In some ways, I sometimes wonder if the first truth is story, the second is faith and the third is Empiricism. In this day of mis/dis-information, I wonder if the story and the faith in that story are needed to evaluate the empirical. I can't tell you the number of times I seen something stated as fact that without any other underlying i…
In some ways, I sometimes wonder if the first truth is story, the second is faith and the third is Empiricism. In this day of mis/dis-information, I wonder if the story and the faith in that story are needed to evaluate the empirical. I can't tell you the number of times I seen something stated as fact that without any other underlying information has given me pause. And down the road, my "gut" reaction, which is written against whatever is operating for me as "the story," is right. May would argue that the story is derived from what is observed to be true and then for the story.
Whatever the order of precedence, there is a three part interplay between these items. In AA's 12-Steps, we see this operation in play. "God as you understand God" is enough. What is important is that you agree that "humans have a slot in their brain that says 'put something larger than me here.' something is going to fill it." and it can't be me, or Alcohol, or drugs, or gambling or sex or any other compulsive behavior. I have seen countless people turn their lives around based on a "God as understood." For society to work, we must FIGHT against this idea that each of us belong in the slot for ourselves. Something/someone transcendent must fill that role.
In some ways, I sometimes wonder if the first truth is story, the second is faith and the third is Empiricism. In this day of mis/dis-information, I wonder if the story and the faith in that story are needed to evaluate the empirical. I can't tell you the number of times I seen something stated as fact that without any other underlying information has given me pause. And down the road, my "gut" reaction, which is written against whatever is operating for me as "the story," is right. May would argue that the story is derived from what is observed to be true and then for the story.
Whatever the order of precedence, there is a three part interplay between these items. In AA's 12-Steps, we see this operation in play. "God as you understand God" is enough. What is important is that you agree that "humans have a slot in their brain that says 'put something larger than me here.' something is going to fill it." and it can't be me, or Alcohol, or drugs, or gambling or sex or any other compulsive behavior. I have seen countless people turn their lives around based on a "God as understood." For society to work, we must FIGHT against this idea that each of us belong in the slot for ourselves. Something/someone transcendent must fill that role.