Christian Theological/Philosophical Book Club discussion

Zaman - we're only allotted but so much space here. Main difference - philosophers don't understand science, but acknowledge it exists - theologians haven't quite come to grips with electricity.

You can be an atheist, theologian, scientist, or philosopher --- and be 100% wrong about almost everything.

It all depends on your understanding and value of human consciousness.

You can philosophize about shopping at Walmart - but a theologian will wonder what deity would tolerate it being open 24/7.

Philosophy is (or at least was) the handmaiden to theology. I find both very essential to biblical understanding.

Rod - does that mean that if I was a disciple of Freud and believed everything is 100% about sex, that I'd possess the key to heaven?

Robert wrote: "Rod - does that mean that if I was a disciple of Freud and believed everything is 100% about sex, that I'd possess the key to heaven?"

a professor was lecturing the students; let us easdrop on in : Class, there are two ideas about the Cosmos. #1 There is a God and there is perfect order in the universe #2 There is no God and any order is a matter of random chance. After a meditative silence, one student raises his hand : "Professor, which one do you believe in ?" The professor replied: I believe in Perfect Order 95%. Confused, the student replied. "How do you account for the 5%. Shit Happens !

G. Ha! Ha! As a scientist we largely believe that everything in the Arts (qualitative) is mostly random noise. Some is better than others (a triple front with 2.5 twists vs. a belly flop; Mozart vs. Katy Perry, etc.) but not deserving of consideration for explaining anything of consequence. So, in the Arts, Shit Happens is not only possible, we consider it the default. Conversely, accurately measureable things (quantitative) explain almost everything. Then it just becomes like Jeopardy - what was the question, again?

The way I understand these words, philosophy is the broader term. Adam Smith is best known for his economic philosophies based on his own studies of morality. John Locke and Machiavelli can both be classified as philosophers for their works concerning government. Socrates, one of the most famous of philosophers, has been credited as being the first atheist (of course, those might have just been words put into his mouth). Isaac Newton is also considered a “natural philosopher” who concerned himself with God’s Creation, but a lot of people think that, because his work was “science”, he cannot be a theologian. In the same way, when Einstein famously stated “God does not play dice”, it was not a theological statement; he was talking scientific philosophy.

On the other hand, Theologians are philosophers who are concerned with the nature of God and, more importantly, what God wants from humanity. Ask any philosopher what they think God is, what He wants to say to us, and how we can make Him happy, and if they answer, you’ve made them into a theologian. More importantly, ask anybody what they want from God—health, blessings, afterlife—and you’ve turned the topic from philosophy to theology. The difference is subtle, but it’s a night-and-day shift in focus—from a question of how we fit into God’s plan…to a question of how God fits into our own.

Philosophy is the science which considers truth. --Aristotle

What about the philosophy of "Anti-theism"? That would be the concept that God is so big, so vast, that anything trying to pose as our Creator, but in a humanly-conceivable form, is probably not the true Spinner of Galaxies. Considering what I've seen--even amongst the Christian world--of people being led astray by things that claim to be God but, when analyzed with half an ounce of sanity, clearly are not, I have to give merit to this argument.

Another difference between philosophy and theology: Has anybody ever killed in the name of Plato?

People mostly kill in the name of Atheism. Any REAL theist would sit back and watch a god do their own killing. (Like in the Bible)

Philosophies kill in the name of social humanism. No god needed... or religion tolerated.

Rod - I wonder if the post-Jesus God kills anymore or was that just a Hebrews vs. the "ites" thing?

No, He gets the American military or terrorists to do it.
If He needs something destroyed -- He simply gets the liberal democrats to do it.