06:45 -0700


<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>Put in on a Hallmark. </P>
<P>Donovan J Arnold<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;From: Douglas <DOUGWILS@MOSCOW.COM>
<DIV></DIV>&gt;To: vision2020@moscow.com 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Hope For Healing Pooh, Winnie The 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:11:48 -0700 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Visionaries, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Finally! Someone understands! Of course, it is my son who 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;understands, one who knows my quirks, like believing in right and 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;wrong, not in mostly right and kinda wrong, but nevertheless I am 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;encouraged to persevere. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Cordially, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Douglas Wilson 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;At 10:58 PM 8/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; In my years on this mortal coil, there is only one person whom 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;I have known to have the patience of Job. It's a handy trait in any 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;walk of life, but is especially helpful for such a locally loved 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;pastor. For the last year or so, or however long its been that my 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;father has been sticking his oar in this particular puddle of 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;vision, I have continued to be amazed, once again, at my father's 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;patience. It's not as if he profits from any of this, but for some 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;reason he continues his interaction, covering the same 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;philosophical ground repeatedly, and somehow still enjoying you 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;all, and the interaction. I grow impatient much more quickly, am 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;surprised at the continual fog that passes for secular orthodoxy, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;and leave despairing. He expects the fog, and does not despair. He 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;laughs and answers the same questions over again, only to have his 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;answers once again dismissed with such deadly repartees as "Logic? 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;I think not." or equivalent responses. Folks that he somehow still 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;finds amusing, and manages to enjoy, then poo-poo him because 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;that's what they're supposed to do. I wonder to myself "Are any of 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;these people thinking?" (Note to Mr. Courtney: Could you provide a 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;graph with projected cognitive ability among visionaries? Is there 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;a correlation with government education? A pie chart would be 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;nice.) and yet he is patient. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; I don't think anyone has taken more abuse in this little arena 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;than my father, and I don't think anyone could be less affected by 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;it. And so we come to the latest lap in the same old race: 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;Philosophical foundations of morality, specifically in regard to 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;homosexuals. I happen to watch, again, as my father wrote in a 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;basic question about moral epistemology, only using much smaller 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;words, and received the same old responses that pass for 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;interaction is these circles. And I can't help it, I have to try. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;"Maybe this time they will see it," I tell myself. My Eeyore heart 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;says otherwise, but I will try regardless. I will speak louder and 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;slower, like an American in Paris, in the hopes that something, be 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;it ever so small, might sink in. Of course I run a great risk 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;attempting this. I might be told that it is hot outside, and mommy 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;doesn't have time for me. That's always a dangerous rebuttal. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;Others will chose other ways to attempt to dismiss me. They might 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;try to pat me on my wee head, compare me to a dog, and ask if I 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;have other tricks. That one's used a lot in Philosophy of Religion 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;departments around the country, originally credited to Plantinga of 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;course. These are all dangers that I am willing to risk, and I need 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;to learn patience. This, simple, well ennunciated foreign language 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;explanation is about personal betterment, striving after patience, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;etc. Not that it will help. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; My father is against murder. Also racism, rape, torture, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;unlawful wars, etc. The funny thing is. . . he knows why he's 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;against them. He has faith in an ultimate and absolute Goodness. To 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;simplify: these things are bad because God made the world, He is 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;good, and He hates these things. They are against His nature, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;contrary to His will, and thus, these things will sicken any 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;faithful Christian. Now anyone can feel free to get all excited 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;here, scoot to the front of their desk chair and twiddle their 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;fingers in the air in the hopes of asking a sticky question about 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;the Problem of Evil (PoE). Despite the fact that the discussion 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;would be awfully interesting and highly intelligent, that's not 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;what this is about. The point is this: When my father says 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;something is evil, it means more than personal dislike. The 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;Christian believes that the murder of a Wyoming homosexual is 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;wicked, not as a matter of his own likes or dislikes. It is wicked 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;because an authoritative, all-good, Creator God hates it. How 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;primitive. Rape is bad because God said so. "Who's He think He is?" 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;you ask. Well, God. He did make the place. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; But before those of you who want to giggle snicker too much, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;let's move on to the relativist (secular orthodoxy) paradigm. This, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;if I say so myself, is one dumb worldview. There can be no 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;absolutes in this world. Absolutes are against the rules. All of 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;them. Absolutely all absolutes are fallacious. But I digress 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;already. People who are moral relativists are in a bind. Murdering 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;homosexuals is bad. Killing your English teacher, shooting 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;classmates, etc. These are all off limits. But here's the kicker. . 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;. why? Is it because anyone in authority said so? Or is your 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;morality based on nothing more than what you personally are 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;comfortable with? Ah, society has spoken has it? You want to go 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;with Kant and the old greatest good for the greatest number bit? 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;That's the ethics of gang rape, and all the picking on minorities 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;that filled our yesteryears. If you can't say why a thing is wrong, 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;then you have no right to say anything more than "I don't 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;personally like it," and the rapist can say "Who the hell are you?" 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;Epistemological foundations are necessary. As depressing as that 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;might be. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; Well, I'm off to paint the baseboards before my next my second 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;offshoot gets borned (due 9-11). No doubt the next forty-five 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;minutes of labor will reap greater fruit than the last. But 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;remember, it was all about me, and personal betterment. Perhaps now 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;I'm a little more patient, a little more like Pooh. Cheers. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;NDW 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt;P.S. And please accept my apologies for my Nieuwsma length. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;&gt; 
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<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
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