tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post4487559797475629647..comments2008-06-12T12:43:42.973-07:00Comments on life on the island: freedom?alison and naseemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10492939931956185246noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-48330299690277519432008-05-05T08:11:00.000-07:002008-05-05T08:11:00.000-07:00I would like to argue that selfishness is not a fr...<I>I would like to argue that selfishness is not a freeing thing, but rather something that enslaves. I see where we could pass it off as freedom--it is liberating to disregard what the world teaches as truth, but this is where it stops. Selfishness holds us captive in the respect that we become prisoners to our own worldview. When we can no longer look past ourselves, the world suddenly becomes a lot more limited and thus our ability to be relevant for the Truth fades away.</I><BR/><BR/>What does the world teach as truth? You seem to assume that the "world" has a coherence to it. I argue that it does not. It is a panoply, a cacophony.<BR/><BR/>I agree, however, that -- generally speaking -- we become prisoners to our own worldview. And this goes for Christians as much as anyone.<BR/><BR/>Can a Christian see a non-Christian as loving and selfless? I mean <I>really</I> loving and selfless, in the proper senses of the words, as a Christian would define them? If so, what might motivate such a loving and selfless non-Christian? It might just be possible that he can recognize what it means to do -- nay, to be -- good, and act on it. And if it is possible for him to do and be good, and to hope that others may do so as well, can that person be free, by your standards?<BR/><BR/>If he can be free, what need has he for Christ?<BR/><BR/>One final thought: If a Christian cannot see beyond his own worldview, how can he keep his own ability to be relevant for Truth from fading away?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16633758284833413372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-70726634797103206042008-05-01T13:09:00.000-07:002008-05-01T13:09:00.000-07:00Alison, that comment just shows me that you were r...Alison, that comment just shows me that you were raised right.DWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15289835085769028172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-54457143430587035762008-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:002008-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00i didn't know you were from cincinnati....i didn't know you were from cincinnati....alison and naseemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10492939931956185246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-39892659588572504302008-05-01T06:15:00.000-07:002008-05-01T06:15:00.000-07:00I want a seal who can bark my name.I don't know Bu...I want a seal who can bark my name.<BR/><BR/>I don't know Butchie instead!KABOOM!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16306261539105339963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-53733802908384150722008-05-01T06:12:00.000-07:002008-05-01T06:12:00.000-07:00Ali, only a good country person would know the ans...Ali, only a good country person would know the answer to your question. If you would've spent a little more time in the decompression chamber with Steve and Ned, you would realize that.<BR/><BR/>High five!karatechophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01697479573460811439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-37711024773089453852008-04-30T20:29:00.000-07:002008-04-30T20:29:00.000-07:00here is what i have to say back to karatechop/kabo...here is what i have to say back to karatechop/kaboom. bonus points if you know the original context. enjoy...<BR/><BR/><BR/>Science, on the other hand, has to assert its soberness and seriousness afresh and declare that it is concerned solely with what-is. Nothing – how can it be for science anything but a horror and a phantasm? If science is right, then one thing stands firm: science wishes to know nothing of nothing. Such is after all the strictly scientific approach to Nothing. We know it by wishing to know nothing of Nothing.alison and naseemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10492939931956185246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-38689110247213935872008-04-30T20:23:00.000-07:002008-04-30T20:23:00.000-07:00Alison, I would have normally read all of the post...Alison, <BR/><BR/>I would have normally read all of the post, but I got distracted, so here I am posting on your comment section. I think to paraphrase Jesus that in order to gain one's life one must lose it, and the last shall be first and since this Jesus guy who was the greatest became the least sets up the Christian Paradigm which is totally counter-cultural to the world's ideology. Ayn's philosophy crumbles in light of mutual cooperation i.e. trade and the like being a greater force in success for everyone, I understand the dilemma that trade can be detrimental, but thats because its not cooperative and humans are kinda wicked. To truly get ahead one must be willing not be complete selfish is what I'm trying to say... its late and past my bed time,<BR/><BR/>Have a beautiful day Alison and Naseem<BR/><BR/>-DudleyDudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13713189451708312252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-14313888581309243202008-04-30T19:33:00.000-07:002008-04-30T19:33:00.000-07:00Those people are a single person, and that person ...Those people are a single person, and that person would have everybody believe any worldview not based on scientifically verifiable evidence is as absurd as the stuff in their post. (So, the contents of their post is no more or less absurd than the stuff we're theorizing on here.)<BR/><BR/>Did I win the prize? (More importantly, am I a totally edgy intellectual now, too?)<BR/>rsrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13718241564876417659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-91783664211197416142008-04-30T16:36:00.000-07:002008-04-30T16:36:00.000-07:00who are you people...?who are you people...?alison and naseemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10492939931956185246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-20073733868937551402008-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:002008-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:00Just because the Easter Monkey hides hotdogs behin...Just because the Easter Monkey hides hotdogs behind the sofa, it doesn't mean we can't all still hunt for eggs. That's the tradition, People!karatechophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01697479573460811439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-29495253538623027172008-04-30T13:58:00.000-07:002008-04-30T13:58:00.000-07:00"karatechop" - you are an idiot. Alison spends a ..."karatechop" - you are an idiot. Alison spends a lot of time on this blog and you are ruining it for her. RUINING IT. Her mind is like a steel trap, buddy, and when she sees your post and figures out the hidden meaning she's going to be M-A-D.KABOOM!