10/30/05

Do you have Pleromaphobia?

I have come to lament the fact that so many of us seem so often to do our thinking with our hearts (or our guts) rather than our brains. We want to know if something 'feels' right much more than if it is coherent, consistent, or logically sound. I really think that part of the problem is our cultural education (not to mention our formal education). We want it now, and we want to experience it and be moved by it. Like the AT&T commercial that moves us to tears (or tries to). We want everything to be pre-fabricated, microwaveable, and available in a 30 second clip. Real, deep, and exhaustive logical thinking is so quaint, even suspect: surely it is some kind of manipulation? And we are too busy for that sort of intellectual investment anyways.

I ran across a blog (I haven't read enough of it to say whether or not I recommend it) apparently run by a Presbyterian activist that gives a nice word to the problem that I have been sensing:

Pleromaphobia: The Fear of Fullness
I’d like to introduce another word into our English vocabulary: pleromaphobia (play-row-ma-foe-bee-uh). It comes from the Greek words for fullness or completeness, and fear. Pleromaphobia is the unusual distaste for anything fully argued or completely stated.


We live in an age of sound bites and little snippets of ideas. Today, bumper stickers have to suffice for exposition, and emoting has nearly replaced thinking in all too many spheres—including Presbyterian governing bodies. These days, a brief opinion may be tentatively offered, but presenting a solid, well-conceived case is considered arrogant or presumptuous.We inhabit an era of pleromaphobia. People just don’t seem inclined to stick around long enough for a solidly stated, well-explained, thoroughly documented, masterfully argued, logically impeccable, fully orbed idea to be presented. They roll their eyes. They sigh and fidget. They lose interest. And finally they become suspicious, or even a little hostile, spouting things like “Methinks thou protesteth too much.”

taken from: http://jimberkley.blogspot.com/

So, what can we do to reverse this trend? I have a couple of suggestions:
1) Pay attention, that is, listen attentively and analytically (or 'critically' as they like to say around here) to what we and others (and the commercials!) are saying
2) Take a logic class 0r at least read a logic textbook
3) Read Plato's "Republic" (or at least in it) before you dare to advance any political opinions
4) Be patient, do your homework, only speak when you know something of what you are talking about
5) Teach your children how to think (i.e. make them take a logic class)

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10/24/05

What's in it for ME?

In my Evangelism class here at SMU/Perkins, we are reading a number of good books. In one particular book, Missional Church edited by Darrell Guder, there are some critiques of today's Church in North America much like those found in other books that are so popular among young enthusiastic Christians right now (I am unsure as to whether the popularity of such critiques is a good thing, or a symptom of yet a deeper problem in us - that is probably worth pondering).

In any case, as I was reading, I came across a very rich passage that I think says much of what I have wanted to say about the ways we have bought into our culture's values and then judged the Church and even the Gospel by them, instead of the other way 'round:

"North America's dominant culture reaches into the church as well. Church becomes defined apart from community, in terms of individual choice, individual morality, individual self-actualization, and individual decisions about where to obtain the best spiritual goods and services. All too typical is the woman who, after attending worship and disliking the sermon, asked her friend, "Now tell me, what did you get out of that worship service?" The woman was taken aback when the friend replied, "That's not a question I ask myself. I ask myself, 'Did this community of God's people worship God today?'" It never occurs to many people to define worship in terms other than meeting individual needs, or to put God rather than personal satisfaction at the center of worship." (p. 112)

One of the many reasons I became really intrigued by VERY traditional, liturgical, and sacramental worship is related to this attitude that I found in many more 'contemporary' churches.

I was tired of going to services that were designed to be 'entertaining,' or even 'user friendly'. I was tired of going to vendors of relgion who used all the latest techniques of the big buisinesses to attract the largest share of the 'market' and package the truth in hip and familiar ways - just like Starbucks.

I was ready for something that wasn't all about me and my feelings. I was ready for something communal, something bigger than me. I was ready for something that was awe-some, demanding, and holy - worship that was truly and obviously set apart from what goes on at the mall or the concert hall. And something that was actually not invented by Americans!

And most importantly, I was ready for something that is primarily about praising the name of the Trinity (most traditional liturgies from before the 20th century are highly Trinitarian) - praising Him regardless of what "I get out of it." That part ("what I get for me") seems to me very much beside the point of worship: rather we worship because He is Worthy. Period.

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10/2/05

Some Myths and Facts about Divorce

In debunking a few popular falsehoods (that is a nice word for lies) about divorce, Discovery Health tells us some facts that any Biblically-formed Christian should have already known in his gut (or better yet, his spirit):

Divorce is bad for children, even in (especially in) "low-conflict" situations.

Children of divorced parents are more likely to divorce.

Second marriages are more likely to fail.

Couples that co-habitate before marrying are more likely to divorce.

Couples who are experiencing marital difficulty who decide to 'stick it out' later report that they are much happier that they did.

I wonder if they tell people these things in pre-marital counseling?
Read the full article below:
http://health.discovery.com/centers/loverelationships/articles/divorce.html

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