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Revelation vs. Discovery

Revelation vs. Discovery. Big Questions. Every person is a religious being. A religious being asks the “big questions” Are we (humans) alone, or is there something greater than us? Comic books, science fiction, instincts say “Yes” Is there “another world”? A world after death?

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Revelation vs. Discovery

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  1. Revelation vs. Discovery

  2. Big Questions • Every person is a religious being. • A religious being asks the “big questions” • Are we (humans) alone, or is there something greater than us? • Comic books, science fiction, instincts say “Yes” • Is there “another world”? • A world after death? • A world of invisible “souls” or beings? • How did everything begin? • And why? • Who is God? Does he care about us? • Why are we here? What’s the point? • What are some possible answers?

  3. Big Questions • The answer to these questions are a mystery. • These mysteries are solved either by • Natural reason • We try to figure things out on our own using whatever information we can get • Usually relies on empirical data • Divine revelation • What we don’t know and can’t figure out is made clear to us • The hidden is revealed • Both • We use our minds to figure out what God has revealed to us

  4. Discovery • Natural reason can lead on to discover “god” • This discovery of “god” is made on the basis of • Empirical data • Looking at the world • Reflections on human psychology, human instincts and innate knowledge • Logical Reasoning (natural reason) • Natural reason, if rigorously followed, opposes • Animism and pantheism • Atheism • Agnosticism

  5. Discovery • Natural reason, if logically followed, reaches these conclusions: • There is an “Ultimate Being” or “Ultimate Reality” • The “Ultimate Being” is one, not several • Discovery may also conclude that • The “Ultimate Reality” is person (not “I) – monotheism • The “Ultimate Reality” is personal but detached and uncaring – Deism • The “Ultimate Reality” is a force or flow – theism

  6. Discovery • Discovery also leads to the conclusion that • Humans are “god” • Humans need to escape the material word to be “god” • When humans are “perfected” or “enlightened” they become “god” • True enlightenment is when a human loses himself in “god” • Like a drop of water in an ocean • Discovery reaches these conclusions from “the bottom up” • By mystical experience (looking inward, reflecting, meditating) • By logical reasoning (thinking)

  7. Discovery • Discovery, using natural reason, is the method used by the major Eastern religions • Hinduism • Buddhism • Daoism

  8. Revelation • Revelation admits that we can’t know what we can’t know • We learn partly by discovery, but mostly by being told • Example: We discover the round bouncy object, but someone must tell us that it is a ball • Example: We discover simple arithmetic (quantity, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), but we must be told about mathematics • Example: We discover our own selves, but must be told who are parents are and how we came to be • Revelation requires two things: • Being told what we don’t know and can’t figure out • Believing what we’re told

  9. Revelation • The JoHari window helps us understand the importance of revelation

  10. Revelation • Revelation of God works from “the top down” • God tells us about Himself • God tells us how things came to be • God tells us about ourselves • What we’re really like inside • Why we do what we do • The point of our existence • God tells us the goal

  11. Revelation • God must reveal Himself • Directly • Speaking directly to humans • Indirectly • Speaking through mediators • Specific humans (prophets) • Oral tradition (stories handed down) • Through events • Miracles • Omens • History (sacred history) • Sacraments

  12. Revelation • Revelation concludes that • There is one God • God is the cause of all things • God is a personal being (an “I”) • We are not God • We are separate beings from God • There is a “visible” world and an “invisible” world • Material dualism • The goal of life is to be in relationship with God

  13. Revelation • Revelation is what three major religions depend upon • Judaism • Christianity • Islam

  14. God Reveals Himself The Christian Understand of Revelation

  15. Word • God Reveals Himself through His Word • Logos • Torah • Pen-ultimately, the Scriptures • Old Testament: the curtain slowly pulls back • New Testament: the play is plainly shown • Ultimately, Jesus

  16. Scriptures: Old Testament • God reveals Himself in Myth • Fiction or non-fiction stories that explain origins • Origin of all things (Gen 1) • Origin of humans (Gen 2) • Origin of sin (Gen 3) • Origin of death (Gen 4-5) • Origin of second changes; the reboot (Gen 6-10) • Origin of languages (Gen 11) • God reveals Himself in Sacred History • History is told or arranged to point to God • Not made up, but told with God in mind

  17. Scriptures: Old Testament • God reveals Himself in types • Hints left, on purpose, to point ahead • Genesis 22 • God reveals Himself in Covenants • Adam (Gen 3.15) • Noah (Gen 9) • Abraham (Gen 22) • Moses & Israel (Ex 19 & 20) • David (2 Sam 7)

  18. Scriptures: New Testament

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