Subject: Re: [rw] Is Robert Weiss the only orthodox Christian?
From: brian@lpl.arizona.edu (Brian Ceccarelli 602/621-9615)

>I'm curious to know if Christians ever read books based on critique
>on the religion, classical text such as "Age of Reason" by Paine,
>or "The Myth Maker" by Jacobi. Sometimes it is good to know your
>enemy, and if you want to do serious research you have to understand
>both sides, and not solely the one and only right one.

Yes, one does.  I examined a critique of the Book of Romans by
I think, Benjamin Franklin once, a Deist.  I found it amazing that
Benjamin Franklin missed the whole boat.   I also have the writings
on Thomas Jefferson sitting on my shelf, and it is amazing how
much he missed.  I have studied Plato's Theory of Forms and 
Aristotelian Hylomorphesism.  What a pile of junk.  Jesus
makes Plato and Aristotle look like kindergardeners.  Psychology,
the id, ego, superego by Freud?  Elements of truth, but Jesus
explained it far better and gave reasons.

Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson are mere men.  They
can screw up the Bible just as well as any man.  I do not put these
men on a pedestal.  And if I remember T.J.'s autobiography correctly,
he thought Thomas Paine was the most unread man he ever met.

Here's some more circular reasoning to you.  Paul says to the Corinthians
that "that the gospel will be foolishness to the world, because it is 
spiritually discerned."  And so, people without the spirit of God haven't a
clue to what the Bible is saying.   From your point of view, that's
incredibly circular and convenient.   To me, it is mysteriously and supernaturally
bizarre.   I can see it, but you can't.  This is not arrogance on
my part.  Trust me.  It is as bizarre to you as it is to me.  But nonetheless,
it is a truth, explainable or not.

Are any of you color blind to red and green?  I am.  Remember those
dot tests they do at the optomologist's?  They put pictures in front
of you and you are supposed to identify the pattern in the dots?  If
your eyes are perfectly normal, you can see letters or numerals
embedded in the dots.  They are a slightly different color and stand
out from the background.  But if you are color blind to red and green,
you will not see anything but gray-shaded dots.  That is how a dot
test appears to me.  I do not see a pattern at all.

A normal seeing person will see the patterns.  And to him, I seem like a
total anomaly.  To him, I appear as if I am missing the universe or something.
It is hard for him to understand why I can't see anything
that to him is as plain as day.

That it what it is like with the Bible, the Word of God, to the believer.
The believer can see the meaning in the words.  I can see how the patterns
fit together.  There is such depth.  Such consistency.   But then, on the
other hand, I notice the non-believer.   He doesn't see it.  He thinks
I am weird because he thinks I am seeing things.   I look at him, and
say, "No, you are weird.  You do not see."   Then it is time for a sanity
check.  I go to another Christian and say, "Do you see this."  And
they go, "Yes.  It is an "X"".  And I say, "Thank God, I see the "X"
too."

It is truly the strangest thing.   It adds a little extra dimension to
the phrase, 

         "He will make the blind see, and the deaf hear."


I am glad that Jesus has enabled me to see.  I wish every non-believer
could see what they are missing.
