I Need Help with Philosophy Class Questions

Homeschool Blogger--Eaglesnest ^ | 3/18/2013 | EaglesNestHome

[EaglesNestHome]

I need your help, answering questions for my philosophy class. How would you answer the three great philosophical questions of life: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?

Also, may I share with you the basic message of the Bible, as I have experienced it?

As a homeschool family, we’ve had to consider carefully what is most important in educating our children. Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic are important skills, but they will pass away someday. Ultimately, what really matters is what lasts forever.

Why would such a powerful, just God care enough about you and I to take the form of a man—Jesus, called Christ–come to earth and die on a cross to pay for our sins?

I asked this question, before I knew God. I have heard physicians say that dying on a cross is the most painful death imaginable. Even after many years as a Christian, I still can’t totally grasp God’s love, except to say that He has proved His love to me. Jesus is the only one who ever died to save me. He proved His love for each person–me, you, and everybody.

That’s my basic understanding of what God says in the Bible. Of course, there is much more, and I don’t know everything. Don’t worry if you don’t understand it all yet—we may not know everything about how a television works, but we can still watch it. So you don’t need to understand everything about God all at once, either, to know Him.

Here’s my own personal experience, that I share in the hope that it will help you. Although I believed in Christ at the age of sixteen, I also struggled with doubts and questions. Yet, when I believed in Him, I also asked Him to open my eyes (spiritually), and let me know Him. Decades later, I am still learning to know Him more intimately. After all, He is infinite.

In the late 1970s, my husband and I visited Cherokee Village, in North Carolina. We were visiting to learn more about Cherokee ancestors. While there, we had the privilege of listening to a native Cherokee lecturer. He related a story that you are not likely to hear anywhere else. When the European missionaries first told the Cherokee people about Jesus, they were met with several surprises. For one, the missionaries were greeted with open arms, and the Cherokee people immediately converted to Christianity, almost every one of them. The startled missionaries had to know why the tribe experienced such sudden conversions. The reason? The Cherokee had a story about a visitor, who when described, sounded remarkably like Christ. Proof of this story, to me, is the native Cherokee word which is almost identical to the Hebrew word for God. So God can do what He wants, but He proved His love on the cross. You can’t do any more for anyone than die for them.

Over the years of getting to know God, through His son Jesus Christ, I am learning that the Bible is a spiritual book, which God directed His people to write. God did not physically write it, but it is His Word, as if His people were taking dictation.

I wondered, if we are like ants to God, how can we possibly understand Him? We can’t by ourselves. That’s why people say all the time, “I can’t understand the Bible.” But we can understand some of it–the most important parts, and what we need to know now–if we ask Him to help us, through His Spirit. I am also learning that the Bible is a spiritual book–the Holy Spirit is how God talks to people.

I want you to know that God is calling you, just like He called me, and just like He visited (according to ancient Cherokee legend) the Cherokee. He loves you so much, that He was willing to die for you. You may not believe this yet—God understands. However, if you want to know God, you need to be willing to listen to Him. Would you pray a prayer every day? Just talk to God, in Jesus name, the way you would talk to a person. Every day, just ask God “God, help me to know Jesus.” Will you do that, because Jesus loves you? Do this, and be WILLING to believe (I didn’t say you have to have blind faith–I said you need to be willing to listen), when God helps you to understand. Simple, I know. Please let me know that you will do this, and write me when you can.

In Christ’s Love, Melissa Morgan, http://homeschoolblogger.com/eaglesnest/781930/ “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36)

[chris37]

Ah I didn’t mean to imply that you had mocked me or called me stupid.

I was directing that generally toward atheists who do this to people who believe in God, ridiculing them and such.

It seems to me that atheism is a belief system in itself, and those who subscribe to it are out trying to convert as many people as possible to it using tactics such as this.

While I do believe in God and that He is the Creator of everything, I generally do not subscribe to or practice any specific religion. I am more doubtful of what religion actually is.

Now certainly I could be wrong on this, but it seems to me that religion is a creation of man, and its purpose is to attempt to control the thoughts and actions of other men (and women).

I do believe that religion serves an important function in society in establishing a moral pillar, especially for children. Without it, people seem to go down the wrong roads quickly.

I have also had some personal experiences where I have come across some very corrupt people within churches, so that has also lent to my distrust of what the purpose of religion actually is.

Basically, I have come to what I think and believe through my own observations and life experiences. It has simply become impossible for me to deny that there is in fact a loving God, and He is without a doubt active in our daily lives. There is no other way for me to explain some events in my life. It just sort of boils down to the old saying -someone up there loves you.

So what I have is my own understanding of Jesus. Certainly it is likely flawed as I am flawed, however this understanding is what is important to me, wrong or not. I don’t like it when people say oh you have to worship Jesus exactly this way or else you will suffer negative consequence...I discount that utterly.