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16306261539105339963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-29024766043980824832008-04-30T13:23:00.000-07:002008-04-30T13:23:00.000-07:00Truthiness cannot be found in nature. It's not a ...Truthiness cannot be found in nature. It's not a natural phenomenon. I mean, where there's truth, there's fire and no level- headed Mormon is going to get tuberculosis from that!karatechophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01697479573460811439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-53174424975845325622008-04-30T06:43:00.000-07:002008-04-30T06:43:00.000-07:00dw is my mom.dw is my mom.alison and naseemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10492939931956185246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-57710976983560361632008-04-29T21:09:00.000-07:002008-04-29T21:09:00.000-07:00I feel like "love your neighbor as yourself" is a ...I feel like "love your neighbor as yourself" is a command that takes into account the way people really are: extremely selfish.<BR/><BR/>The assumption that everybody is abundantly, intuitively capable of self-love (no snickering, peanut gallery!) is built into one of the biggest commandments we ever received.<BR/><BR/>Or, to put it another way, if we didn't love ourselves, we wouldn't have to love our neighbors at all -- but we'd still be keeping this commandment.<BR/><BR/>hth<BR/>rs<BR/><BR/>ps - dw, do I know you IRL?rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13718241564876417659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-62115279645573950912008-04-29T20:25:00.000-07:002008-04-29T20:25:00.000-07:00Ryan, could you expound upon the idea that selfish...Ryan, could you expound upon the idea that selfishness and selflessness need to exist in a balance? I am afraid I will be unable to leave off the selfishness in this life but the goal would seem to be to subjugate that yammering voice to the one that invites me to "consider others as more important" than myself. I am just wondering what you are thinking of...(this is an honest question...i.e. no sarcasm here.)DWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15289835085769028172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-81148994318289779082008-04-29T17:50:00.000-07:002008-04-29T17:50:00.000-07:00yo Scott, if you are reading this, what is your pr...yo Scott, if you are reading this, what is your problem with AR (besides the militant atheism and doctrine of selfishness)? ;)rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13718241564876417659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-13468874650689510422008-04-29T16:58:00.000-07:002008-04-29T16:58:00.000-07:00Rather than rewrite the long-ass post I accidental...Rather than rewrite the long-ass post I accidentally deleted, I'll just say I used to be such a big fan of AR I was gonna name my daughter Ayn.<BR/><BR/>***<BR/><BR/>That being said, the Bible says "love your neighbor as yourself". <BR/><BR/>So, Christian philosophy acknowledges what AR and Rush Limbaugh would agree with -- that people are naturally motivated to take care of themselves like no other -- but it also proposes that selfishness and selflessness ought to exist in some sort of balance.<BR/><BR/>$0.02,<BR/>rsrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13718241564876417659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-21723334216405475572008-04-29T11:24:00.000-07:002008-04-29T11:24:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13718241564876417659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-44421464945319830462008-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:002008-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:00If there is truth in that saying, it would assume ...If there is truth in that saying, it would assume the existence of multiple gods, which you have capitalized to indicate their authority. But who among such a crowd has supreme authority if all are capitalized gods? Never heard the saying before, though.<BR/><BR/>I think Jesus capitalized best on this topic, Alison, when he said that "when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." This of course calls into question whether or not it is even remotely possible for you to give, as a broken sinner, altruistically. Is it possible to give in such a way as to not expect a reward of any kind, even the reward of "feeling good about yourself for having done something nice for someone else"? Or is there a cultural sense of "do not let the hand of justice know what the hand of mercy is doing"? Bruce Ellis Benson lays out this topic wonderfully in "Graven Ideologies." I'll have to let you borrow it, Alison. He discusses the moral economics of the BWS (using, e.g., Greeks, Kant, et al) and then introduces the way of Jesus.<BR/><BR/>The way Ayn Rand proposes carries, to me anyways, these hints of Nietzschean "over man" philosophy, wherein the self-absorbed life is touted as stronger. I sincerely enjoy that Abe Lincoln once said that while force may be "all-conquering," it's victories are "short lived."<BR/><BR/>And I don't know where I'm going with this anymore so I'm going to stop while I'm behind.Matt Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10144069373455386299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605368755655625449.post-87420844994320119042008-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:002008-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00Thanks for the warning. There is a lot of truth in...Thanks for the warning. <BR/><BR/>There is a lot of truth in what you are saying or trying to say. <BR/><BR/>There is also truth in the saying, “When God gives you lemons you find a new God!” <BR/><BR/>Personally, I have found that selfishness works to a degree. However, I also enjoy helping people. So there is a paradox. <BR/><BR/>The question you ask, “Is it worth it?” is a good starting point. Define “it” and then define “worth” and then you go from there.Jason Raschenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06047322043329558865noreply@blogger.com