WoW 130: On the confusion of the modern world (Words of Wisdom)

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Words of Wisdom 130 on the

confusion of the modern world.

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One.

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Modern man is so confused He shouts to

stand up for his rights, but does not

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first shoulder his responsibilities

and carry others burdens.

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The most confused are

often the loudest critics.

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Those in the arena are often the quietest.

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2.

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Modern man is so confused he

has lost sight of the need for

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a fundamental knowledge set

of what it is to become good.

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He is blind to the realities

of right and wrong.

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Confused by justice

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and enraged by the need to be judged

by someone greater than himself.

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3.

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Modern man is so confused he thinks

relationships can thrive without truth, or

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that truth thrives without a relationship.

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Love and truth fit together and

must be lived out together for

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flourishing to be experienced.

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Quotes.

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"Recently, a pilot was practicing

high speed maneuvers in a jet fighter.

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She turned the controls for what

she thought was a steep ascent

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and flew straight into the ground.

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She was unaware that she

had been flying upside down.

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This is a parable of human

existence in our times.

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Not exactly that everyone is crashing,

though there is enough of that, but

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most of us, as individuals, and world

society as a whole, live at high speed,

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and often with no clue to whether we

are flying upside down or right side up.

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Indeed, we are haunted by a

strong suspicion that there may

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be no difference, or at least

that it is unknown or irrelevant.

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Indeed, in the current world of

accepted knowledge, one can't even

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know the truth of a moral theory or

principle, much less a specific rule.

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We are not primarily in a political

battle, nor is there at bottom some

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kind of social conspiracy afoot.

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But, quote, "secular

humanism" is an idea movement.

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Not the work of any individual, and

before it, as a whole, individuals

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are little more than pawns.

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The seemingly triviality and irrelevance

of the, quote, "merely academic",

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is a major part of what misleads

us about the power of mere ideas.

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By Dallas Willard, in his

book, Divine Conspiracy,

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.

"We have so persistently disassembled the power of the gospel that it is

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pardonable if those who judge of

it by us should doubt whether it

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is anything more efficacious and

inspiring than the pathetic guesses

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which adorn the writings of philosophy.

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By Canon B.

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F.

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Westcott, in his book The

Gospel of the Resurrection.

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Questions.

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To what degree do you complain

about, criticize, or condemn evil,

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rather than consistently create

what is good, true, and beautiful?

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Do you tend to err on the side of speaking

the truth, or focus on not having conflict

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and prioritizing a peaceful relationship?

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How can you move to more of a both

and today, rather than an either or?

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Use these questions as a journal prompt

and to guide your prayers this week.

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End note.

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When in doubt or confused, stay curious,

listen deeply, and take courageous

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responsibility to care for others.

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Live wisely.

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Josh