[betty boop]

Those whose most certain source of knowledge is sensory perception and reasoning – those who do not have spiritual “ears to hear” - may receive the theory and extrapolate it as proof there is a natural explanation for everything and therefore Scripture or indeed any divine revelation witnessed by anyone is not real and not to be trusted. So for them, evolution may become their main reason to aver that God does not exist and thereby suffer the second death.

That seems to be the normal progression.... But jeepers, the flaw is in the first step — the expectation that sensory perception gives us an exhaustive picture of reality, and that reason itself has no limits. Both presuppositions can be shown to be false.

But if we want to embrace such notions, really, we're in tough "ontological shape" because our epistemology is faulty. As you point out, to reduce the world to the competence of the human intellect — to make man the measure, in other words — is to falsify reality. And thereby, to falsify one's own position in it.

I gather it is the persistent desire to live in untruth that causes one to suffer the second death....

Thank you ever so much for your beautiful essay/post, dearest sister in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

But if we want to embrace such notions, really, we're in tough "ontological shape" because our epistemology is faulty. As you point out, to reduce the world to the competence of the human intellect — to make man the measure, in other words — is to falsify reality. And thereby, to falsify one's own position in it.

I gather it is the persistent desire to live in untruth that causes one to suffer the second death....

Indeed. Thank you so very much for your insights and encouragements, dearest sister in Christ!