That man has stopped all medication,
And it seems his mind's on vacation.
It wasn't to bright
He's no longer right
Cause now he sees hallucination!

Since I can't write with impunity,
In Twitter and Facebook community,
I'll find a new place
Where none know my face
Return to Livejournal most hastily!

Yes... I did just use impunity in a limerick.

There once was a land full of zombies,
Who ate all of the thumpers and bambies.
Out of man meat,
They altered their beat
And found animals quite handy.

How can man be ontologically good, AND have a will that is good...AND STILL SIN!?  This doesn't make sense.  We are good in the sense that we were created by God, and He gave us some of His attributes...which we have horribly marred.

Ontologically means before evidence.  We are made from good to be good.  We are made to be good like the eye is ( Read more... )

Jeff, none of what is written below has anything to do with ontological vs. teleological reality.  You have demonstrated only that man is now fallen, not that man has changed ontologically or that man is no longer ontologically good.

Going on.  God told man, quite plainly (Genesis 2:16b-17) "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of ( Read more... )

As to baptism -- our understanding of "Original sin" does not sync.

So, man is good, but God gives us hell because we're good?  I don't understand this line of reasoning one bit.  Please help.

Ok, man is ontologically good and God has declared this.  If God says that man is no longer ontologically good (i.e. worthy to have his existence removed) ( Read more... )

I will start on the following point:

If humans are ontologically good (which, in my opinion, is a synonym for "basically good"), then how can ANY of us be damned?  If man is not able to change the nature of himself, then why did the Fall of Man do anything at all to anything?  God should've said, "Oh, you disobeyed me?  That's okay, b/c you're ( Read more... )

As to Biblical interpretation, the proper description of my views (and the Catholic views) of Biblical interpretation can be summarized thus:

1. Only an infallible interpreter of the Bible can infallibly interpret the Bible in a dogmatic way (this line is tautology but it works).
2. Infallibility is a matter of text and dogma not action and deeds.
   
3. ( Read more... )

I'm free every day but Wednesday at this point after 6.  I work in Paterson, and live even further North.  Perhaps we could meet by Aaron's or something though.

Before I begin, I will assert here that if a tradition or theological construct is at all inaccurate, it distorts the dignity of man.  If this assertion is correct (and I will contest ( Read more... )

Ever notice how (both in Mass and in S&T) there is so little, "God, I am a sinner, have mercy on me," in the music?  I think that's why the lyric "Prone to wonder, Lord I fear it, prone to leave the God I love" is so convicting.  Perhaps I am wrong, but I don't recall too many praise and worship songs which invoke the sinfulness of man (which means ( Read more... )