Luke 14:26 and Luke 14: 33

I have found it useful to sometimes focus on general principles rather than specific and then applying the specifics to the general. For example, if detachment is taken as to be able to leave this world behind to gain eternal life (whether or not in a Christian sense). That Luke 14: 26 speaks to more of that people should not be consumed with human companionship. Luke 14, 33 states ‘…any of you who does not give everything he has cannot be my disciple”. These taken together it would seem to me it is all about detachment (or in other words as much it may seem to be painful for us, to be in a sense cold towards earthy-fondness unless risk being coming to close to them). I must admit that I have become increasing wary that the meaning of the Biblical phrases have been changed either because of language translation or intentional linguistically interpretation, which brings me back to my original point that unless a person wants to devote his/her life to Biblical studies including learning ancient Greek and possible Arabic, etc. then the best approach is to focus on the general principles an applying the specifics to the general (and even at this, we may have to accept some contradictions and to do our best to live with them unless risk going insane trying to get all the ‘ducks in a row’). Another thing that needs to be considered is assuming that Biblical words have kept their meaning through translation and interpretation is the absolute wording of things: i.e., an all or nothing approach such as “everything,” so I must ask myself is that I use translation and interpretation (and thus the focus on generality) as an excuse or is it valid that we have lost something overtime through written changes?

Fears

Psalm 34, 4: I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from my fears.

Matthew 10, 28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Outside the literal interpretation (of the devil) I read this to mean be weary of your actions, not because the physical consequences but rather the affects they have on your and others souls: because it is through individual persons that evil is done. Be weary of your actions by giving yourself and others respect.

Revelation 13, 16-18: [16] He also forced everyone…to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, [17] so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

Hebrews 13, 5-6: [5]Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” [6]So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Luke 10, 10-11

[10] But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, [11] 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

I take "...we wipe off against you" to mean not to hold things against each other or to judge others as this is not matter for people to engage in, rather it is God’s.



There is some debate about the origins of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke with some saying Luke is based on Mark and Matthew as well as there is a debate of whether Mark is based on Matthew or if Matthew is based on Mark. Type in “Mark’, “Matthew’, and/or “Luke’ into yahoo.com search and there will be a listing for Wikipedia on the first page for each one entered.

Some argue that the role of scholarship is to prove biblical teachings. I think the role of scholarship is to study biblical teachings and raise our spirits when there is evidence to support them and challenge our faith when there is not or when the evidence contends what we believe to be the case: after all if faith is not about being tested what is? Through this process our faith is strengthened as we face falsehoods or fears and conquering them by replacing them with truths. While learning truth may challenge our faith it will never destroy it as God exists and nothing can change this.

Excuses

Luke 14, 16:..."A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests...[18]But they all alike began to make excuses...[21]The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alley of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, and blind and lame.'...I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'

There are several points that I would like to bring up here: (1) those that refuse God's guidance will not be saved is the usual interpretation; (2) we cannot excuse our behavior from God is another standard interpretation: we can only ask for forgiveness; (3) that by making excuses in our personal daily lives we give up opportunities simply for no other reason than not considering our options; and (4) we have constructed social mechanisms that permit us to create polite social excuses that achieve nothing: as we try to deceive one another (yet we all know what each other is doing) and thus prevent humanity from becoming closer.

Salvation

Hebrews 10, 36: You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised...[39]But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Mark 13, 5-13: "[13]...All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved".


It is with these two passages that we can know that what God has promised us is salvation.

Mark 9, 33-34

[33]But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples he rebuked Peter. "Out of my sight, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in the mind the things of God, but the things of men." [34] Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me..."

I read "things of men" to mean concerns of death (to be more specific doubting there is an afterlife, because there is no God) and other earthy matters. I read “he must deny himself” to mean to serve God a person must putout of his mind desires and focus on “things of God” and not believe it is acceptable to give themselves leeway for failure (falling short in competition of task or not being completely devoted to the task or God) due to fault in character (i.e., that they should not focus on how the task will affect them, only on the competition of the task): serve God a person must be obedient and to be truly obedient a person must have humility. I read “take up his cross” to mean what I have just said, but to put emphasis on that it is not an easy path: to putout of a person’s own mind desires and focus on the wants of God. That focusing on “things of God” means the pursuit of eternal life (i.e., life in heaven) but only if a person commits his- or her- self to serving God for the purpose of serving God and not just to gain eternal life.

Philosophy of Religion vs. Theology

What is Philosophy of Religion? Philosophy of Religion is the branch of philosophy that deals with questions related to the cultural element known as religion. It covers aspects such as the existence of god, how we know that god exists, etc. The questions that are asked are directed at religion in general or a specific religion but still in a general framework.

What is Theology? In any specific religion there are questions that arise related to its specific beliefs, values, rules of behavior, practices, principles, history, creation, etc. Theology is the method that a specific religion has to answer these questions. Characteristic of a specific religion’s theology is the theology’s commitment to the religion fundamental elements.

Theology of a specific religion is restricted in as much as it is not permitted to challenge these fundamental elements less risk disproving that which it is meant to defend and create support for. For this reason theology is restricted in it pursuit of truth: another way to look at it is to state that truth begins at these fundamental elements (i.e., first principles).

One thing that concerns me is the presents of those that claim to be religious but are unable to take part in their religion’s theology because they either do not know the method or they do not know the debated issues. This is also true for those that while do not proclaim to belong to any specific religion claim to belong a universal category such being Christian, etc. It concerns me because it may lead a claim that god does not exist.

It concerns me because if the members of a religion or a universal category do not know their theology then what prevents their religion from changing, and if this occurs when does it become a new religion. Furthermore, if a religion changes into a new religion then what defense can be put forth to argue that we know nothing of god(s) and if this happens why cannot an argument be put forth that we cannot be assured that god exist: that leads to an argument that because we cannot be assured that god exists then god does not exist as it would sound reasonable that if god exists then he would want us to know.