In a dictionary, "absolute" and "relative" are defined, appropriately, in several conventional ways. In a good dictionary, you will find the basic definitions that I stipulate. From a close study of the previous etymological post, you should realize that my definitions are completely in keep with the original meanings and usages of these words. Please don’t try to read the words in my posts with you own, or the commonly accepted meaning. They are not wrong, nor is mine remote from them.
Here is how I use the words:
"Absolute," by definition: Completely removed from any connection, relation, link, or dependency on anything else, thus, completely (not absolutely) separate from everything.
There are no absolutes, except as a construct in the human mind. Nothing is related to nothing; every entity is related to other entities. Even God, the Christian God, the trinitarian God, is not absolute. The Father relates to and is dependent on the Son; the Father relates to and depends on the Spirit. The Son relates to and is dependent on the Father; the Son relates to and is dependent on the Spirit. The Spirit relates to and is dependent on the Son; the Spirit relates to and is dependent on the Father. Christianity is incorrectly categorized as one of the great monotheistic religions of the world. It is in a category of its own: trinitarian monotheism. God is, within God, relative: Father, Son, Spirit in eternal relation. God is, by his revealed character, relate-I’ve, relational (Love). The one God is the Divine Society.
The God of eternal love–Son, Spirit, Father in eternal relation–cannot be absolute. To affirm the absoluteness of God is to commit, perhaps, the greatest heresy of all time.
Whether you agree with me or not, please let me know if you misunderstand me.
[The goal of good writing is not that one should write such that readers would understand them; rather, they should write such that they cannot be misunderstood. Again, please help me by responding if what I write is not clear to you.]
"Relative," by definition: related to, involved with, linked to, connected of one entity with some entity other than itself. Relative also means, because in some way connected, thus in some way dependent on: situation in time, space, character, responses, and actions of others, immediate context, the kind and extent of the linkage. At least some of these, perhaps all, and probably much, much more.
We have much more to explore, as we have time, interest, and energy to do so. I’m going to keep on at it as long as I can. I see no prospect of running out of aspects of life that have not already been thoroughly explored.
About Me
- WRoark
- Professor of Christian Studies and Philosophy for more than thirty years. Author of Think like an Octopus: The Key to Becoming a Good Thinker. Now the blogosphere is my classroom. I am a contrarian, challenger of the status quo, a voice from a differing perspective. When I retired, I took off my watch, my shoes, let others answer the phone, and refuse to hurry, unless life is at stake.
1 comment:
WRoark said
'There are no absolutes, except as a construct in the human mind.' Which seems to, for argument's sake, say if humans would no longer construct absolutes there absolutely would be no absolutes... But after perusing some of your gathering mass of writing here in blogform, I have noticed that even you make the concurrent statements that God('s character) does not change but that God, as interactive agent, must change...
God, as love and forgiveness, does not change--although at points in my life,I have thought that perhaps He could not love or forgive me, having then to rely on promises He made in Scripture to reassure myself to the point where I can begin again to be relate-ive to God and view that facet of God which reminds me that as short as I am God is tall enough to reach me.
The essence of God as eternal must be unchanging but as personal is the master Tai Chi Domo even when I, perhaps as a Jonah-type, run the wrong way(can it be wrong if God allows it?)and so because God is depending on my reputation and skills and new found whale's refuse-like image, developed by my fleeing, to redeem a people to himself. Or am I reading into the writing of Jonah, (that Ninevah, being redeemed, must have been the Divine Intention all along, else why did hate-filled Jonah run?) that which was not intended, Is God so complete that I cannot singularly nor in human community fathom all that there is to God so that I think He has changed when that was who He was all along(a multi-faceted entity of whom I am only capable of a limited observation, for He is both too small and too large and just-right sized, too old and too recent and yet not yet here)?.
I cannot define God as continually changing without including that He is eternally the same!
Invigorating stuff you and Heraclitus--keep up the good work!
thanx
RobeFRe
Post a Comment