Evil at the Core
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- čas přidán 14. 10. 2021
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Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
My family and I recently went on a few hikes in the Rocky Mountains and there was one particular hike that was such a spectacle, in every direction you turned, that I was reminded of an anecdote that CS Lewis introduces in his book, the Abolition of Man, which, by the way, I believe is one of the most important modern books I’ve ever read.
He treats a scenario in which two people are observing the same waterfall and in which two people could have different responses to that encounter. You could say something like, “It is majestic, it is beautiful, it is sublime.” Or, you could say, I am experiencing sublime feelings, I am in awe.
And the difference between these two reactions, can reveal to us the very heart of human evil. Take any obvious example of evil that we can point to and you will find the same common denominator among them all - the same erroneous pattern of thinking and the behaviour that proceeds from it, is at the root of all evil.
This is what New Age teaches - me, myself, I, my truth, my feelings, my ego.
I stopped going to Protestant churches because all the pastors seem to make it about themselves. Thinking about Catholicism. I’m new here. Great videos.
We have invented our own Trinity...Me, Myself and I...Yes, evil is real!
You came close to decyphering the original sin, Brian: "you will be like Gods, knowing good and evil" - thus, God as an external "Object" was replaced by our selves as "gods" - that's how we switched off the light, and now live in darkness. Thanks, good video.
now we have a whole month dedicated to pride, and we wonder why we are where we are
Man Brian, you are always so freaking on point. I mean, it isn't too tough to call out what's wrong with out current society but you do it so eloquently and with such respect it is admirable.
My journey through RCIA was brimming with subjectivity until the RCIA team was replaced (which I unwittingly caused) near the end of my THIRD year.
It was Lewis, Adler and MacIntyre that unshackled me from the atheism of my youth. They showed me how warped modern morality had become. Looking around, you see a common commitment to determinism, relativism and sophistry. Everything ends up in solipsism. Everything is up for grabs. Look where it’s gotten us. Nietzsche, Ayers, Sartre, Benatar, Singer. These are the idols of today. Reject them. Go back to virtue.
Despite working a long day, 8AM-9PM taking care of others, it was nice to see a new video from you, as announced on Catholic social media. I was planning to tune to mindless entertainment, but this was the better choice by far. There is beauty in excellent reasoning. The best reasoning doesn't require a lot of brain power to follow along, speaking as an observer. There are no convoluted twists and turns of logic to turn a tired brain into a blob of jelly. This argument is a thing of beauty.
I just came across your fed with the podcast "I am struggling" the other day. I was astounded how you articulated all my feelings (and much more eloquently than I could). I fear I see too much of myself in what you are saying today so that will give me a lot of food for thought. Thank you again for being clear and concise.
On point. This (Christian) knowledge needs to be brought back into the mainstream discourse and value system.
And that is why “how does (x,y, or z) make YOU feel” is such a sad question.
Yes, I get "subjectivism," and even worse when it becomes a "moral relativism," but on the other hand, the waterfall is an inanimate, unconscious object. Evil can also exist in making it into an idol, admiring it for its power and wonder, treating it like an idol of worship - it, it, it - a pure "pantheism" of experience, rather than a realization of its creation and its Creator. Contrastingly, a person in whose subjectivity knows to raise his/her inner eyes to the Creator, it isn't necessarily evil to marvel and realize inner feelings of wonder, awe, and excitement. After all, whether subject or inanimate object, it is only the live subject who is perceiving either way. Hence, as the subject and the only one having the unfolding experience of the object, the evil is not where the subject experiences the object, whether subjectively or objectively, but what I do with that experience and how I order it in right relationship with all of creation (which includes subject) in God and in God's gift of creation to us.
That was truly excellent. You have a great insight into the topic and opened my mind to something I hadn't considered to the extent you presented it. Thanks!
Incredibly important message -- thank you, Brian. One of the greatest recent videos out there -- as you note, while subtle, this point is crucial for us all to recognize.
Exactly. Many people turn everything into it being about them . The participation trophy 🏆 generation . God Bless 🕊🙏🏼
This makes me think of another quote from C.S. Lewis: "The gates of Hell are locked from the inside."
I was just thinking yesterday how it is not science we worship today, it is ourselves. Science and biology have clear limits and boundaries but we have started to think that we can defy those, that we can be anything, like gods. Everyone else should agree to our version of the truth. How there seems to be no ultimate truth, right or wrong anymore, just "your truth".
God bless you Brian! The way you articulate concepts is amazing, I can't help but binge your videos.
Thank you Brian. Brilliant. Nice hike too!