In Reply to: Re: Human nature? posted by anovagrrl on April 03, 2004 at 05:50:11:
Yes. The limitations of words like "see", "know", "feel" are almost sufficient but not enough. I can imagine that the meaning of words dissolve into another substance as they go further away from the philosophical side towards the spiritual side.
Revelations open a window to immediate knowledge. I think it was one of the early Christian philosophers (Aquinas or Augustine?) had a list of "Ways to know God" and one of them was purely spiritual.
While teachers can measure knowledge acquired through a lesson, it is normally about something close to the philosophical domain (plain ol' traditional knowledge). But spiritual experience is different. It happens at such high level that the use of traditional communicative tools are restrictive and incomplete. It is impossible to know or to see or to understand what two people "know" about something. The reason why that cannot be compared is because it is too close to the "spiritual" side of the continuum. And reason alone cannot reach it.
This is why the notion of a common God could result problematic because it can create serious dilemmas in the relationship between religionists and philosophers. Unless the structures given by religionists can address the concerns of those who can think beyond the boundaries of the religious structures, there will be very minimal or no communication between the two camps.
Something that interests me here is the effect in these two sides of the level of inflexibility and rigidity in individuals. I have a feeling that this is a critical factor in personal satisfaction. Those of us, who need to ask questions and understand, are already doomed to be unsatisfied until we find ways to move up our level of spirituality.
The other extreme is the conservative, rigid wing that never questions their values, ideas and experiences saving their wit for those who oppose them, sort of "Give me that good ole religion" and don't ask me about it.
That's why I trust more in those who ask questions than in those who have all the answers.