Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Knowing ...

A wise friend of mine shared this elsewhere:

I am fully persuaded that each person can know with certainty that there is God who is eternal. That knowing comes from communion with God. It is something each can find a way to achieve, and all will ultimately find that way. One person cannot prove that knowing to another; I see nothing to be gained by debate or compiling long lists of scriptures. We can joyfully share our testimonies and persuasions, but that isn't proof.

In science we can gather data through experiment and observation until we have evidence that something is true beyond all reasonable doubt. Such truths include the theories/laws/principles of gravitation, planetary motion, thermodynamics, evolution by natural selection, genetic transmission, and many others. Science is a way of knowing with a methodology we can all share. There are other kinds of knowing that cannot be achieved by common methodology. I can know that something is beautiful, but I cannot prove that to someone else. There are works of art that some know are beautiful and others know are hideous. One such knowing may seem to contradict another, but they do not. They are separate knowings.

There are many kinds of knowing. AISI all are secondary to the spiritual knowing that we must each come to in our own way. There is no way for any of us know what spiritual knowledge another individual knows. We do not use words in the same way in trying to convey our thoughts.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14)


Shalom, Dena

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