More Wisdom from The Philosopher
In his discourse on friendship, Aristotle claims the following:
"In fact, each one loves not what is good fro him, but what appears good for him."*
Wow. This isn't a new concept, but to hear Aristotle say it really drives it home. This helps us understand sin. Why do I sin? Because deep down in my heart I actually believe that this will be good for me. This is not a conscious belief -- if I took a quiz, I would surely identify escapism or malice as bad. It is much deeper, in places I seldom go, places that I don't have the time or courage to look.
O God, change my heart in its depths -- help me to see You as good, that I might not sin.
* Nichomachean Ethics, Book VIII, Chap. 2, line 25-26.
"In fact, each one loves not what is good fro him, but what appears good for him."*
Wow. This isn't a new concept, but to hear Aristotle say it really drives it home. This helps us understand sin. Why do I sin? Because deep down in my heart I actually believe that this will be good for me. This is not a conscious belief -- if I took a quiz, I would surely identify escapism or malice as bad. It is much deeper, in places I seldom go, places that I don't have the time or courage to look.
O God, change my heart in its depths -- help me to see You as good, that I might not sin.
* Nichomachean Ethics, Book VIII, Chap. 2, line 25-26.
posted by Chris at 4:01 PM
1 Comments:
Cool quote man, i have some thoughts here, but they disappeared on me (i am still learning how blogging works).
Anyway, see you in a couple of days, where hopefully we will have a good time. I would really like to pursue the idea of spiritual warfare with you further, theologically and practically. For now, let me ask you this: what do you think about the possibility of their being "structural evil (evil concepts, ideals, agendas (& beings) woven into the foundational structures of societies)?"
I ask b/c it would seem that you definition of evil (pain and suffering) would be in tension with this concept. My definition (which i have decided would be: anything opposed to the God's Kingdom) seems to make better sense of this. What do you think?
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