tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post8138898821755449393..comments2024-03-24T19:55:32.537-05:00Comments on The View from This Seat: Witnesses of TruthLKSeathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-28584705352274188342010-02-28T17:50:35.780-06:002010-02-28T17:50:35.780-06:00A painful gap separates Truth from Witness. A mund...A painful gap separates Truth from Witness. A mundane example of this has roiled our justice system, as advances in DNA and other forensic tools have resulted in the overturning of numerous death penalty convictions. The weak link that failed in many of the overturned cases was eye-witness testimony. <br /><br />An eye witness can report what was seen, but frequently fails to correctly identify WHO was seen. We can have a mountain-top experience, and call it Jesus, but what value is that witness in a discussion with a non-Christian? Indeed, we can be quite skeptical of Catholic miracles, and Pentecostal tongues. I personally have equal disinclinations for Rev. Criswell's original autographs and Joseph Smith, Jr.'s prophecies. What exactly is our witness of the Truth?<br /><br />The DNA tests that overturn court decisions are not the result of a failure to believe in absolute truth. They are a result of a profound doubt of the abilities of witnesses. Hopefully this sad process will result in better protocols in handling eye-witness testimony in the future. So what can we learn on a religious level? Perhaps we need to learn something from the Hindus, where gods are manifestations, and faith leads down multiple paths. And perhaps we need to learn something from the sciences and the humanities, where we can begin to understand how various religions, our own included, succeed and fail. Not that this is a new process, prophets and philosophers have been doing this for thousands of years, all around the world. Do we have enough faith to put Christianity under the microscope as well?Craig Dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00033176451913108084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-24105147770979269492010-02-26T20:49:05.163-06:002010-02-26T20:49:05.163-06:00I do not believe that Truth and peace are mutually...I do not believe that Truth and peace are mutually coexistent. Truth is what it is, peace is an outcome. By nature, "the LORD is a warrior, the LORD is his name" - he will defend Truth.<br />St. Clement of Alexandria made the best philosophical appeal to peace I have seen - a lengthy comparative of the costs of waging peace and war.<br /><br />The "Love one another", seems to be directed at Christ followers. However, he also said "Love your enemies".1sojournernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-80514581784838278732010-02-26T16:30:52.525-06:002010-02-26T16:30:52.525-06:00Very uplifting and thought-provoking...a wonderful...Very uplifting and thought-provoking...a wonderful way to begin my morning in Japan!Gregory Hadleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09356963573996529946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-30628630908397879092010-02-26T10:34:56.713-06:002010-02-26T10:34:56.713-06:00The first response to this posting came in before ...The first response to this posting came in before 10:30 this morning. It was brief, and good:<br /><br />"Amen to those prayers!"LKSeathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.com