Disqus - Latest Comments for reibwo

Re: On Heaven and Scarcity

reibwo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:49:25 -0000

Daniel, thanks for your reply.

I was trying to get you to think more critically about what you were saying. Your response is interesting, but not helpful in the end. It simply can not be true that evil is only the absence of good. The absence of good, in the strict sense, must necessarily be some sort of nonexistence--does it not? To exist is an inherent good. Moreover, it is not evil for "a good" to not be present. I am not suffering from evil at this moment simply because every possible good in the creation is not extant and at my disposal at the moment, correct?

This gets to your point. Starving people suffer evil not because the food that is necessary for their joy and abundance does not exist (there is enough food in the world to feed everyone) and not because they need to feel starvation in order to know God (as your argument above--which makes God directly guilty of causing their suffering through "providence" in order that they may suffer and eventually come to know him through that suffering). Wesley is right about this. God can not abhor with one hand and author evil with the other.

No people suffer (from starvation for instance) because evil is committed by people in their hearts, mind, words and actions. Natural evil is also experienced by those at the mercy of circumstances beyond the control of any human. Both are tragedies worthy of lament or repentance, respectively.

Moreover, there is great reason to share even in abundance. Joy is one. And it is powerful. In the absence of evil joy and love still remain as primary motivators. What lover showers gifts and attention only because of "need"?

Now, as for the basic point...yes, I think Jesus still intended for everyone to give away everything to anyone in need....yes he really meant it.

Re: On Heaven and Scarcity

reibwo — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:52:16 -0000

"I know this is a novel concept for some, but how does one know goodness without evil?"

I run into this logic all the time and I find it appalling. How does the Trinity know "itselves" if this is true. Do you think the persons of the Godhead don't really know one another? Do you think God would have created you, or anyone else in such a manner that they would have to know evil before they could know evil somehow before they could know "good"?

I am tempted to think this is lazy thinking, but I hear it so often that I am now convinced it is something else. What leads you to this thinking?

Re: Democracy Matters: Discourse, Practice, Reality

reibwo — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:49:36 -0000

Love this post. Very succinct and cogent.

Re: Confessions of a Recovering Nationalist

reibwo — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:19:00 -0000

This is a brave post. Thanks for that. I am also curious what your positive feelings toward your country continue to be. I am sure you have them, as you seem to allude to them. Can you tell us more about those--even as you hold this tension against many of its actions?

Re: The Style of Subversion Part 3: Embodying God’s Love in the Empire

reibwo — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:07:38 -0000

Excellent post thanks. I wish I had more to add to it.

Re: Evangelism for the Ordinary Radical

reibwo — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:25:27 -0000

Nice post. Thanks!

Re: go as poor among the poor…

reibwo — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:52:14 -0000

Mark, I like this note. You show some subtle self-understanding (noticing when you have ditched the kingdom for Marx) and good critical thinking (seeing that the agenda of the left still lacks a telos without a vital connection to the Suffering God).

Re: Gandhi Was Wrong

reibwo — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:19:00 -0000

Brandon, I like the thrust of your thoughts, but think you have rather unnecessarily twisted Gandhi's words. Could it not be said that Gandhi has it exactly right and that each disciple should be so thoroughly immersed and melded with their teacher's desires and character that the change they want would, by definition, be the change that God would make in the world? That is a truer picture of what you've envisioned as I understood you.