Orthodoxy
I'm listening to G.K. Chesterson's book Orthodoxy. He makes the point that Christianity is concerned with restraint of the passions. Stirner made that point, too. it is pretty obvious. Sex is fine, so long as it is procreative, and with the opposite sex in the confines of marriage. Have the passion, but in the right context. Food is fine, but gluttony is not.
Then there is that we are to do the will of God, not our own will. Yet we encounter all these vast situations in our lives, all these choices that we have to make. We have to earn a living so that we may eat and care for our families, but we can't devote so much time to making a living that we ignore our family through lack of time or exhaustion. We must care for the poor, but charity starts at home. We are constantly having to balance all these different things. As a result, we are constantly having to ask ourselves, am I doing the right thing? There is a constant introspection going on. There is constant feedback around us from all the different voices calling for our attention, the social order.
This is reality, and it is good. If we didn't have to constantly evaluate, where would be our free will? We would be a blade of grass blowing in the breeze. Where would be our striving to enter the narrow gate? Where would we have opportunity to show that we choose good if we are never challenged?
The complexities of our life offer us the opportunity to always ask ourselves "Am I doing God's will?" When we discern we are not, it gives us opportunity to learn and grow and strive toward that which is good.
Chesterson talks about our love of adventure. He said without choices and real consequences, no adventure would be possible. Life is our own adventure. It is glorious!
Then there is that we are to do the will of God, not our own will. Yet we encounter all these vast situations in our lives, all these choices that we have to make. We have to earn a living so that we may eat and care for our families, but we can't devote so much time to making a living that we ignore our family through lack of time or exhaustion. We must care for the poor, but charity starts at home. We are constantly having to balance all these different things. As a result, we are constantly having to ask ourselves, am I doing the right thing? There is a constant introspection going on. There is constant feedback around us from all the different voices calling for our attention, the social order.
This is reality, and it is good. If we didn't have to constantly evaluate, where would be our free will? We would be a blade of grass blowing in the breeze. Where would be our striving to enter the narrow gate? Where would we have opportunity to show that we choose good if we are never challenged?
The complexities of our life offer us the opportunity to always ask ourselves "Am I doing God's will?" When we discern we are not, it gives us opportunity to learn and grow and strive toward that which is good.
Chesterson talks about our love of adventure. He said without choices and real consequences, no adventure would be possible. Life is our own adventure. It is glorious!