Amos / Draw Near

Well, thanks for the likes guys and gals, but I already follow you all already :)

Wholesome, edifying content: 5 likes Mildly spicy content: 100 likes Deal: If you post Christian / slice-of-life / nature / original stuff (& little politics), like here & I'll check out your feed for a follow. No follow back necessary. I just want to follow feeds like mine.

@dfziklag Reminds me of ed school, where we were taught that any bad behavior was from classical conditioning, and any child, no matter how disruptive, could be classically conditioned into good behavior.

I would say: The belief that all problems are amenable to solutions via engineering principles. If we can "just" find the right data, and smart systems or people to analyze that data, we can create a data driven solution to every problem. We tend to think of this as "the scientific outlook," but it's really closer to engineering--it doesn't matter why, for instance, "dark patterns" and "nudges" work, just that "we" can use them to shape people (and ultimately culture) in a particular direction "we desire." As the Fabian Socialist Window says, speaking of the Earth: "Remake it to the heart's desire." For instance, a couple of quotes from long ago now: My proposition is that the engineer, more than all other men, has created this new epoch and that the engineer, more than all other men, will guide humanity forward until we come to some other period of a different kind. On the engineer and on those who are making engineers rests a responsibility such as men have never before been called upon to face; for it is a peculiarity of this new epoch that we are conscious of it, that we know what we are doing, which was not true in either of the six preceding epochs, and we have upon us the responsibility of conscious knowledge. p167 You will have observed that of the six great forward steps taken by the human race as a race, five were enlargement of his physical powers and improvements in his material welfare, through conquests over the forces of nature, and the sixth of these great steps worked for his advancement by enabling him to preserve and distribute know ledge. Even that step probably had its greatest value in hastening the conquest of nature. So we must not be surprised to discover that progress is through knowledge of a material universe. p169 From: Harrington, John Lyle, and John Alexander Low Waddell. Addresses to Engineering Students. 1912. I really want to write a book in this area, how this general idea of progressivism has ebbed and flowed through history, and how it has interacted with theological movements across time ... but I just have it on my heart that I need a coauthor for this. I'm perfectly capable of writing a book (lots of experience), but it just ... seems ... like I should find someone to work on this one with. The two books here might help.

Me in real life, distracted from my re-reading because all the Augustinians are crashing out online like they just discovered this exists.

@fandompulse Still haven't seen it.

Now that it's been a few years, what are your thoughts on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny?

@spencer_askew He’ll keep digging in his heels, not because he’s certain he’s right, but because it’s an engagement farm account and when people push back it conditions him to post more of the same. I recommend ignoring or screenshotting.

Reaching back into the minds of ancient Christians is not pseudo-Gnosticism (lolwut). It is literally just contextualization. It is inarguable that modern people have a de-enchanted view of the world by default, and that disenchantment can infiltrate the way modern Christians read and understand scripture. It has all been de-mythed and made scientific…formalized like the Pythagorean theorem. *The Story* reveals much more than that, and it is a good thing to try and parse out as modern Christians.

@bucktoothstudio Yeah. If your theology rests on a very rigid and detailed systematic rooted in specific philosophical presups, reading Heiser is going to be hard on you.

@DrawNear_ 100%! This book is a TREASURE if you read it carefully as Heiser intended. One of his most powerful points was to let Scripture say what it actually says and don't try to over-systematize it to fit your model. I think he did a good job modeling that by just letting the text speak

My most significant Unseen Realm insight came not from what's in scripture, but from what's not in scripture. :) Heiser wrote, "Biblical theology should be derived from exegesis of the biblical text within the framework of the original context of those texts... any articulation needs to be defensible with respect to what the biblical text can sustain. If the text can’t sustain it, it shouldn’t be said. Once we know what the text can sustain, the truth assertions it asks us to believe carry authority." The Unseem realm showed me how to focus on what the text can sustain, not on tradition or extra-biblical assumptions. When I modelled this, I found that some of my prooftexts didn't sustain what I thought they did. That led to a more careful reading of the word, greater humility, and an increase in empathy toward those I disagree with, especially on secondary issues.

A warning for all of us: One of the most dangerous things about being in an echo chamber is not knowing you're in an echo chamber. It's why I read books like "From Heaven He Came and Sought Her." Criticism is fine, but don't base it solely on what your own group is saying.

This was turned in by an 11th grader. If I ask how many people died they look it up in AI and paste the answer without even reading it, so the "click and drag," while elementary, forces them to interact with the solution. That didn't stop this kid.

