Are you a rational
person? Is it a term you would use to describe yourself to someone? Let's see...
First - ask yourself - do I agree with rationalism??? Is my own reason (rationality) what I fall back on? Is it what I "answer all the big questions with" so to speak...?
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Now that you have established whether or not you agree with rationalism. Let's examine exactly what it is...
"rationalism: a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions." (Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia)
It says it is "independent of sense perceptions" ... meaning the physical world, our physical selves, implying our reason is separate from the physical. To be simple let's call it spiritual.
Ok. This means - that "reason in itself" would have to be somehow separated from the physical. However, this makes no sense...to determine that one's own reason - that did not exist before you as a person did, is a determining factor in ANYTHING. At all. How can your own reason pre-exist you? How did all the other people get along before your rationality came along? Their OWN? Guess what, same problem, Their rationality cannot BE a determining factor in anything - and so on and so son and so on..............It cannot. Therefore, to assume that our OWN reason, is SEPARATE from the physical world, is basically, ludicrous. When examined closely...because of course it sounds nice pretty and smart.
Now that I have shown you how rationalism is impossible - would it surprise you if I told you that rationalism has been on the rise ever since it's "conception?" And that until this "rationalistic" movement...the entire world, basically, adhered to the belief in a God, or gods, a spiritual world of some kind. But, since humans have had longer to mingle in their sin - and fall farther and farther from God - rationalism does away with God and says "I am the decider." Obviously...people want to be the logical masters and judges, of their own lives. Sounds reasonable....................
"Who else is going to decide anything for me???
God??? What if I don't want Him deciding things for me?"
Well, it is not that it is decided for you....it is simply that it was decided BEfore you. Whether you believe it (with your "rational" mind) or not.
"OK, well, I don't believe in your God."
Did you conclude that with your rational mind as well?
See, it is not that I am claiming any higher knowledge by claiming to know the one true God. I am simply claiming HE is the truth, and that my rational mind is now subjective to His constant perfect state. Me subjecting to a higher "reality" (truth) if you will, is more "rational" than simply going with my own judgement for the simple reason that - it is my own judgement. Because my own judgement did not exist before I did, etc. etc...
Interestingly enough...rationalism is what brought sin into the world...
Genesis 3:1-4 "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” (note: the woman mis-quotes God - because God had said:: "“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”" God said SURELY. Not "lest" - meaning "for fear that" or, basically "you might" die...God said SURELY...Satan sees she has mis-quoted God so he uses this to deceive her..)
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (note: Satan correctly quoted God but added NOT in front of surely.)
Be like God. Knowing good and evil. Precisely what someone who subscribes to rationalism believes. That they know better than God if there is one - or there isn't one and they decide what they want to decide about what they want to decide. How can that be truth...?
Truth precedes the one who arrives at it.
God told Adam and Eve the blatant truth. Just like He has told all of us - that He came and died for our sins, and Jesus Christ (God Himself) was the atonement for all humankind. We were in an irreconcilable state (sinful humans in the midst of a perfect, holy God who cannot be in the presence of sin..) but GOD provided the payment that was sufficient for each and every human - so that no matter WHAT - every human being has the chance to be saved and have eternal life and communion with God and be perfected - matured. Knowledge unlike what we have here on earth. And...sinless. For all eternity. That is the truth, it preceded us, we can see in Genesis, the very beginning, references to Christ and His atoning sacrifice. (Ask yourself here, why Christ's innocent death is sufficient payment for our eternal souls - because yes, there is a reason. But that is for another time...) So from the very beginning, it has been about Christ - and the very end - will be about Christ. He is the Alpha and Omega - the Beginning and the End.
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good"
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 14:6
First - ask yourself - do I agree with rationalism??? Is my own reason (rationality) what I fall back on? Is it what I "answer all the big questions with" so to speak...?
------------------------------
Now that you have established whether or not you agree with rationalism. Let's examine exactly what it is...
"rationalism: a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions." (Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia)
It says it is "independent of sense perceptions" ... meaning the physical world, our physical selves, implying our reason is separate from the physical. To be simple let's call it spiritual.
Ok. This means - that "reason in itself" would have to be somehow separated from the physical. However, this makes no sense...to determine that one's own reason - that did not exist before you as a person did, is a determining factor in ANYTHING. At all. How can your own reason pre-exist you? How did all the other people get along before your rationality came along? Their OWN? Guess what, same problem, Their rationality cannot BE a determining factor in anything - and so on and so son and so on..............It cannot. Therefore, to assume that our OWN reason, is SEPARATE from the physical world, is basically, ludicrous. When examined closely...because of course it sounds nice pretty and smart.
Now that I have shown you how rationalism is impossible - would it surprise you if I told you that rationalism has been on the rise ever since it's "conception?" And that until this "rationalistic" movement...the entire world, basically, adhered to the belief in a God, or gods, a spiritual world of some kind. But, since humans have had longer to mingle in their sin - and fall farther and farther from God - rationalism does away with God and says "I am the decider." Obviously...people want to be the logical masters and judges, of their own lives. Sounds reasonable....................
"Who else is going to decide anything for me???
God??? What if I don't want Him deciding things for me?"
Well, it is not that it is decided for you....it is simply that it was decided BEfore you. Whether you believe it (with your "rational" mind) or not.
"OK, well, I don't believe in your God."
Did you conclude that with your rational mind as well?
See, it is not that I am claiming any higher knowledge by claiming to know the one true God. I am simply claiming HE is the truth, and that my rational mind is now subjective to His constant perfect state. Me subjecting to a higher "reality" (truth) if you will, is more "rational" than simply going with my own judgement for the simple reason that - it is my own judgement. Because my own judgement did not exist before I did, etc. etc...
Interestingly enough...rationalism is what brought sin into the world...
Genesis 3:1-4 "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” (note: the woman mis-quotes God - because God had said:: "“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”" God said SURELY. Not "lest" - meaning "for fear that" or, basically "you might" die...God said SURELY...Satan sees she has mis-quoted God so he uses this to deceive her..)
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (note: Satan correctly quoted God but added NOT in front of surely.)
Be like God. Knowing good and evil. Precisely what someone who subscribes to rationalism believes. That they know better than God if there is one - or there isn't one and they decide what they want to decide about what they want to decide. How can that be truth...?
Truth precedes the one who arrives at it.
God told Adam and Eve the blatant truth. Just like He has told all of us - that He came and died for our sins, and Jesus Christ (God Himself) was the atonement for all humankind. We were in an irreconcilable state (sinful humans in the midst of a perfect, holy God who cannot be in the presence of sin..) but GOD provided the payment that was sufficient for each and every human - so that no matter WHAT - every human being has the chance to be saved and have eternal life and communion with God and be perfected - matured. Knowledge unlike what we have here on earth. And...sinless. For all eternity. That is the truth, it preceded us, we can see in Genesis, the very beginning, references to Christ and His atoning sacrifice. (Ask yourself here, why Christ's innocent death is sufficient payment for our eternal souls - because yes, there is a reason. But that is for another time...) So from the very beginning, it has been about Christ - and the very end - will be about Christ. He is the Alpha and Omega - the Beginning and the End.
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good"
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 14:6
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