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Conclusion & Class Summary
(Week 5)
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Week One: The Ultimate Mind Trip
Topic Discussed: What is Truth and is it important? Is truth absolute
or relative? Ethics, morality, right and wrong are these things
living or fixed? If truth is important then do we desire it? If
not, why not? Consider this quote; "On a level playing field,
the truth will always win." Is this quote true? If all things
are equal, does the truth win? Are things in life equal or fair?
Week Two: There are no absolutes!?
Topics Discussed: Our postmodern world's maxim is that there are
no absolutes. "Do whatever works for you." "To each
their own." "If it feels good do it." "Yada,
yada, yada."
• Pros: Are there positive benefits to a society that embraces
this relativism? (Separation of Church & State, Public Education,
Pluralistic Society)
• Cons: Are there negative repercussions for such a society?
(Lack of order, consistency and stability)
Is truth absolute or relative? Ethics, morality, right and wrong;
are these things living or fixed? What is your response as an American?
What is your response as a Christian? Are they the same? Which is
more important? Is it God then Country or vice-versa?
Irony Board: In a digital age (binary - absolutes of 1 or 0) we
espouse a belief (postmodernism) that there are no absolutes when
it comes to morals or truth.
Is the Bible absolute or relative truth? Can you think of any
examples (from the Bible) that are relative? (Dietary Laws, Customs,
Culture) What about absolutes? (Jesus Christ, Sin, Forgiveness)
E.g. Palm Tree (Dualistic; stable roots, flexible trunk). Christianity
has adapted itself into cultures around the world. Has this been
a good thing or has it watered down the gospel?
"In essentials - Unity; in non-essentials - Freedom; In all
things - Charity." Is this a good Christian maxim? What about?
"Open Heart, Open Minds, Open Doors."
Week 3: "Truth is truth wherever you
find it."
Topics Discussed: We Wrestle Not? The battles that Christians
face are on three fronts.
• Self (we have a sinful nature)
• Society (there are worldly systems to keep us enslaved and
deceived)
• Satan (the least pervasive but most often blamed)
A good counterfeit will contain enough similarities to pass for
the real thing. The important thing to realize is that each of the
following does contain Truth. If it didn't no one would buy it.
The problem is that it also contains errors. Separating the wheat
from the tares is not as easy; however, as some would make it seem.
That's why it is a wrestling match and not an avalanche.
Some counterfeits that have tried and are trying to replace or
merely distract from Jesus Christ are Hedonism, Pluralism, Communism,
Socialism, Relativism, Materialism, Pantheism, Syncretism, Militarism,
Pacifism, Buddhism, Animism (Witchcraft), Romanticism, and many
many more.
An example of a counterfeit that is swallowed hook line and sinker
would be getting your dorm mates to eat a helping of cow dung. Given
to them straight up most students would not partake. However, if
you mixed the dung into a batch of fresh brownies few would not
partake.
How much deception is acceptable before someone is not a Christian?
Can someone be a sincere Christian while being sincerely deceived?
How do we respond to a brother/ sister that is deceived? Is everything
Black and White? Is there room for Gray?
Illustration: Traveling from here to the Ballpark. If you travel
due East you will need to make a minor modification and turn North
when you get to 360. But if you go South or West you will first
have to backtrack in order to be going in the right direction. By
our nature no man takes the shortest route, but some lines are straighter
then others. And some routes are just plain wrong.
Week 4: "Why all the fuss over Jesus?"
Topic Discussed: From the article "What are we to make of
Jesus?" Lewis gives us four choices. Either Jesus is a liar,
lunatic, legend or He is Lord. But the most common reaction to the
claims and proclaims of Christ is lethargy (most people don't care).
What is the opposite of love? It is not, as many suppose hate.
It is indifference. An example many unsaved (I was going to use
"non-Christian" but that is an euphemism that we use in
our indifference) people present is the annoying relative, neighbor
or coworker who is always "getting them down" by telling
them they are "going to hell." I wrote an article
in college once whose premise was simply "if you love someone
tell them they're going to hell."
How does your belief in Jesus make you different than non-believers?
Jesus never fit in and He said we wouldn't either. We're supposed
to be the square peg in the round world.
Brain burp: Consider these questions when you read the following
verses; are these verses to be taken literally, figuratively, neither
or both? Acts 17:28a, Luke 22:19b, Rom. 8:11, Eph. 1:22-23
Deconstruction 101: All matter is made of molecules. All molecules
are made of atoms. All atoms are made of electrons, neutrons and
protons. Physics tells us that there is much more space between
these parts of the atoms then the parts themselves. What gives atoms
their shape and "substance" are the forces that are created
by the movements of these parts. These parts are themselves made
up of quarks. The current string theory claims that the quark itself
is basically made up of forces and nothing else. What does that
mean if true? It would bring a new dimension to existentialism and
the Eucharist if you really think about it.
It also brings a new dimension to many Christians own experience
when they first receive Christ ("it's like a void in my life
was filled," or "it all just clicked," etc...) or
when we are in deep fellowship with Him. Something makes our body
shiver, like a divine current.
Week 5: God's Different and Higher Ways
(a.k.a. "On what hill are you willing to die?")
" ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts higher than your thoughts.' " Isaiah 55:8-9
Jehovah's Witnesses claim that since the Trinity doesn't make
sense it can't be true. Muslims claim that Jesus being the Son of
God is sacrilege since it could only have happened if God had sex
with Mary. And Jews don't accept Jesus because He didn't come in
the way they expected. While each of these questions if asked honestly
will, I believe, be answered, many times they are merely a front
built to keep the Truth at bay. Logic cannot rule us ("user
error"), nor can our senses (we can only "sense"
the four dimensions we are in - what about dimensions 5 thru 11?),
nor our emotions, etc...
That is why a part of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit which is
here to guide us into all Truth. One of the coolest things about
God is the fact that He is so simple (God is Love, God so Loved
He sent His Son) and so complex (reread the brain burp). Faith is
taking God at face value and believing Him. But God desires to reveal
to us the manifest mystery of His creation and His very nature.
However, He isn't about to squander this pearl on swine, which is
why He says that we will find Him, when we seek with all our heart.
Eg. In Heaven we will still discover, explore and create; all the
good things we experience on earth will be experienced in Heaven.
Creation is all about making us sons and daughters and NOT robots.
Why would that cease in Heaven?
Honest questions, will be answered, when honestly sought. If this
is true, then are we brave enough to ask the questions and be ready
for the answers wherever that may lead us? I find it hypocritical
to ask Muslims, JWs, Mormons and others to question their beliefs
in order to convert to mine, when I am not willing to question my
own beliefs. If it is True then what am I afraid of? (Do pray first
- The Holy Spirit will guide you and if there is no Holy Spirit
then no harm, no foul)
In Conclusion: What things do you feel are worth dying for? Once
answered then you now know what things are worth living for. Until
you have the answers to this question your life will lack focus.
When you discover what things are worth dying for (I have found
Jesus Christ, Truth and Others are worth dying for) then you will
have purpose and direction.
Contact info: philip@pfanstiel.com, home # 817-417-6747
Note: The intention of this study is to generate an inquiry into
Truth (which I believe is Jesus Christ the Son of God). I have not
intended to present error or heresy. If you believe parts or the
whole is heretical, put away your torch and fire off an e-mail to
me instead. I don't want to die in a civil war.
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