Andrew Sullivan is Certainly a Fine Writer
On the cover of the latest Time (October 9) is a chimp and a baby with the feature "How We Became Human." The idea is that since our DNA is 99% similar, us humans had to have made some evolutionary baby-step from apes. Okaaay. They do offer the gratuitous, "Well, we are different, too, in some ways." Interesting, though, how dogmatic the Darwinists are.
Which leads me to Andrew Sullivan's essay, which is a mere couple of pages after the ape-human story. He says lots of nifty things about Christianity and philosophy and some of those particularly thorny questions of life like "Who is God, really?" and "Does faith really mean anything?"
What I see is Time hedging its bets, saying, "Hey, we're really certain about this evolution thing, and that's because, well, we're the ones who really know, being scientifically-minded and all. For all you religious types, we just want you to be assured that if you get your faith thing wrong, that's okay because we're all on this voyage toward that land called 'Truth.' So we do admire you for your most earnest quest. You just keep on doing your thing there, and, yeah, good luck with that."
The key thing I wanted to point out is the quote from German playwright Gotthold Lessing that Sullivan approvingly cites at the end of his piece: "If God were to hold all Truth concealed in his right hand, and in his left hand only the steady and diligent drive for truth, albeit with the proviso that I would always and forever err in the process, and to offer me the choice, I would with all humility take the left hand, and say, Father, I will take this-- pure Truth is for You alone."
Oh my how Catholicist this is. How pukifyingly so.
The fact is (yes, I can be certain of this), God wants us to have what is in the right hand. To see it, taste it, revel in it, envelope ourselves in it, rejoice about it. He gives it to us in the person of Jesus Christ who is Truth Himself. To pick the left hand is to brashly defy--with a "humility" that is merely disguised as pride--a God who loves so much as to share Truth with those He loves. Really, what meaning is there in life if we didn't have that Truth?
The seasoned Catholicist-- who in his empty soul does know the abject despair of life without Christ-- thinks all he has is the search. He likes what is in the left hand because it gives him a convenient out when he jerks someone else around. He cheers when anyone asserts all that counts is being "on the way" there, because the jealousy towards someone who actually knows Truth is too unbearable. How much the Darwinist seethes over the genuinely enraptured Theist!
Here's the kicker: Who's to say that when we choose what is in the right hand, we don't then embark in the most joyous, thrilling, enchanting journey of discovery there is? Having Jesus does not mean we just sit together in a bare white room for eternity twiddling our thumbs. To take liberties with C.S. Lewis in his essay "Weight of Glory": Choose the left hand and you may certainly make mudpies forever and ever, quite humbly so I might add. Choose the right hand and get a holiday-at-sea with the most wonderfully devoted and engaging Host there is. Forever and ever, I might add.
Andrew Sullivan is a terrific writer, composing grand pithy operas to Catholicist Nation glory. But if you actually want to thrive in the Kingdom and not just "survive" in this civilization, then there is no question about it, you'd choose what's in God's right hand.
Oh yes! And make sure you're picking the correct right hand! I think the Darwinists are certain they've picked that right hand, but they haven't picked God's. Be careful telling them that, because they may punch you.
For a bit more on knowing Truth, go here.
Who is Truth?
Which leads me to Andrew Sullivan's essay, which is a mere couple of pages after the ape-human story. He says lots of nifty things about Christianity and philosophy and some of those particularly thorny questions of life like "Who is God, really?" and "Does faith really mean anything?"
What I see is Time hedging its bets, saying, "Hey, we're really certain about this evolution thing, and that's because, well, we're the ones who really know, being scientifically-minded and all. For all you religious types, we just want you to be assured that if you get your faith thing wrong, that's okay because we're all on this voyage toward that land called 'Truth.' So we do admire you for your most earnest quest. You just keep on doing your thing there, and, yeah, good luck with that."
The key thing I wanted to point out is the quote from German playwright Gotthold Lessing that Sullivan approvingly cites at the end of his piece: "If God were to hold all Truth concealed in his right hand, and in his left hand only the steady and diligent drive for truth, albeit with the proviso that I would always and forever err in the process, and to offer me the choice, I would with all humility take the left hand, and say, Father, I will take this-- pure Truth is for You alone."
Oh my how Catholicist this is. How pukifyingly so.
The fact is (yes, I can be certain of this), God wants us to have what is in the right hand. To see it, taste it, revel in it, envelope ourselves in it, rejoice about it. He gives it to us in the person of Jesus Christ who is Truth Himself. To pick the left hand is to brashly defy--with a "humility" that is merely disguised as pride--a God who loves so much as to share Truth with those He loves. Really, what meaning is there in life if we didn't have that Truth?
The seasoned Catholicist-- who in his empty soul does know the abject despair of life without Christ-- thinks all he has is the search. He likes what is in the left hand because it gives him a convenient out when he jerks someone else around. He cheers when anyone asserts all that counts is being "on the way" there, because the jealousy towards someone who actually knows Truth is too unbearable. How much the Darwinist seethes over the genuinely enraptured Theist!
Here's the kicker: Who's to say that when we choose what is in the right hand, we don't then embark in the most joyous, thrilling, enchanting journey of discovery there is? Having Jesus does not mean we just sit together in a bare white room for eternity twiddling our thumbs. To take liberties with C.S. Lewis in his essay "Weight of Glory": Choose the left hand and you may certainly make mudpies forever and ever, quite humbly so I might add. Choose the right hand and get a holiday-at-sea with the most wonderfully devoted and engaging Host there is. Forever and ever, I might add.
Andrew Sullivan is a terrific writer, composing grand pithy operas to Catholicist Nation glory. But if you actually want to thrive in the Kingdom and not just "survive" in this civilization, then there is no question about it, you'd choose what's in God's right hand.
Oh yes! And make sure you're picking the correct right hand! I think the Darwinists are certain they've picked that right hand, but they haven't picked God's. Be careful telling them that, because they may punch you.
For a bit more on knowing Truth, go here.
Who is Truth?
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