tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11516215.post3252646649960848620..comments2024-03-29T03:30:25.637-07:00Comments on Metacrock's Blog: No Will Greater Than May Own?Joseph Hinman (Metacrock)http://www.blogger.com/profile/06957529748541493998noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11516215.post-65789356959710571432011-06-14T05:32:24.321-07:002011-06-14T05:32:24.321-07:00excellent points Kristenexcellent points KristenJoseph Hinman (Metacrock)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06957529748541493998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11516215.post-90217744807109426062011-06-13T22:37:25.729-07:002011-06-13T22:37:25.729-07:00It's interesting. It used to be that everyone...It's interesting. It used to be that everyone understood the idea that the universe had meaning because its Creator meant it to come into being. But the idea that the universe is a purposed creation is largely lost-- and with it, the idea that there is no meaning that humans don't create for themselves, and therefore there is no meaning outside human subjectivity. <br /><br />From there it's only a step to stop seeing the creation of something, or a creator's purpose in creating something, as having intrinsic value. It doesn't matter what an artist intended a painting to mean; only what it means to <i>me</i> matters. So the thinking has changed to say that if there is a God, God's purpose for creating me no longer matters; what matters is what I mean to myself and purpose for myself, and God is being tyrannical for intending us to be anything other than what we intend to be.<br /><br />I do think God values individual freedom and the development of the creatures of their own free will, to realize their full potential-- but how can we say God is allowed no voice in what that potential can be? God is not being a tyrant to say, "Hey, that's not what I wanted for you; you can be so much better than you want to be."<br /><br />But it all comes from the loss of the idea of a creation purposed by a Creator, with author's rights over the work. The fact that the work consists of self-aware creatures with free will is important-- but this doesn't, in and of itself, erase the right of the Creator to have a purpose for the creation, which defines the parameters for what that creation should strive to become. <br /><br />It is not necessary to be a literalist six-day creationist, to hold to the idea of the universe as purposed Creation. Theistic evolution can also hold to this view. But I can understand how a view that removes God as Creator in any sense, also loses the idea that there could be any purpose or meaning in creation other than what we make for ourselves-- and with it, any sense of responsibility to anything higher than ourselves. <br /><br />I believe a moral sense is part of being human, and atheists are no less moral than anyone else-- but in this area of having a sense of higher responsibility to a purpose that exists whether we ourselves intend it or not, how can atheism help but fall short?Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08252374623355509404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11516215.post-81689094860221453752011-06-08T12:18:15.224-07:002011-06-08T12:18:15.224-07:00yea hey good to see you again! glad you dropped by...yea hey good to see you again! glad you dropped by. I remember you, hope you are doing well.Joseph Hinman (Metacrock)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06957529748541493998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11516215.post-75679028617765013232011-06-08T11:10:07.739-07:002011-06-08T11:10:07.739-07:00Discovered/rediscovered your website in doing a se...Discovered/rediscovered your website in doing a search -- good to see you're still going strong! I am going to take some time later to really read through your blog and see what's new.... <br /><br />Just thought I'd say hi for now!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />~~CherylLuckyCharmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08291789210051482976noreply@blogger.com