I love Jesus the way I love Jesus. I have come to this as a result of a great personal journey, it means everything to me, and I’ll not change it to suit anyone else.

[GeronL]

“Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?”

Philosophically speaking I am not sure the first question matters, we ARE here that is all we need to be sure of. Why? If we leave religion out of it, then I suppose it is to improve the human condition. Where are we going? Down the crapper of epic fail apparently.

[CottShop]

[[Now certainly I could be wrong on this, but it seems to me that religion is a creation of man,]]

Religion has always been an institution of God- even from the very begiining

[[I have also had some personal experiences where I have come across some very corrupt people within churches, so that has also lent to my distrust of what the purpose of religion actually is.]]

God will take care of thsoe people- Our faith is in God- not fallible man- It can be ‘traumatic’ runnign into such people- however, it’s important to realize we’re3 all sinners, and even as Christians, some will be worse than others- Whiel there are soem bad eggs, there’s also a great many good ones- Whiel some folks let power and privilege go to their heads, others give hteir lvies selflessly to God with no ambitions other than servign Him- Let these good type folks encourage you where the bad eggs have understandably dissallusioned you- (And just for hte record- we too have been stung many many times by ‘relgiious people’- it’s VERY hard to maintain trust in God when htis happens- beleive me we know- but it’s worth it- God IS faithful- even when it seems He isn’t at times)

[[I love Jesus the way I love Jesus.]]

A lot of peopell ove Him- but soem of them haven’t accepted Him as Savior- The only thing that matters is if we have humbled ourselves before Him, told Him we udnerstand that He and He alone died for our sins so that we may have etertnal life through Him, and not through our own works, and asked Him to be our Lord and Savior- Nothign else matters, not church, not relgioisity, not even love for Him- Unless we are born again, we will not see the kingdom of heaven- Not sure if Yuo have ever coem to this humbling position in life with Him, that’s between you and God and Christ and Holy Spirit- and is a personal issue between just you 4- If you’re not sure- I woudl just encourage you make sure- Eternity is a long long time- let us make sure we have it right now because there are no second chances after we die- God gives us a lifetime to humble oruselves before Him- if we choose not to- then we’ve had our chance-

[[There is no other way for me to explain some events in my life. It just sort of boils down to the old saying -someone up there loves you.]]

That He does, and He longs to get to know you personally IF you haven’t already

[chris37]

A number of years ago, I brought myself to beyond rock bottom.

I laid myself at death’s door. Jesus Christ picked me up and saved my life because He saw worth in it that I did not.

Without Him, I’d be long gone. I owe Him all that I am. I used to hate my life, but He Filled it with His Blessings. He took these actions because I prayed to Him and asked Him to guide me where I had become totally lost.

I really am at a loss for words to even describe what He did, but I’ll not ever forget, stupid as I am.

[Fightin Whitey]

Well it was a link from Drudge

That's a damn good one Al. LOL

[al baby]

Funny I thought it would have garnered much more of a response than your one and only reply I think it went over peeps heads

[MarkBsnr]

“Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?”

1) How can we eat?, 2) Why do we eat?, and 3) Where shall we have lunch?

NO ONE in the realm of Philosophy has answered any of those questions to the satisfaction of anyone ELSE in all the centuries that humans have been asking them.

Very good. Philosophy is the art of attempting to describe the indescribable; the art of trying to understand the infinite, and the art of selling to the rubes. The theology of God has man's future with God and the saints. The philosophy of man has man's future nothing and nowhere.

I will go with the Word of God, myself, whatever that means to philosophers...

[Fightin Whitey]

Their loss big fella.

Have a good one!

[cornelis]

The four great purposes are:

1) to please

2) to instruct

3) to seek

4) to worship

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"Where are we going?

Down the crapper of epic fail apparently."

Thanks for cheering me up with your deadpan and dead on humor.

[GeronL]

That is what I am here for apparently.

That answers question 2 for me personally I guess.

[CottShop]

[[He saw worth in it that I did not.]]

Sucks beign at that point eh? I can symapathize-

[[I really am at a loss for words to even describe what He did, but I’ll not ever forget, stupid as I am.]]

As long as you Asked Him to be Savior- it doesn’t matter how- If that happened, then I can tell you what went on- Your burden was lifted- it no longer was yours to carry- Christ took it upon Himself- that was the ‘turn-around’ you experienced- That;s an expeince noone forgets- As long as you understand that it’s wholly hthrough Christ that we are saved, and not through our own efforts b doign good works or abstaining from sin or whatever- then you are ifnact saved- It sounds liek you had your burden lifted by Christ- Sonds liek you might have coem to an understandign of His Savign Grace- Glad You’ve foudn blessigns through Him