@ReformedCaio Thanks, brother.

This is about as vile as the Christless conservative yelling at leftist celebrating her successful and healthy delivery by saying, "Oh, but I thought you were in favor of abortions?!" Let's celebrate with each other when we can. We are brothers in Christ more than we are theological opponents. The celebration of a brother's good health update should not be a club to swing in favor of one's theological position. Whoever is running this account should be ashamed of this post and it should be deleted.

@teachthemx3 In my state, once a senior passes a certain number of unexcused absences, they no longer qualify for graduation. Administrators try to get around this by having students come in after the last day and sit in the cafeteria for six hours a day for up to 2 weeks to make up absences.

I have a senior on my roster who hasn’t attended my class a single day this semester. She showed up today for the first time. We have 7 days left before grades are finalized for seniors. My administrator just asked me to see what I can do to help her graduate. In case anyone here is a new follower, this is why I’m leaving public education.

To clarify, this isn't to say traditions are bad, any more than commentaries are bad. We can gain valuable insight from what others believe, and being exposed to what others believe helps us breach the boundaries out of our echo chambers. But if traditions and commentaries need to be explicitly sustained by the text, not by more tradition. This also doesn't mean that what is explicitly sustained by the text is always crystal clear. Sound interpretation is messier than we often believe, and we all possess strongly held error to some degree. Thank God for his gracious longsuffering.

@TweetHero2000 @lsanger We all have the right to disagree with each other, and Larry's response did come off as dismissive, but you have no idea what you're talking about here. Larry is probably the last person in the world I would call lazy, in theology or productivity. Have some grace.

@lsanger @DrawNear_ You are just lazy and I’m sure your theology is lazy too Laziness is a serious sin in the Bible

Michael Heiser made it cool for Christians to talk as if the Bible teaches many gods exist. I don't claim to know exactly what Heiser himself believed. But many of his followers cheerfully affirm polytheism and don't seem to realize it. Blog post dropped 👇

@XianMind Right there with you bro. Been fighting it for three days.

Today’s summertime beverage

@PhilYanda I do agree that a weaknesses in his writing was that he tended to stretch the ANE influence farther than what felt comfortable. "To the hammer, everything is a nail."

@DrawNear_ for example, is only one conclusion or application of ANE religion/ etc.

Heiser wrote, "There is evidence that suggests an original body of Mosaic first-person narrative that was later woven into the larger book of Deuteronomy." I don't have any issue with the books being completed in Babylonian captivity under the inspiration of God, and the idea that they were reacting to surrounding religions doesn't mean what they wrote wasn't inspired. For example, I wouldn't downplay prophetic poetry in the Psalms by saying "David was just reacting to surrounding enemies." And Heiser did believe that "weaving" was inspired: "God is, however, the ultimate source of the text of Scripture by means of His providential approval of the words of each canonical book as they existed at the end of the process of inspiration... The process of inspiration could include not only the initial composition of a biblical book but also any subsequent editorial work done on the text of that book prior to the recognition of a completed sacred canon... God oversaw any such process by means of providential influence in the decisions made by authors and editors so that the words of each canonical book met with God’s approval.”

@DrawNear_ If the books of Moses were actually written during the Babylonian captivity and weren't inspired by God in any meaningful way then it would make sense to think they were just reacting to the surrounding religions. Annus's work would be relevant.

@TexasHospitaler Thanks. Good input.

@DrawNear_ Yes, even in CoG, Augustine maintains a Sethite view (City of Man from Cain, City of God from Seth); however, he still holds a strong Divine Council Worldview, and calls the gods of Rome, lesser elohim.

@lsanger I was just referring to mine. 🤷

@DrawNear_ Thanks. But seriously, is there a way to respond to a dogpile do irrational comments that *doesn’t* sound reactive and defensive?

I read CoG in 2009 and I barely remember anything specific from it, but I do know that, contra Heiser, Augustine promoted the Sethite view of Gen 6. That being said, I’m pleasantly surprised at how many people who I thought would respond negatively are instead posting their appreciation of Heiser.

@DrawNear_ I wouldn’t even call them Augustinian, because his “City of God” he makes very much the same assertions as Heiser about the “Unseen Realm”.

@dfziklag Whats the progressivism + engineering mindset?

We have no idea how deeply the modernist mindset--progressivism + engineering--has embedded itself in our souls, nor how contrary to God's word this mindset is. I liked Heiser for this ... on the occasions I met him (we had a couple of mutual freinds before I was tossed out of the theological world), he was always gracious and interesting.